Wowowow thank you SO much for this beautiful reply, and for sharing your story (it is quite a story!!!).

I'm so happy that this resonated with you, and I'm even happier that you have found your way back home, albeit under some sad and precarious circumstances.

I love hearing from people coming back into their Jewish roots - it's not the same, but I had several years of completely disavowing my Jewishness, and those were not coincidentally my most rootless/lost years. It feels truly wonderful and life-affirming to love and welcome this part of yourself, in whatever ways feel resonant.

And definitely share in your grief and anger as a leftist abandoned by their non-Jewish so-called friends and community after 10/7. I've really never been more grateful for my Jewish community.

Sending you lots of love and support and solidarity - so glad you have that wonderful new family of in-laws to help ground you during this difficult time.

Thanks again for sharing and connecting!