- Simone Penn
Religion of child? Jewish.
How; but actually HOW do I even begin to articulate the meaning of this sentence to me.
I need to take a breath.
This morning I filled out forms for my children to attend King David Linksfield. They will be third generation Penns attending the school. Wait, I need to go sob into a pillow.
Ok I’m back.
Filling out this form was possibly the single highest moment of my life and career as a mother, so far. Almost every line contained more information, more history and more emotions than anything else I’ve done within parenthood...
Marital status: married
Are you a member of a Shul: yes
Did you attend kind David: yes
And of course,
Religion of child: Jewish.
Jewish.
My children are Jewish and no one can ever take that away from them. My children carry the highest form of responsibility and privilege I know to exist in this world. They are Jews.
My son will be one of a few children in tzitzit everyday and I am SO proud of him. My daughter will wear skirts on the weekends too and I am so proud of her. They have no idea how easy they’ve got it, carrying these immense responsibilities, these mitzvahs I dreamed of fulfilling when I was only a few years older than they are now.
When I attended Kind David, those magical twelve years that I remember with absolute elation, I was not a Jew. And it was my sole and wholehearted wish and dream to change this. To correct it. I knew what was within me and who came before me and it wasn’t an option to ignore.
I actually owe almost all of who I am to this institution. This place that cannot be contained to the walls or the corridors or even the people. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts; and my goodness is it great.
At King David I learned how to read and write; I learned to count and how to take responsibility for my actions; and I made friends. I made friends at school who were, and are, no less than soul mates. There’s not a memory or milestone I’ve endured or achieved that they weren’t present for. Cheering for me, consoling me, and eating with me.
I owe this school so much and I simply need to take a minute to acknowledge how enormous this full circle moment is.
So thank you King David, we won’t let you down...
It feels good to be home.