Birdie & Max: Judaism is what you make it
The High Holidays are a perfect time to reflect on the past year and think about how we want to adjust our thoughts and behaviors in the coming year. What is something you learned about yourselves as a couple in the past year that you plan to incorporate into the upcoming year?
“The High Holiday season of 2020 was the most important one for my husband, Max, and me. I was born and raised Christian, and it never really felt like the right fit for me. After marrying Max, I thought that being Jewish meant I needed to convert. But after Honeymoon Israel, and meeting people with similar backgrounds as mine, I learned that “Judaism is what you make it.” So, after 2020, and spending my first High Holiday season alone in over 10 years, I realized that I wasn’t just missing the holidays, I was missing a part of me. During this past Passover, I gathered all of my Christian friends and family and told them how I felt and that this was how I was choosing to live my life from here on. They were so supportive! I feel closer to God than I ever have been, and I wouldn’t have made it through this awful year without a renewed sense of faith. I can’t wait to celebrate the High Holidays this year with my new mindset on how Max and I fit into the Jewish community.” – Birdie, HMI Atlanta 2020
