Finding Makom B’Yachad

By Pam Hudson, Individual Member MetroNorth

I am a Jew by Choice. These days, one could say that all of us are Jews by Choice because of the effort it takes to maintain a Jewish identity in this society, but I am one of those Jews who formally converted. 

I grew up Roman Catholic. I attended Catholic grade school in the 1960’s. In my neighborhood, when strangers met, as a way of introduction they would ask each  other what parish they belonged to. Where I lived, Protestants were The Other; Jews weren’t even on the radar screen. 

So, it came as a shock to my family when, many years later, I told them I was  converting to Judaism. But the truth was that this process had been happening for just as many years. Even though I had no exposure to Judaism growing up, my Jewish soul was giving me signals, little flashes of light that, when I connected the  dots, led to the path I knew my soul needed to take.The books I was drawn to, the music that moved me, came from a tradition that valued the human being as  a pure yet complex soul, not a person who was born bad. Judaism creates a community that does not claim to have all the answers to the most troubling  questions of life, but it compels us to struggle together with those questions in an  attempt to get closer to the Divine. Instead of restricting worship to a hierarchy of clergy, Judaism expects that each of us be literate and active in our worship services. I love that! 

I came to Makom B’Yachad as an individual member because this group combines strong Jewish literacy with spirituality and a commitment to social justice, while giving me a circle of support. During each Makom B’Yachad session, the recitation of Misheberach, Kaddish, and the Daily Psalm grounds us in our rich tradition. In addition, the weekly lessons give each of us an opportunity to teach and learn from each other. 

I have found my home in Judaism, and I have found a warm and supportive community in Makom B’Yachad. I think you will too. It’s a community you can join from anywhere! 

Many thanks to my friend Debbie Lempert for introducing me to this group!

Pam Hudson