Sam Gilats sees plenty to identify with in Judaism

Sam Gilats is a 9th grader who belongs to the Shir Tikvah Synagogue in Minneapolis. While she does not believe in a higher power or God, she has still found plenty to identify within the Jewish faith.

“A big part of Judaism is about being a good person and treating other people well, and I connect with that a lot, and I find a lot of comfort in that,” Gilats said. “Additionally, I don’t necessarily believe in a higher power but I still take a lot of comfort and enjoy a lot of the practices and rituals associated with trying to connect with whatever form of God you believe in.”

When it comes to her religious community, Gilats feels extremely fortunate to be a member of such an open-minded and respectful synagogue.

“I’m really lucky to have always been exposed to religion in a really supportive way. My temple actually started because the head Rabbi was gay and wasn’t allowed to continue being a rabbi at the synagogue he was at before. And so I’ve been surrounded for as long as I can remember by Jewish queer people and people of color in a very, very accepting community.”

Despite the more progressive nature of their community, however, Gilats has still had to face gender and sexuality conflicts rooted in early Hebrew scriptures. One especially notable instance concerning the Torah portion they had to read for her bar mitzvah: the infamous Leviticus 18:22.
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”

Obviously, this Torah portion did not sit well with Gilats.

“So much of homophobia and arguments against the LGBTQ plus community are based in religion, and so I struggled with the idea of, can I be religious and still accept my identity?” she wondered.

Thankfully, because of her community, Gilats has been able to find peace and acceptance in their identity.

“Religion, for me, has always been about family and community. And I think that’s the core of it, is about being the best person I can be. And it’s not about following every single thing these ancient texts say to the letter, it’s about using the related religious principles to help myself and the people around me.”

Ultimately, Gilats shared why exactly their temple is significant support in their life.

“Judaism has a belief that all people are created in God’s image. And I and my Rabbi and my temple have taken that and use it as, like, God created you the way you are for a reason,” Gilats reflected. “So, really, for me, my religion helps me be authentic and myself, and I think religion should be something that helps you and makes you feel safe or teaches you things, not suppresses yourself. You should be comfortable with your religion and yourself.”