The Torah of Rochelle Zell
Dignity through Words Joseph Hunt, RZJHS 2021 Art by Hannah Houston, RZJHS 2020
Growing up, I was raised in an Orthodox community. I went to an Orthodox school and an Orthodox synagogue. When I was in school and shuls, I never felt as though I really belonged. I always felt like the people around me were judging me because I didn’t pray like they did, I didn’t act like they did, and I didn’t think like they did. Sometimes, those thoughts became a reality. People in my grade and community would tease me if I prayed in English, listened to girls singing, or had a different belief then they did. One shabbat, I was sitting in a small room for the youth services at a synagogue that I have had negative experiences with in the past. I wasn’t in that big of a praying mood so I started spacing out. I felt pretty uncomfortable in there because there were some old classmates of mine from middle school who I have had negative experiences with in the past. 10
After the Torah service, the head rabbi of the shul came into the room to talk to us. This rabbi has said some pretty upsetting things before, but I decided to listen in to what he had to say anyways. He asked us a question, “What would you say if one of your friends said they wanted to get married?” One person said that they would say “Mazal Tov.” Another said “congratulations.” Overall people gave pretty positive responses. Then he expanded on his question. “What if your friend wanted to get married to someone of the same sex?” See Hunt, next page
