Jared' s Personality

             Once again, I find myself writing my blog post the day that I am going to turn it in. This time, however, it is not out of necessity – I already have a blog post written. I’m delaying that one, and instead, this week, I am writing about Yom Kippur.             Yom Kippur, in my opinion, is the most important and holy Jewish holiday that there is. It is the Day of Atonement – you fast for 25 hours, attend temple for many of those hours. However, when you are not temple, there aren’t many things to do. On this Day of Atonement, I am not supposed to use any electronics, or play any frivolous games. Indeed, I am writing this blog post on a piece of paper with a pencil – a revolutionary idea – as I try not to waste my time today. When I fast, I am supposed to be able to reflect about my sins of the previous year with more clarity. That is indeed true. I believe that fasting is a very good portal to deep thought, and it has allowed me today to make many personal decisions and

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting on a bus surrounded by 8-11 th graders. They’re all campers at the summer camp that I’m a counselor at, Camp Tavor, and we’re travelling to the fall seminar for a weekend of reunions, fun, and education about our youth movement. It is, of course, the day that this blog post is due, as I have put it off until the last moment, and now I must finish it by the completion of my road trip. The kids are loud, annoying, and making stupid jokes. And I love them! Being a counselor for these kids, if only for 3 days, is one of the best experiences that I’ve ever had. Even though I’m still in high school, and indeed go to the same school as a few of these kids, they still look up to me as a role model, and as somebody who is an important part of their education. Through Camp Tavor, I am able to take on new roles and responsibilities, and I am allowed to grow as a person. This weekend, I’m in charge of handling the high school freshmen, as I also was over the su

In class, we were asked to do a short writing on our name – ‘How do you feel about your name?’ I must admit, my relationship with my name is a complicated one, a “love-hate” relationship. On the love side of the metaphorical boxing ring, we have the uniqueness of “Jared.” I am happy to say that I have never met another Jared in my life. That means that I never have had the need to have a nickname, or go by my last name or initial. It may be simple, but it is something that I have always valued – the ability to be the only Jared in the room. When it comes to celebrities named Jared, there aren’t many – Jared Leto is one of the few that comes to mind. That means that I never have to deal with any jokes about my relation to a well-known figure, as I’m sure people with names such as “Harry” (Potter, Styles take your pick) have to. However, outweighing the pros, we have the con on the other side of the ring. The reason why I hate my name, is simply because I can’t pronounce it. I have be