I love being Jewish that being said I am very aware of the history of my people
very aware of the history of my people
very aware of the history of my people a history of pride glory and horrors
a history of pride glory and horrors
a history of pride glory and horrors Jews have been history’s scapegoat from
Jews have been history’s scapegoat from
Jews have been history’s scapegoat from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust
the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust
the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust but a few days after I was born my rabbi
but a few days after I was born my rabbi
but a few days after I was born my rabbi blessed me for the very first time and
blessed me for the very first time and
blessed me for the very first time and it was nice I started going to Jewish
it was nice I started going to Jewish
it was nice I started going to Jewish summer camp when I was 10 and my camp
summer camp when I was 10 and my camp
summer camp when I was 10 and my camp friends are like my sisters
friends are like my sisters
friends are like my sisters I was Bob mitzvah at 13 I became a
I was Bob mitzvah at 13 I became a
I was Bob mitzvah at 13 I became a Jewish adult I’ve been to Israel twice
Jewish adult I’ve been to Israel twice
Jewish adult I’ve been to Israel twice and my sophomore year I had the
and my sophomore year I had the
and my sophomore year I had the opportunity to travel to Washington DC
opportunity to travel to Washington DC
opportunity to travel to Washington DC with reformed Jewish teens from all over
with reformed Jewish teens from all over
with reformed Jewish teens from all over the country where we lobbied at Capitol
the country where we lobbied at Capitol
the country where we lobbied at Capitol Hill for issues that Jews face every day
Hill for issues that Jews face every day
Hill for issues that Jews face every day so clearly I really loved being Jewish
so clearly I really loved being Jewish
so clearly I really loved being Jewish Judaism is a part of my identity that I
Judaism is a part of my identity that I
Judaism is a part of my identity that I am grateful for every single day I am so
am grateful for every single day I am so
am grateful for every single day I am so proud of my religion and the amazing
proud of my religion and the amazing
proud of my religion and the amazing community that comes along with it my
community that comes along with it my
community that comes along with it my religion is an invisible barrier maybe
religion is an invisible barrier maybe
religion is an invisible barrier maybe someone that I had never met would be
someone that I had never met would be
someone that I had never met would be able to use a stereotype or to to
able to use a stereotype or to to
able to use a stereotype or to to ascertain that I was Jewish whether it
ascertain that I was Jewish whether it
ascertain that I was Jewish whether it be my nose my dark curls whatever but
be my nose my dark curls whatever but
be my nose my dark curls whatever but Judaism is on the inside Judaism is not
Judaism is on the inside Judaism is not
Judaism is on the inside Judaism is not skin or hijab Hey
skin or hijab Hey
skin or hijab Hey it is always hate last year my temple
it is always hate last year my temple
it is always hate last year my temple receipts claims that our community would
receipts claims that our community would
receipts claims that our community would be bombed the synagogue administration
be bombed the synagogue administration
be bombed the synagogue administration had to hire police security just so that
had to hire police security just so that
had to hire police security just so that children could attend religious school
children could attend religious school
children could attend religious school and people could pray on Shabbat last
and people could pray on Shabbat last
and people could pray on Shabbat last year my high school had a swastika
year my high school had a swastika
year my high school had a swastika written on the bathroom wall minority
written on the bathroom wall minority
written on the bathroom wall minority teachers received anonymous messages
teachers received anonymous messages
teachers received anonymous messages that they should be deported
that they should be deported
that they should be deported Natick citizens received hate mail for
Natick citizens received hate mail for
Natick citizens received hate mail for their sexuality and for the color of
their sexuality and for the color of
their sexuality and for the color of their skin
Jews are just one of many oppressed
Jews are just one of many oppressed people finding themselves in an
people finding themselves in an
people finding themselves in an all-too-familiar position in today’s
all-too-familiar position in today’s
all-too-familiar position in today’s America history’s hatred has bubbled
America history’s hatred has bubbled
America history’s hatred has bubbled back up to the surface violence at a
back up to the surface violence at a
back up to the surface violence at a white nationalist rally in
white nationalist rally in
white nationalist rally in Charlottesville Virginia took the lives
Charlottesville Virginia took the lives
Charlottesville Virginia took the lives of three people self-proclaimed Klansmen
of three people self-proclaimed Klansmen
of three people self-proclaimed Klansmen and neo-nazis proudly showed their faces
and neo-nazis proudly showed their faces
and neo-nazis proudly showed their faces on national television in our own
on national television in our own
on national television in our own beloved city of Boston in Fenway Park’s
beloved city of Boston in Fenway Park’s
beloved city of Boston in Fenway Park’s Green Monster for spectators unrolled a
Green Monster for spectators unrolled a
Green Monster for spectators unrolled a banner that read racism is as American
banner that read racism is as American
banner that read racism is as American as baseball racism sexism anti-semitism
as baseball racism sexism anti-semitism
as baseball racism sexism anti-semitism homophobia xenophobia they’re all
