Chapter 1: Why Am I Reading This?
Jews come to consider, or reconsider, their heritage for myriad reasons. You may identify with one or more of these:
§ The prompting of a Jewish boy or girl friend
§ The prompting of a Gentile friend
§ An affinity with an older relative who has kept the faith, as it were
§ An uneasy feeling about your upcoming marriage to a Gentile
§ A positive encounter with a Torah Observant individual at work, school, or in your neighborhood
§ A scrape with anti-Semitism
§ A stomach at odds with itself come late December
§ An inability to answer questions about Judaism posed by Jews and non-Jews
§ Some obstinate sense of Jewish pride or identity
§ Wonderment about the ever-central role of the Jews in world history
§ The prompting of a Rabbi
§ Already achieved success and experienced every pleasure, but still have not found personal satisfaction
§ Gnawing, curiosity inside of you
§ Felt a compelling emotional tug while on a trip to Israel
§ A feeling of spiritual void
§ Uncertainty about the purpose and meaning of life
All these reasons could point to a germinating interest that needs to be cultivated. You're invited to read on and explore your heritage.