A Jewish Journey of Identity and Courage

anymore, isn’t it?” David suddenly remarked. “I’ve kind of gotten used to everyone.” “Yes… time flew by,” I agreed. “But I’m sure we’ll stay in touch. You’ll have to send me photos of your Torah reading. A video would be great too!” “You’re welcome to come see me live,” David surprised me. “I would love that!” I replied, grinning. “I can’t wait to throw candy at you.” “Finally, I get a chance to see your shooting skills,” David laughed. I spotted my dad’s car approaching. “I really hope we can keep in touch,” I said as the car slowed down and pulled up in front of us. “Me too,” David said, smiling at me. His blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. “I’m really glad they made me come to this workshop. Thanks to you, I talked to my parents about what’s been happening with the team, and Marcus isn’t bothering me anymore.” “Thanks for sharing that,” I replied, returning his smile. “It’s so much easier to talk to someone who understands you,” David added, and I nodded in agreement. Who do you think you can confide in about what you’re experiencing? How do you imagine they would respond? David waved as my dad’s car began to pull away from the JCC. “I see you made some new friends,” Dad said with a smile. “I’m glad you participated in this workshop.” “Will you be just as happy to hear that I’m considering going to Israel after I graduate high school? On my own?” I asked, watching his reaction carefully. This was the first time I was sharing my thoughts about this plan, and I was nervous.

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