Opinionated...

I hear the word "opinionated" a lot from people I am close to.  I am.  I have strong convictions in what I believe in, and I can generally back up what I am saying.  Generally.  For the last few years, there has really been only one hot topic that I've debated with many about: Judaism.  It is such a central point in my life.  I find myself relating anything and everything to it.  The funny thing is, my husband is exactly the same way.  Sometimes I wonder if our secular family and friends ever hear anything out of our mouths that does not in some way or another pertain to Judaism.

I remember when I was still in the process of growing, I didn't want to be one of those religious people who couldn't talk about anything besides religion.  The thing is - back then, it was just another religion.  To this day I still have a negative association when I hear the word "religion" or "religious."  I think about the bible belt and people preaching about the devil, among other weird images.  I think archaic and outdated.  I think people who are brainwashed and fanatical, and further, not very smart.

Judaism, yiddishkeit, is not that.  I want to remove it from the category of religion and put it into its very own category.  There are religions, and there is Judaism.

There are so many different ways to be a Jew.  There is so much more to Judaism than one can perceive from the outside.  Judaism is about learning, about self discovery, spiritual connection with a higher being, family, self improvement.  It isn't about keeping kosher or dressing in a certain way - those are just means to an end.  Its about a deeper connection to something beyond ourselves.