Should I Feel Like I Am Less Than Other Jews?

Question

I am ethically Jewish and was not at all raised religious. My family stopped practicing because of immigrating and the Holocaust. I’m currently in college and have recently learned about Chabad On Campus. I have started attending events as I am drawn to returning to my heritage as I find truth in the Torah. Despite already being a Jew, I feel like I’m an imposter and I feel like I don’t truly belong. I feel like I don’t measure up to people who were raised religiously. I feel embarrassed knowing that I don’t have the same knowledge as everybody else. What do I do?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    First of all, please do not feel like an impostor or like you are worth less than anyone else! You seem like an authentic, sincere and humble person, which are perhaps the important traits that the Torah teaches us to aspire to possess.

    Jewish knowledge is something that can be accumulated over time in various ways, along with a connection to a Jewish community and finding a Rabbi or other scholar you can communicate with to discover more about Torah values and practices.

    One particular book I can recommend to have around is Gateway to Judaism by Rabbi Mordechai Becher, a book written by a dear friend and I see as a tremendous resource.

    I wish you much happiness and success in your journey – and please feel free to write back anytime with any questions you may have.

    Happy Passover!

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team