Learning in a New Setting

By Alyssa Miller
York College of Pennsylvania

Throughout my life, Judaism never came as a challenge to me. I live in an area where the majority of the population is Jewish, I attended Hebrew school through elementary and middle school, was involved in Kadima and USY (I went on USY on Wheels in 2008), attended a Jewish all-girls sleep-away camp and then attended a Jewish day school for high school. Honestly, upon graduation, I had very few friends who were not Jewish.

Then I got to college, and no one was Jewish. Many people had never even met a Jew before. This was new to me. I therefore became very involved in our very small (around ten active members) Hillel, and tried to make sure I was involved in every event. As a result, I was elected President for the following year. But to me, being Jewish on a campus with very few Jews is so much more than just Hillel. I have taught many of my friends what my customs are, and what I believe. Religion actually became an interesting and even fun topic for my friends and me. When Hanukkah came around, I would light the candles, and as I said the blessing, my friends would join me in singing the word Hanukkah at the end.

But being a Jew became more of a challenge than anything. I had to find ways to celebrate the things that I always celebrated with my family by myself at school. For example, we had class on Yom Kippur, and though it is one of the most important holidays, I had class, and felt these lectures were too important to miss. Therefore, I fasted the 25 hours and did my own private davening. We then had a break fast-that night at the previous president’s apartment.

But having these challenges has taught me about who I am, and how by understanding others, I can learn to better understand myself. By understanding other religions, I find it easier to explain Judaism. Along with the challenges in my beliefs, I have to learn to better understand Judaism, and what I believe as an individual

Alyssa Miller is a sophomore nursing student at York College in Pennsylvania and is Hillel president.

[Posted 12/7/10]