Identity

Well I've tried to take some pictures that might show a little bit of who I am. The problem is I don't really know who I am and my identity is constantly shifting. I once heard a rabbi say that every Jew, and probably everybody with a religion in general, goes through the same kind of challenge that I'm experiencing. Everyone is raised in a certain religious tradition (unless you're atheist, whatever) and are told certain things over and over enough until they believe them as True. So every person, when they get old enough are forced to decide which beliefs are True and which are custom? So this is an important question, one that I'll have to answer my whole life.

So this is the most obvious symbol of my identity hanging up in my apartment right now. I got this flag from a hotel gift shop in Jerusalem in April 2004. It's a typical souvenir from a Jew's first trip to their Homeland. It's kind of an important souvenir for me because it reminds me of that first trip I took there and all the great friends I made and have since lost touch with. 

Next are my collections. I used to collect stamps and semi-precious stones and Legos and all sorts of other dorky crap. Now I collect music and have just started building a library. I picture myself in 50 years, drinking a brandy in my very own wood-paneled library filled with books and other sundry items. 

        

I love listening to music, finding new bands, and talking about shows. My parents really influenced my tastes, I love the music they listened to when they were my age: Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, Beatles, Bob Dylan. I just don't think any music that will come out in my life time will be as good as these gems. As far as reading goes, I have far too little time to read all those books I have, I'm in the middle of about 8 of them. If you look at the titles you can get a bigger picture of who I am. 

This is my religion, a mezuzah, some kippot, tefillin, a siddur, and a chumash. In English these are: a thing you put on your door, head coverings, phylacteries, prayer book, and bible. I made some of those kippot, it's kind of dorky but a dear friend taught me and I'm currently trying to make a giant blanket to send down through my family one day. 

This is the staff picture from Camp Wise in Chardon, Ohio, 30 miles east of Cleveland. I was a camper here for 5 years and a staff member for 2. It's a really special place, I would even call it holy. The friends I made there are the best, we all grew up together even though we lived in separate town. 

 

So I keep my clothes in milk crakes... so college. I was born in Wisconsin, three years after my brother, David. My mother and her family are all from there. We moved away soon after and grew up in Toledo, OH. My dad and his family are from Columbus so I'm damn proud to be a Buckeye, but I can't stop loving Wisconsin. When I go back, we check out our old house in a really nice neighborhood right on Lake Michigan. I always wonder what I would be like if we hadn't moved away. I guess we'll never ever know.