Leaving the Jewish Bubble

By Maya Hannon

Creative Writing Editor

Throughout my last week of high school, every morning in the car, my mother reiterated

how I was going to miss my high school experience once I moved on to Cegep. I had been going to a Jewish school for the last five years and had not felt particularly sentimental about my upcoming departure. Excited about the chance to expand my social network and branch off, I would quietly mutter to myself, “She is completely wrong”. In retrospect, I had only been

exposed to Jewish groups. I only went to Jewish camps. I only had Jewish friends. I even only

played on Jewish sports teams. I was able to count all the non-Jewish people I had ever been

exposed to on one hand. Therefore, at this time, I was unqualified to make assumptions about

what the outside world would have in store for a Jew, considering I infrequently came across

non-Jews. After leaving the tightly sealed Jewish bubble, I encountered instances of antisemitism, all the way from my camper drawing Nazi symbols on his paper ship during arts

and crafts to my ex-friend posting, “From the River to the Sea” on her story knowing that her

Jewish friends such as myself, would be deeply hurt by this comment. As the conflict in Israel

continues to generate backlash against the Jewish community as a whole, I am left to ponder

over my scattered thoughts. Was my mother right after all, and that staying in the Jewish

community was the only way to avoid being exposed to individuals who did not respect my

religion? However, answers to tricky questions are never black or white.

Closing ourselves off from others contributes to the creation of a more polarized society.

Moreover, it is this type of attitude that feeds into the preexisting social divisions. Camouflaging yourself within the Jewish community may feel safe and comfortable, but it is not a feasible long term solution. Conversely, it is important to surround yourself with individuals who make you feel secure and valued, but it is necessary to understand that society should function as a whole. Therefore, while my mother was correct about me reminiscing over a cherished time period in my life, where I was encircled by individuals who supported my values and beliefs, the next chapter was equally as essential to endure. Engaging with different cultures and religions produces a society whose mindsets are more malleable which fosters a united, cohesive environment. In these tumultuous times with the ongoing conflict in Israel, the task remains more difficult for Jews to break into new social dynamics and commingle peacefully with other groups. Therefore, we must do what we always do. Display resilience. We must continue to be harmonious, respectful human beings towards others, knowing that we have the steadfast support of a community who adheres to the same core values as us. While leaving the Jewish bubble remains a part of life that almost every Jew must undergo, it in no way means that our community will not be by our side at the end of the day, similar to a boomerang whose purpose is to always bounce back.