Being the only Christian, Asian girl at a Jewish high school has broadened my definition
of a community. Not only was there very little diversity, but most of my classmates were
unfamiliar with my culture other than the Chinese food they would eat during Hanukkah. Being
within that minority, I felt a responsibility to care for my community by representing that area in
which it lacked. Grateful for what my classmates had taught me about their religion, I wanted to
return the favor by teaching them about my culture. I proposed starting an Asian Culture club to
the administration which quickly gained traction. As I stood in front of my peers discussing the
Chinese mythology behind mooncake, I realized that the Chinese, Protestant girl who first
entered this strange environment has found a unique place in this community. My Kehillah
family touched me with their open-minded willingness to explore cultures different from theirs,
the very sentiment that drew me to a Jewish school. Because of this, I have become a more
empathetic person than I would have been at any other school and I would not trade this
experience for anything in the world.
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