Ritual can make something lovely and meaningful or difficult and unbearable. Which one is it for you?
In spirit of High Holidays, we asked the Shebrew community:

Does religious ritual (i.e. going to Temple, keeping Kosher etc) make being Jewish for you easier or more difficult? Do you find a sense of belonging or does it turn you off?

I am just about the only person in my family who still participates in Jewish rituals. I go to Temple for the major holidays and every once in while for Shabbat. I light the Hanukkah candles and cut bread out of my diet for the week of Passover. I don’t think participating in these traditions makes being Jewish any easier, but I do think my participation honors my religion. By carrying on traditions that have been in existence for hundreds of years, I’m honoring those Jews who’ve come before me and I’m connecting with them by sharing experiences they’ve all had. I don’t necessarily feel closer to my fellow Jews while I’m at Temple, but I do feel like I’m a part of the greater whole. I feel that religion is about belonging to something bigger than yourself and in order to enjoy that sense of belonging you need to be comfortable. If performing rituals and honoring traditions aren’t fun for you then you shouldn’t do them. In my eyes, you’re not less Jewish no matter what. If you believe you’re Jewish, feel connected to Judiaism, then you’re Jewish and the same as someone who goes to Temple every week and keeps Kosher in their home.

Lesly H.

I think the ritual and culture of Judaism make it easier for me to be a Jew. I was raised in a traditional conservative family that observed Shabbat, kept kosher, and attended synagogue on a regular basis. As i got older, we became more relaxed, and when i went to college and basically dropped everything for the sake of convenience. While i don’t keep kosher, Shabbat, or go to synagogue more than four times a year, i still know how to do those things, and have fond memories or being part of a tradition and a community, and feel at ease when at synagogue for holiday or Bar-Mitzvah, or invited to Shabbat dinner. It gives me an instant connection with those around me, and i feel unique amongst my non-Jewish friends for being familiar with those traditions.

Sara RD

I can see why other young Jews opt out of synagogue membership and religious observance. But for me, my shul is the cornerstone of my community and shabbat observance is the rock of my week. I have to recognize that I’m in a different place than a lot of my peers, I’m a Jew By Choice and I’m single. That means I don’t have a Jewish partner or Jewish in-laws to lean on for help or celebration. For me, I have found my Jewish family at shul and wouldn’t have found them if I wasn’t going to services regularly.

Leah J.

I grew up in Russia and didn’t know any Jewish rituals until i was about 15, and after that it was me and my friends that created community around Shabbat and holidays. I was fascinated and drawn in.

After moving to the US, thinga have changed quite a lot. Even though I know enough to follow services, say blessings, or not to answer my cell phone during Shabbat dinner while visiting my Orthodox friends, I feel completely disconnected from the tradition. Very often I feel as though people replace meaning with ritual, doing things without understanding wat they mean, or what relevance they have in their lives.

I agree that “doing” things can help someone have that sense of belonging, but i think that as a whole the Jewish community might be losing by not accepting those who think otherwise, - especially people who claim to be “culturally Jewish” and atheists.

Dina R.