the things that it yields: community, family. You know, Judy has 11 grandkids, so I know she’s cooking all the time. She has her shopping, cooking schedule, all on the holidays, right? That would be it for me in a big sense: the Jewish calendar.
There is a G-d in the world and everything is run by that Creator. Just living with that awareness—I don’t know how people live without it.
David: Contrasting how I grew up—in a completely secular environment—to religious life, one of the things that’s been amazing is just how everything has meaning and purpose. We have a blessing after we use the restroom! With Torah and with the idea that there’s a G-d in the world and that He gave instructions for living, knowing that there’s objective meaning to things that we’re doing is extremely powerful. There’s no action in our lives that is without meaning. There’s an idea that Talmud Torah [Torah study] is k’neged kulam [opposite all]: There’s nothing that’s outside of Torah. So, when we’re walking down the street, checking out at the supermarket, with our family, Jewish holidays, every single thing is infused with objective meaning—there’s something real going on in the world and it’s meaningful. That’s what is magical, that every minute of life is meaningful.
Yitzchok: Children and grandchildren, seeing them reach milestones—get married, have children, the way they raise their children and seeing the way they go after their ambitions.
Since nonreligious people also talk about the power of seeing children and grandchildren grow up and reach milestones, what would you say is unique about it through an Orthodox lens?
Yitzchok: Our children have taken to things Jewishly with a gusto. They teach. They lead. And seeing them pursue that has been a Jewish experience, in addition to being obviously the family experience. These are all magical things. One thing that also stands out about my religious life is the fact that I got the chance to learn for a long time. In the 10 years between when I finished college until the time I came to [the Bay Area], I got to spend in yeshiva. So even today, having access to the discourse of big talmidei chachamim—of very big scholars—and to be able to sit there for two hours and follow, decode everything that they’re saying because I was given access to learning, to this day is still a magical thing.
Esther: I feel very content and accomplished living this lifestyle because my son is now living this lifestyle. My life is now more intentional and purposeful; I feel very fulfilled. I’m happy that my son will be carrying this on, and I’m doing this with the help of Oora Somayach, because my son has chevrusas [study partners] and I’m trying to make the Torah lifestyle be sweet and fun for him. So, he will continue.
Nina: What everyone said really resonates. I’d add to that: being in a community. I know other people have communities, but this is a community that’s dedicated and focused on creating and celebrating Jewish lives, supporting each other.
