I am seven; I look around the room at my synagogue wondering why no one looks like me. All the girls have that beautiful, straight, long golden brown hair that I always dream about and see in the movies, but that is not me. A few months later, I am celebrating Chinese New year with friends and family. I look around and take comfort in the fact that everyone looks like me here. I think to myself, I fit in here, this is the place for me. However, my feelings of comfort are short lived. Moments later my friends begin talking about what Santa Claus brought them for Christmas, and I become lost again. Christmas? What about Hanukkah?
I am Chinese and I am Jewish. When I was born, I was taken to an orphanage by my birth parents in China, but I will never know why. Luckily, little less than a year later, my adoptive parents — who I call just my parents — came and brought me into their loving family. When I was very young, I did not really understand the concept of adoption and what it meant. I was just told these people are my parents, and I needed to love them as they loved me. Having a background with such different cultures made my childhood and cultural experiences very unique. My
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According to Jewish law, I am Jewish because my mother is Jewish, but I am also adopted, so does that mean I am not Jewish because I am not biologically related to my mom? Pondering over this idea for a long time, I eventually reached a conclusion that my definition of what it means to be Jewish could be different from someone else's. I believe that to be Jewish, one must practice Jewish ways and traditions; it does not matter whether or not you are born into a Jewish family. Therefore I consider myself Jewish, not because I was raised into a Jewish family, but due to my
A couple months ago, I found myself at one of my old friend’s Hanukkah party. At the party, many of my old friends were scattered around the dining room table and living room, chatting as we ate latkes and chicken. Towards the end of the party, we lit the menorah, sang the traditional Hanukkah prayers and tunes, and ultimately relaxed. The orange flames danced on the menorah as we came together to take group photos – which were all obviously coordinated by our parents. In various stages of relaxation, we gathered on the couch and talked about life from where we’re thinking of going to college to old elementary school memories.
Belonging During the Holocaust How would you feel if the only way it came down to survive was to feel belonging? If you didn 't belong in many ways during the Holocaust there was a low chance of surviving. If you didn 't feel belonging than that would usually lead to many things like sadness and loneliness. An important part of the Holocaust was to feel accepted into a group and have someone care about you like in the books Night, Heroes of the Holocaust, and The Hitler Youth. Elie Wiesel and his father were all each other had during the Holocaust.
When I arrived in the U.S at age 12 ½ it was a huge adjustment for me as I did not speak English. I was suddenly living with a family and not in the orphanage that I grew up in. it was hard for me to leave my orphanage in China I had lived there my whole life and thought of the orphanage as my home. After being adopted and now living in America I have so many opportunities I did not have in China.
My story, unlike many others, took a dramatic turn of events when I was merely 10 months old. I was taken away from everything I knew and had been accustomed to. I was placed in a totally new world, 7,000 miles away, with a new beginning and new family. My story centers on my transracial adoption as a Chinese girl in a Caucasian family. With my adoption into this family, my experiences have been shaped and molded to include a life that could never have been imagined in my birth country.
I am truly glad to have a life with freedom, liberty and peace. I’m able to say my own opinion and have my family, who supports me in everything. Most likely to be me, even if I’m not perfect, to have brown hair and eyes. Not be judged or looked at differently for my religion, race or gender. But I know life wasn 't the same as it used to be.
My parents, like most of us in the U.S., immigrated with dreams for a better future, but also feared the cultural unknowns. Three out of my four siblings have received a college education and I am who they consider as the trailblazer and the catalyst that left Houston, TX to attend university and study abroad for a larger view of life, and left no room for fear in her luggage. Growing up my father worked in construction and instilled in me a strong work ethic, dependability, and to strive for success that has molded me to be the fearless woman I am today.
When I was a year old, my mother and I left everything behind in Mexico to start a new life here in the United States. Of course, being young, I had no idea of the tremendous consequences that would be implicated upon my family and my future. She came here so we could have a chance to live the American Dream and escape the poverty and crime there was in Mexico. It was a hard decision my mother made at the time but it was the best for the both of us. When I look back on my childhood I wondered to myself how did I get through it, cause I guess you can say that I really never had a childhood like the other kids.
Before my mind recognized the perils of the world, I was a youth glancing into a hospital window at a creature that would consume my every waking hour. With a tuft of dark brown locks and a pink exterior with a fleece to match, the demon was screeching mayhem; yet, my heart was encompassed in warmth. On February 27, 2011, God bestowed on me my pride and joy, my niece Aliyah. Months later, my family received a bombshell that would forever change the course of our lives: Aliyah was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, she is visually-impaired. Our story is not one of pity; our story is one of triumph.
What defiens a person? Can we rely solely on their apparel or actions? How can we truly understand one another, if all we 're looking at is the surface? Have we forgotten to acknowledge the beauty that lies within one 's heart? Our background , identity, interests, and talents are ways we can exude personality and share our own stories.
Growing up with a Catholic mother and Jewish father, I was often oblivious to the major differences between my extended families. Although I was raised Catholic, I was content in exercising parts of Judaism; it meant I received double the presents during the holidays. As I grew older, however, I became exceedingly conscious of the prejudices Jews face here in America. I never really understood why until the summer of 2014, when my father brought my family to Israel.
Everyone in high school looks forward to graduation day; however, I was not looking forward to it. I hate being in any form of spot light. For a lot of people, graduating from high school is a goal that took many years to achieve and they like to be acknowledged for it. Graduation marks the end of high school and the beginning of a new independent life for all. I asked my parents if I could skip the ceremony, but they made me walk with my class.
I kept squeezing my new stress ball. It was November 15, 2015. I had bought the ball just two days ago and I loved it. “Mr. Patil, I said we are here to discuss an important matter. Can you please stop glancing at that ball?”