4 minute read
A Teen's Journey from Discomfort to Empowerment
March 2024
We’re proud to share with you an essay written by Temple Kol Tikvah teen, Madison Perrin (senior), in response to the prompt provided on her University of Miami college application: “Please describe how your unique experiences, challenges overcome, or skills acquired would contribute to our distinctive University community.”
Many Jewish teenagers, especially in the South, have experienced or are currently experiencing similar feelings to Madison when openly discussing their faith with friends, at school or when planning/ running a community wide Jewish event. Madison says that her experiences have helped her realize that being uncomfortable was just “simply an opportunity for growth.” Her words may seem simple, however the act of recognition of being uncomfortable and connecting it with growing is something to truly celebrate.
Allie Gullatta, Temple Kol Tikvah Education and Youth Director
By Madison Perrin
“What kind of event is this?” asked a stranger. Confused that in these modern times, this person didn’t know what was happening, I kindly replied, “This is Chanukah on the Green.” Chanukah on the Green became my Temple’s first major event in my hometown, Davidson, North Carolina. Davidson is in the “Bible Belt,” so being Jewish is like being a goat mixed in with a herd of sheep. I look somewhat the same, but I am obviously different. Our event was sparked by “Christmas in Davidson,” a traditional threenight annual Christmas festivity. With so few members of the Jewish faith in our area, I hoped that Chanukah on the Green would help Temple Kol Tikvah make its mark on Davidson and increase awareness about our community by celebrating Chanukah and the traditions that unite us.
On the day of our event, a knot formed in my stomach. This would be the first prominent Jewish event in town, and I was concerned about how the locals would react. My heart was pounding, and my hands were shaking. I started setting up our booths and directing local businesses where to put their pop-up shops. My anxiety faded as I began to discuss Chanukah with some of the non-Jewish shopkeepers. I loved hearing and answering their questions, and our conversation allowed me to open up more. I became excited to watch the event come to life. Guests began to arrive, and the sounds of traditional holiday music, conversation, and laughter astonished me. I joyfully observed the booths entertaining the crowd, selling products, and educating people on Judaism by celebrating Chanukah. A warm feeling replaced my worry as I watched our community’s acceptance form on the simple patch of green in the center of our town.
Looking back, I recognize how much I reframed my sense of self by helping host this event. I have been uncomfortable communicating my faith to others in the past, as it has been poorly received. In middle school, some of my fellow students began to harass me once they caught wind of my religious beliefs. Words and phrases such as “showers” and “gas chambers” became a constant bug in my ear. It got to the point where I had to get the school involved in order to get the harassment to end. I suggested that my school bring in my rabbi to discuss and educate what it means to be a member of the Jewish religion. Although the school rejected this suggestion, that did not stop me from being faithful to my religion and being a proud Jewish woman.
Chanukah on the Green reignited my confidence in my faith and reminded me how important it is to embrace who I am. After this event, I noticed progress in other areas of my life. At my equestrian competitions, I moved up a division and was surrounded by more experienced riders. This pushed me to practice harder to compete at their level and advance further. I again took a risk to try something new when my school selected me to attend Model United Nations Chapel Hill (MUNCH). MUNCH opened my eyes to a whole new academic atmosphere and, as a bonus, improved my public speaking skills. Lastly, I pushed through my physical comfort zone when I started playing varsity lacrosse in my sophomore year. This sport was utterly new to me, as were my teammates. These experiences helped me realize that being uncomfortable was simply an opportunity for growth.
Chanukah on the Green was a community and personal success. It showed me that pushing through uncomfortable situations can unite a community and allow me to embrace who I am as a person. Rather than driving by the temple and simply noticing a building with a Jewish star, people can now remember the event that formed bonds between our community.”
