Well, I’m writing this on my computer during the dog days of August, and I’ll be perfectly honest with you. I don’t know what to write about. I mean, I have done a good job so far of talking about a new topic each issue without repeating anything, but I just seem to have run out of ideas.

The easy way would be just to write some lousy article, but I couldn’t do that to my faithful readers! If you have some ideas or questions or thought-provoking topics that you’d like to hear about here, go ahead and send them in! After all, I don’t write this just for advancing my personal fame. It’s for you!

(Well, it’s also for me, since I learn as I write, you know? Journalism is always a learning experience.)

I’ve also come to the realization that I’ve been writing for this fine publication for more than a year now. So, why don’t I update my personal profile, so to speak? You certainly deserve to know who exactly is writing this, don’t you?

I’m a 18 year-old senior at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, CA, where I’m still the only deaf student attending. I’m a member of Congregation Beth Am, a Conservative synagogue, which just build this awesome brand-new building complex just a few minutes from Torrey Pines!

But what kind of Jew am 1? Can I just label this “Conservative” thing on me and leave it at that? Are all Conservative Jews the same? I doubt it. I’m the kind of Jew that doesn’t keep kosher (translation: pepperoni pizza freak) or go to Friday night services. I haven’t been to one in a very long time. I can barely stand going to High Holy services — believe it or not, I’d rather be at school. I just tune out during the services.

So, am I less of a Jew? I don’t think so. I don’t think that always going to Friday night services or keeping strict kosher or making a sukkah in your backyard are mandatory qualifications for being a Jew.

What counts is FEELING Jewish. Do I feel Jewish, even though I eat bacon if I can? Yes. And I’m proud to be Jewish, too. Are you?

Today, I got my registration packet for both Torrey Pines and Hebrew High, a night school I go to once every week. Now, law makes us all go to high school some time in our life, but not for Hebrew High. Of course, I was dreading opening the Hebrew High packet. Every year, I tell myself that I’m not going to come back. And every year, I do.

This is going to be my fifth year at Hebrew High. All it requires is two hours a week from my life. And every year, the administrators there somehow do something that makes me want to come back. This year, I’m going to sign up for “Comparative Judaism and World Religions” it’s supposed to be about the several sects of Judaism, and studying other world religions and see how they relate to Judaism.

Now, all of us go through religious phases. Three years ago, I wanted to try out being a Mormon. It was because my best friend’s mother always made these wonderful desserts, and somehow, I thought that if I became Mormon, I’d learn how to make the same thing. But it was more because I was so impressed with the kindness of my best friend’s family – they were people of high virtues, and I wondered whether that came from their religion or perhaps from some secular origin.

Last summer, it was Ba’hai. It was when I visited the Ba’hai Temple in Evanston, Illinois, which is just north of Chicago. I was there on a college tour of Northwestern and happened to stop by there. It’s the only Ba’hai temple in the nation, and Ba’hai is like the United Nations of religion, you know? And since I’m totally interested in supranational governments, I investigated it a bit more, ordering some brochures.

And Buddhism was somewhere in between. I actually “borrowed” this Buddhist book from the hotel at last summer’s JDC convention, and curled up in my room, reading it. Needless to say, it was fascinating.

It’s okay to be curious about other religions, and my parents were totally okay with it, even though they gave me weird looks. And every time I go through one of these phases, I come back to realizing that I’m Jewish thick and thin. Because I feel Jewish.

Maybe that’s why I keep coming back to Hebrew High. Maybe that’s why I think about Israel all the time when I read about it on CNN.com or in the newspaper. Maybe that’s why I feel the strong spiritual connections during the High Holy days, even though I’d rather be in Algebra or English. I can’t imagine going through an autumn without going through the festivals that we all enjoy. I even say, Hand my Jewish nose, too.” I’m not condescending myself in any way. I’m rejoicing in the knowledge that I am Jewish, and that I am thrilled to be a Jew.

So, I present to you this question: Are you thrilled to be Jewish, too? Are you rejoicing in the knowledge that you are a Jew? If you’re not, call me up ([email protected] or 858/755-2276) and I’ll take you out for a good ol’ Jewish time.