Finding Our Inner Jew in Hard Times

3 years ago Adina Ichilov 0

By Abigail Pool//CTeen of Bucks County, Pennsylvania

It feels like a lifetime ago when we all first heard of COVID-19. A city of eleven million Chinese citizens shut down almost immediately, and the world watched and waited for more. Shortly after the viruses spread, a domino effect took the world hostage: Schools shut down, governments passed new laws, and newspapers began writing like mad. Every other article about the coronavirus contains more information than the last. Although being kept in the loop is necessary, being obsessive is not. I don’t know about you, but it feels like they are suffocating me with constant reminders of the world’s despair. It is in times like this, that it’s really important for each of us to find our own ray of sunshine and break through the fog of despair. 

Our new reality is crazy. Schools are closed, and the majority of America is in quarantine. Our jobs right now are to stay at home as long as humanly possible. Finding new ways to spend our time can be challenging. At this point, you’ve probably seen every Instagram post and watched just about every show on Netflix. Although there is school work to be done you just don’t feel motivated enough. Stop! Even though the world feels like it was thrown into chaos doesn’t mean you have let the dread of reality hold you down. This time will go down in history books and it will be a story to tell your children and grandchildren. So, the question is what will you tell them? Will you say, “Yeah, I pretty much lounged all day complaining about something that is totally out of my control.” Or will you say, “During this time I actually tried some new things and learned a lot about myself.” 

Don’t let your anxiety overrun you. You can come out of this crisis a better version of yourself. Explore your spiritual side by studying Torah, explore your fun side by taking up new art projects, etc…Never tried yoga? Search a class on YouTube and follow along. Wanted to finish writing your book? Go and do it. If you don’t feel motivated to do schoolwork, FaceTime a friend! You don’t have to do it alone! This way you feel motivated and you will motivate someone else! We’re living in a time like no other, and we can use this time to our full advantage. 

Don’t get me wrong: It’s also a scary time. If you feel drained of energy for no reason and your thoughts are always leading to negativity, I would suggest you take this time to ‘clean’ up your mind. Whenever you feel like your thoughts are starting to suffocate you take a deep breath in and imagine something peaceful like the ocean or a gentle snowfall. Anxiety is a prevalent problem in today’s fast-paced world and worrying is a natural part of life. However, sometimes we have to accept some things are completely out of our control. They are in God’s hands. Take the anxious energy and start studying Torah. Channel your energy for something that you will thank yourself for later. You will be quite shocked at how relevant the Torah is to our modern-day issues. By learning the Torah you will be able to tap into your spiritual side. A side you may have never known existed. You will build new connections to God and to our ancestors. 

Quarantine does not mean we have to totally give up on ourselves. Instead, it’s a time we should utilize and use to find our true selves. Tap into your spiritual side or your artistic side. Get in contact with other Cteen members and start a project! There is a world of ideas out there for you to try out! You were quite literally handed time on a dinner plate. There is enough of it to go around so why not use it to your advantage. 

Here are some resources you can utilize: