This is a wonderful complement to the “Hebrew Mamita” piece I shared a few weeks ago.
What does it mean to be proud of yourself? What is it about each of us that makes us proud? Today, we tend to think that what makes us different as individuals is what we can be legitimately be proud of. While this is true, it’s not the whole truth. Like it or not, each of us is who we are because of where we have been and the heritage we have received. This includes our family, our community, our nation, our culture and our religion. Without these it’s impossible even to see how we are different or unique. So the bedrock of true pride in ourselves, if you’re a Jew, is taking pride in being a Jew, in knowing enough about Jewish culture, history and spirit to see the Jewish elements in you that can be a source of pride. This slam poem makes the point strongly and beautifully.