Ruth's Religious Identity

**I chose to take a more personal route on writing this blog, focusing in on an individual's story and religious experience**

Religion has played a large part in my family’s life, but coming from me, the most religious/religiously influenced character in my life in my grandmother Ruth. Being born in Israel, she had a large religious upbringing and background. Attending synagogue weekly, being exposed to the several different religious aspects of life throughout the state, nationality, and her parents, Ruth had a very sizable background in religion; she had a concrete understanding of her belief system, religious concepts, and individualized her religion to suit her. She continued this religious upbringing, but the climax of her experience with religion was her drafting into the Israeli army: the IDF. This military stronghold was the epitome of the Jewish religion and faith. Fighting and protecting the Jewish homeland with/and everything it stands for and believes in was Ruth’s defining characteristic of the Jewish religion. With everything that she had developed throughout her past years growing up in the heart of Judaism, and participating in an incredible religious act, Ruth’s sight of the world had altered significantly from when he was in her younger years, not as exposed to religious aspects of life in such large proportions and intensities. Nevertheless, religion had taken its toll on her life and redefined the way the Ruth experienced and took in the world she lived in.

Evidently, her Jewish identity effected the way that she continued to live her life outside of the state of Israel. Immigrating to America, Ruth discovered much more about  the reality of the world, all through her unique perspective as a result of her intense religious exposure and character. Her religion allowed her to see things from a view that was unmistakable, and apparently unknown to the most, if not all people. She thought the eating of a hamburger was vulgar and inhumane, let alone knowing how to eat it. She thought that the excess of American culture reflected the disgust she held for the way America operated in contrast to the way things went in Israel. She thought the heavy presence of an assortment of other religions undermined the importance and value of Judaism. The list goes on and on. Although, it remains clear that because of the stringent and narrow religious views which she held in Israel for so many years, the way she sees other cultures, culturally (and religiously) diffuses, and the way she feels about her surroundings were all concepts that were drastically impacted by her religion. Whether or not her religion enabled or disabled her to see things throughout her surroundings is a different story, but it is clear that her religion changed the way she viewed the world.

Despite a rough start, Ruth’s new culture and lifestyle allowed her previous 

one(s) to wither down, playing a less and less role in her current life. While getting accustomed to a new culture is a challenge for sure, Ruth soon discovered that religion does in fact have a significant role in her life, and the position which her religion from Israel used to fulfill was vacant, and needed to be filled. So, she diffused into American culture even more by combining the Jewish religion and American culture as one. Ruth became an active participant in a local Jewish synagogue, Jewish seminars, conferences, works, etc. The new form of religion which she followed allowed her to see the world in a more open, all-embracing fashion. Unlimited by Israeli religious lifestyle, Ruth established her own, independent religious ground which she would base a great portion of her life in America on. This allowed her to appreciate her religious, Jewish element in addition to her cultural, American element. This combination went to create the distinct and unrepeatable personality and overview which makes Ruth’s character such an interesting, broad, and engaging one. Religion had altered the ways by which she experienced life; whether one way or another, she always had a unique and individual perspective as a result of her participation, faith, and appreciation for religion.