The Lech Lecha
Decision
Adam Budin Dear ___________,
Why do you think you have such a strong moral compass? For years and years, Jews have been interpreting the Torah. We have dissected these narratives and deduced why they matter to us. You have only just begun this process, and look at the good it has done you. Our history’s lessons teach us how to be like you. By electing to go to public high school, I think you will miss out on a possibly transformative experience in your life. In some way, you may not be completely prepared to carry on these lessons to your children. But at the end of the day, I want it to be your choice. Consider this a test.
I understand you. I understand that you don’t want to live in a Jewish bubble for your entire life. I understand that you want to meet new people. I understand that you don’t want to go to a Jewish high school. I understand that your belief in God is dwindling. But I also understand that you are a very moral person, always concerned with doing the absolute right thing. You wouldn’t even let me tell the waiter last night that you were twelve so you could order from the kid’s menu. So I aim to tell you why Jewish high school is absolutely the right thing to do. A test, just like the tests of Abraham. I’m sure you have not learned about all of them, but I know you have Whenever I asked your grandfather about the impor- knowledge of perhaps the most controversial: Akedat tance of Judaism, he would always explain the signifi- Yitzhak. I remember that when you came home after cance of the Torah. “There’s a reason why we chant Am learning the conclusion to the Akedah, you told me that Yisrael Chai” he would say. “For some reason, the To- you thought Abraham was a terrible person. You asked, rah has taught us how to be good people, how to care “How could Abraham be in the Amidah if he was gofor another. Throughout history, there have been many ing to kill his son?”. At the time, I told you that it was a people who have not liked that quality. But somehow, test of his faith in God. This statement further enraged some way, we prevailed. We have prevailed through you, as you questioned how we could pray to a God who two destructions of the Temple, through the Holocaust, would make somebody kill their son. through the constant threat of terror in Israel.” See Budin, next page
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