My greatest influences are my parents and my brother. My brother suffered from Guillain- Barre Syndrome when he was eight. He lived in the hospital on an artificial ventilation for 97 days and later he had to continue physical therapy for at least ten years as he was completely paralyzed. My parents and my brother devoted their few years completely for his treatment. Today, my brother is a successful engineer working in the bay area. I learned that with dedication, determination and diligence we can achieve our dream in life…
To belong is to feel as though you are a part of something, where you connect…
Samuel Edelman describes his personal choices in nurturing and sustaining his Jewish cultural and religious identity in the face of the many pressures to assimilate and thereby blur the lines separating Jews from their non-Jewish neighbors and friends. Through descriptions of his journeys to Central Europe and to. his hometown in Pennsylvania, Sam explains the alternative possibilities facing Jews in the United States. This essay also provides a larger framework for understanding the experiences of people who must live among and interact with those from more dominant cultural groups.…
"I know darling, don't worry. You are here with us. Everything is alright. But you have to understand,…
Religion is one of the factors that help to maintain balance in the world. There are many religions in this world. Every religion has its own beliefs and ways of following it. Religions may vary in many aspects. While some religions may have the same beliefs, some will have the exact opposite beliefs. I come from a place where even though there are many religions found I get to observe and practice only my own religion. Even if people are open about different religions, one religion being involved in another is not acceptable for my society. This is one of the reasons why I have always been curious about other religions and their ways of following and practicing it. This is why when I got a chance to go to a Jewish Synagogue as a part of a religious service…
I am a Jew! Due to that very important fact, some parts of my life were harder than it would have been if I was a Christian or Catholic. But using my faith in myself and my religion I was able to persevere myself. A good quote that describes myself is from a Kelly Clarkson song “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, Stand a little taller, Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone”. I always think of that song whenever something bad happens that makes me question myself, my friends, or my beliefs. I believe that simple words and beliefs don’t define a person, but their actions towards others do.…
A life in the ghetto is no life at all. Especially in Molesville, Pennsylvania, a town left in the dust by modern society. Ever since I can remember my mother has been sick, this terrible place is the cause. With little sanitation the streets are rat infested and the poor die young. We had not had enough money, when my father left us, to afford food to live with, let alone go get help from a doctor. After my mother’s pregnancies she gradually became more and more sick. I thought my mother was in pain from the way she sat on her bed constantly crying. That theory was proven one day when her will to fight died. She transformed into a being of hatred. Her heart turned as black as the night. She was different, the mother I once knew dead. Although I knew she was still there, deep, deep down waiting for me to rescue her from herself. In almost an instant I decided the only way to save her was to earn the money for…
My family and I hear banging and yelling at our door as we know who are visitors are, the Nazi’s. We are violently being pushed around as the soldiers yell into our ears making me feel almost deaf. I’m pushed away from my family as I see their faces of fear. I can see children crying and begging to soldiers for their parents as parents yelled and screamed back. We are taken to the camps that will be our new home for now. I finally get to meet up with my mother again as she puts her hands on my face. I hug my mother as we then are taken to get our new looks. My mother and I are taken to get our new clothing. Then they shove us to get our hair shaved off. A buzzer turns on and soon we are shaved. It’s so hard for me to look at my mother cry…
I never thought how interesting it would be to visit a different place of worship besides Christianity. Since the day I was born I’ve been a Christian and whatever anyone else believes in is wrong and that they are going to hell if they don’t believe in Christianity. About 3 years ago I visited the International Buddhist Progress Society a Buddhist temple in Naperville. Buddhism from what I learned looks more like a way of life or guidelines to it rather than a religion. Buddhism tells you how you could live life better but doesn’t scare you with the prospect of hell instead you live with ignorance. My own history with Christianity still made me doubt or fear the conquences of going to this temple. Part of me believed that I be punished by…
My mother, “Regina Hopkins,” has been a positive influence in my life. She has raised 6 kids all by herself as well as earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a City College in Gainesville, Florida. My mother has been through pretty much everything a person can go through outside of war and was still able to be there and provide for all 6 of her kids. In high school, my mother wanted to play football and couldn't because she was a girl and back-in-the-day women were not allowed to play football with the guys. However, she remained strong by raising 6 kids and independently took care of all of us on her own. My mother has several qualities that I would love to develop. The first quality she has is balance; she certainly knows how to make…
Success through struggle is a story of one young soldiers attempt at something great. Through the struggles that I endure in this story of my attempts of joining an elite military organization are a testament to Army Values and the warrior ethos. You will learn that even if you do not succeed at first you will find success in other avenues. This story is not for quitters it is for those who enjoy tales that show triumph of the mind, body, and spirit.…
Today was the day. The big day. My election for Lieutenant Governor of Division 2B for Key Club, an international service club, was today. Fear and anxiety pricked my skin in rapid movements emanating from every pore. I rehearsed my speech for the fifth time that day. Upon arrival at the Fairfax Library, I urged myself to remain calm. I quickly scouted out the other girls who were present; one girl was dressed professionally with a folder in her hand. I knew that was my competition. The girl spoke eloquently and genially, she radiated enthusiasm and a certain warmth that I did not have. With every question that was asked, she answered with a smooth smile and high-pitched tone that was dripping with sincerity. I bristled inside; I had just been slapped. I was shrouded in a cloud of anxiety and anxiousness. Suddenly, I was dragged from my reverie.…
In 2013 I went to Israel with my family, cousins and some of the people who belong to our Temple to watch my cousin become bat mitzvahed in the middle of a dessert. It was the most wonderful experience that I had ever had and I will never forget about it. I was 11 years old at the time when I went.…
Who am I? That has always been an essential question for as long as I can remember. I never really understood why we had to answer that question along the way, but I’m now a senior at SJPII and I still have no idea who I am. It really bothers me that for 16 years I still haven’t figured out who I am. Constantly going from class to class and making new friends I still can’t pin point who the “real” me is.…
Throughout my life I have encountered many circumstances that have shaped me into the person I am today. I was born in Moroleon, Guanajuato, Mexico. I attended school in Mexico all the way to second grade. In the summer of 2006 I moved to Cumming, Georgia. It was the hardest thing to do because I left everything that I care the most about. We lived in a trailer which was not the nicest place and in the middle of the forest. I started school at the beginning of August. I had always loved school so I was so excited for the first day. I knew it was going to be hard because I would have to conquer so many obstacles on the way. At this time the only English I knew was probably counting from one to ten and some of the colors. My Father knew some…