#rroyharper

Hey everyone, I’m Jami! (My Hebrew name is יוֹסֵפָה -- Yosefa)

Ever since I was little, I’ve been teased about my “Jew Nose”, my “Schnoz.” This first picture is from my Bat Mitzvah in 2008, and the second is from today. (And the other two are also from today because I am Jewish and I am beautiful!!!) It’s been a struggle, but I have been learning to love my nose, regardless of the stereotypes that come along with it. 

I consider myself to be a Jewish Agnostic--I am Jewish culturally and in practice, but I’m unsure how I feel about God. This is how I celebrate my religion and my heritage--you can still believe in the values of an ideology without necessarily believing that those values came from a big man in the sky. I am not any less of a Jewish person for not knowing whether I believe in God! I am not any less of a Jewish person for being a member of the Reform movement rather than Conservative or Orthodox, nor am I any less of a Jew for not following every Jewish law put in place, like keeping kosher or honoring Shabbat every Friday night.

In a little over a month I will leave for the Jewish summer camp I have been attending for ten years, and it is truly my favorite place on Earth, and one of the only places I ever find myself truly becoming spiritual. It’s some combination of Jewish music, Jewish traditions, and the adoptive family I’ve grown up with--it touches my soul in the most profound of ways, and without Judaism I would not have it.

For all my non-Jewish friends, here are a couple of friendly reminders!

There is no such thing as “Jewish privilege”--we do not “control the media” or “run the world”

Judaism =/= Zionism

Diaspora Jews (Jewish people living outside of Israel) have no control over what is happening in the Middle East

The Holocaust is not something we will ever “get over”

Don’t speak over us regarding our identities, our traditions, anything related to our Judaism, really

Many of us grow up to have careers other than doctors, lawyers, and accountants

!!עם ישראל חי

read the first one, reading the dream thieves right now, so yes! i drew adam once but i didn’t post it here. but i’m gonna draw raven cycle characters, actually i don’t know why i haven’t yet but