A Jewish Journey of Identity and Courage

“I checked, and it won’t conflict with your practice schedule,” Mom said. “It’s only five sessions, and it’s not just about Judaism. It’s also about developing your identity as a mature individual.” I rolled my eyes and caught a glimpse of my dad scowling at me. “It’s time you start taking an interest in things beyond basketball,” he insisted. “Okay, fine,” I relented. Clearly, this mattered to them. I could survive five hours of a boring workshop. I just hoped the guys wouldn’t find out. They already teased me constantly, reminding me of my Jewish identity at every opportunity. If they learned I was attending a workshop at the JCC, they’d drive me crazy. “You must be disappointed you hardly got to play today,” Dad said, and I welcomed the change of subject. “Do you want me to talk to your coach?” “No, no need,” I replied quickly. The last thing I wanted was for my dad to talk to Coach Joey. I didn’t want him to share the details of what was happening on the team—the badgering, the harsh words. That would only worry my parents, prompting them to intervene and make everything messier. “Oh, Natty,” I heard Mom exclaim. I glanced to my left and saw Natalie’s shirt completely stained with tomato sauce, but that didn’t stop her from flashing a wide smile at me. Before bed, I reflected on everything that had happened after the game. Even though it wasn’t the first time, it was always frustrating. Why do I keep putting up with this? Is basketball really worth it? Each time I think about it, I convince myself it is. I don’t want to give up the things I enjoy. If only I could put an end to the teasing… but how? How can I make them stop? What if this isn’t just about me? What if they’d treat anyone else the same way? You can never know. I fell asleep, but I couldn’t figure it out.

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