homophobia xenophobia they’re all
homophobia xenophobia they’re all different trees in the same forest with
different trees in the same forest with
different trees in the same forest with their roots deep in the ground of pure
their roots deep in the ground of pure
their roots deep in the ground of pure hatred when I watch the news
hatred when I watch the news
hatred when I watch the news when I talk with my family when I debate
when I talk with my family when I debate
when I talk with my family when I debate in class I find it very easy to feel
in class I find it very easy to feel
in class I find it very easy to feel very small I am one teenage girl in a
very small I am one teenage girl in a
very small I am one teenage girl in a suburb in Massachusetts what sort of
suburb in Massachusetts what sort of
suburb in Massachusetts what sort of change or difference on the world could
change or difference on the world could
change or difference on the world could I possibly ever make
I possibly ever make
I possibly ever make but I have watched hatred grow in my
but I have watched hatred grow in my
but I have watched hatred grow in my town my city my state my country from
town my city my state my country from
town my city my state my country from the smallest of seeds and although this
the smallest of seeds and although this
the smallest of seeds and although this rapid growth of hatred is appalling it
rapid growth of hatred is appalling it
rapid growth of hatred is appalling it has taught me an important lesson
has taught me an important lesson
has taught me an important lesson if hatred can spread like wildfire
if hatred can spread like wildfire
if hatred can spread like wildfire then so could peace as a young person
then so could peace as a young person
then so could peace as a young person growing up in this America it is
growing up in this America it is
growing up in this America it is essential that I live each day with hope
essential that I live each day with hope
essential that I live each day with hope I must choose to live my life with
I must choose to live my life with
I must choose to live my life with optimism with open eyes open ears and an
optimism with open eyes open ears and an
optimism with open eyes open ears and an open heart I don’t fear hatred and still
open heart I don’t fear hatred and still
open heart I don’t fear hatred and still I refuse to fight it with hatred of my
I refuse to fight it with hatred of my
I refuse to fight it with hatred of my own when I was blessed by my rabbi as an
own when I was blessed by my rabbi as an
own when I was blessed by my rabbi as an infant
infant
infant I had just entered the world like all of
I had just entered the world like all of
I had just entered the world like all of us I was born with no bias no hatred the
us I was born with no bias no hatred the
us I was born with no bias no hatred the only thing I had in my first moments of
only thing I had in my first moments of
only thing I had in my first moments of life was unconditional love if every
life was unconditional love if every
life was unconditional love if every person looked at future generations with
person looked at future generations with
person looked at future generations with a goal of preserving this unbiased love
a goal of preserving this unbiased love
a goal of preserving this unbiased love and its innocence then our world could
and its innocence then our world could
and its innocence then our world could begin to rid itself of hate if hate was
begin to rid itself of hate if hate was
begin to rid itself of hate if hate was no longer viable than it would totally
no longer viable than it would totally
no longer viable than it would totally cease to exist I know that this sounds
cease to exist I know that this sounds
cease to exist I know that this sounds like a really big idea and I also know
like a really big idea and I also know
like a really big idea and I also know that we can’t turn back the past or try
that we can’t turn back the past or try
that we can’t turn back the past or try and rewrite history but what we can do
and rewrite history but what we can do
and rewrite history but what we can do is move forward so where could we start
is move forward so where could we start
is move forward so where could we start to shape the future of hatred perhaps we
to shape the future of hatred perhaps we
to shape the future of hatred perhaps we could start at the beginning
could start at the beginning
could start at the beginning when among young people be aware of bias
when among young people be aware of bias
when among young people be aware of bias ours or others overt or subtle and speak
ours or others overt or subtle and speak
ours or others overt or subtle and speak up with a positive message of your own
up with a positive message of your own
up with a positive message of your own whatever that may be let’s not be shy
whatever that may be let’s not be shy
whatever that may be let’s not be shy eliminating hate is a collective mission
eliminating hate is a collective mission
eliminating hate is a collective mission so every person of every kind has a role
so every person of every kind has a role
so every person of every kind has a role to play voices speaking up could be so
to play voices speaking up could be so
to play voices speaking up could be so powerful so Universal that that feeling
powerful so Universal that that feeling
powerful so Universal that that feeling of smallness that we all experience
of smallness that we all experience
of smallness that we all experience could absolutely fade away so day to day
could absolutely fade away so day to day
could absolutely fade away so day to day conversation to conversation let us
conversation to conversation let us
conversation to conversation let us strive in little ways to make our own
strive in little ways to make our own
strive in little ways to make our own impact on the generations of the future
impact on the generations of the future
impact on the generations of the future thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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