Today is Rosh Hashanah. For me, that means today will be filled with comments like "why are you at school" and "you shouldn't be here." Occasionally, a Jewish peer might venture to tell me that I'm a "bad Jew." Although I know these comments are (mostly) meant as jokes, they really bother me. First, who is anyone to tell me what I should be/should not be doing with my faith? Why does anyone feel the right to set a premium or requirement on my religion, instructing me on how I should or should not behave? Frankly, I think I have jurisdiction over when/how/why to practice my faith, and if I don't think going to temple is important, I shouldn't have to deal with inquiries into my religious behavior.
At the same time, I have wondered why the majority of my Jewish peers are willing to miss school when I am not. Maybe I really am a bad Jew? Or maybe I just don't care enough? Is that a bad thing? I can try to justify my attendance to school by pointing to the lack of adequate homework accommodation policies in school. But, at the end of the day, I do choose to come to school. What does that say about me?
No comments:
Post a Comment