LIA BRAM
Heimlich-Aaron Memorial Scholarship Lia Bram As a Jew, I love and value those around me. I enjoy learning and exposing myself to as many different things as possible, in order to expand my knowledge and list of questions for the world. As a Jew, I also fear close-minded people will exploit my curiosity, and all that my people have fought for will be undermined. I love to embrace my truth, but also shrink in panic for what the rocky future of my society may hold for me.
Through these tumultuous times, however, I have found my community at Temple Beth Miriam, where I have been a student for seven years, a teacher assistant (Madricha) for five years, and a participant in the Temple’s educational youth group, Teen Academy, for five years. I do not believe that “Jewish involvement” can be defined simply by the religion itself, but also by the Jewish values we are taught. To complete mitzvot, have respect, be kind– all things that anyone can essentially do, but are especially emphasized in Judaism.
Through these core pillars, I have found myself participating in beach cleanups, writing and editing articles for my school’s newspaper, being a student representative in my town’s Environmental Commission, and having organized and led service projects for my school’s National Honors Society chapter throughout high school. These activities not only make me feel proud of my accomplishments, but also for how they have improved my community. I feel rewarded through these endeavors, however, I find that my heart always lands back at Temple, because that is where I find myself the most comfortable and candid.
As a Madricha here, I have created lesson plans and have helped educate students in Hebrew and Judaic studies, while also maintaining order in the classroom. I have worked with children in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th grade, where I have been able to meet various types of students, with different needs, and flexibly teach them lessons and skills to improve their confidence. I have been blessed by seeing each of these students truly blossom into well-rounded, maturing teens and young adults, and hope to have impacted my community through their lives, with the lessons that I have helped teach. This future generation will be the one to educate Jews and non-Jews, alike, values that can unite the world from its current path of ignorance. Especially as someone who grew up exposed to Israeli culture and the Hebrew language, as I am half-Israeli, educating others about stories, holidays, music, and foods is salient to my life’s mission as a truth-seeker. In other words, I am passionate about honesty, which is the foundation of education.
As I have enjoyed teaching students at Temple, I also have loved explaining to both peers and adults these elements of my life, particularly when they are the ones asking the questions. I recall times where I have taught my friends Hebrew words (some of them still remember!) or have even taught my teachers the purpose of Chanukah or Passover. Seeing their curiosity is a motivation for me to continue enlightening others and I hope that whatever biases they may have had prior to our conversations have at least been influenced by hearing a different perspective. In reference to different perspectives, as a participant in Teen Academy, I have absorbed a multitude of wise and controversial takes of texts from the Torah, Talmud, and many Rabbis. In this group, we have discussed war, politics, friendships, health, sexuality, myths, our experiences, as well as other subjects that have created new doors to open and further explore. I always look forward to these monthly meetings, which feed my thirst for knowledge and allow my curiosity to flourish. Hearing the varying perspectives of my peers has truly been an enriching experience, where we are welcomed by our Rabbi to disagree with each other and argue why our points may be better than someone else’s. Here, I have had the privilege of advancing my learning outside of regular public school, where not only is my academic self impacted, but also my soul for the coming future.
Talking with like-minded individuals, I feel excited to both joke and speak seriously about intriguing subjects, which we always end up passionately discussing and then losing track of time. Sitting in a circle with these intelligent people brings me such contentment that I have found my people, who understand the hardships of being a Jew, but also see the beauty in the community, which we have created. In this community, we pray together, sing holiday songs together, play games together, and work, hand-in-hand, to improve our judgments and expand our horizons. I will forever be grateful for these educational meetings, which fulfill my entire being with the pride of being Jewish.
As a Jew, I love my community. I love having the resources to teach people, of any age, my culture. I love learning new things and hope to grow– traits I will take with me in college, as I join my school’s Hillel and fight for change. Overall, I am proud to be Jewish, where the activities I have partaken in have granted me the ability to explore and apply my cultural values to different challenges and chapters in my life, allowing me to continue thriving.