Shai Golden: I Wasn’t Born Jewish by Accident

In a recent spiritual questionnaire on the Israeli website mako, journalist and media personality Shai Golden shared some very heartfelt thoughts about Hashem, belief, and what it means to be Jewish. While Golden isn’t particularly known for his connection to religion, what he revealed in the interview reflects something powerful, something many Jews feel deep down.

When asked if he believes in G-d, he answered without hesitation: “Without a doubt. I have no question.”

What makes him so sure?

“The fact that He burns in my bones,” he said. “It’s clear to me that everything that happens is with His knowledge and involvement. Maybe it sounds strange, but to me, the idea that there is no G-d is what sounds irrational. If you think even a little bit about how complex this world is, how the universe works, it becomes obvious that there’s a hidden, powerful Presence behind it all.”

Golden shared that he often talks to Hashem, not necessarily out loud, but in his thoughts. “Sometimes I’m convinced He hears me,” he said. “I have reasons to believe He answers me, too. You get embarrassed to say that out loud, because people will think you’re crazy. But when I was younger, I used to speak to Hashem clearly, in a loud voice. And I have no doubt that He sees every person and everything that happens in this world.”

When asked, “When do you lose faith?” Golden replied honestly: “I never lose faith, not at any point. There’s never a moment when I say ‘There is no G-d.’ There are times when I’m angry, frustrated, bitter, or very disappointed, but I never stop believing.”

He added something very personal: “I still have a small Tehillim (Book of Psalms) from my army service. I carry it with me and sometimes read from it. I know 15 of the 150 chapters by heart, so they’re always with me, even without the book.”

He also wears a necklace with the word “chai” (meaning “life” in Hebrew), and he wears it seriously. “We were born Jewish, and we will live Jewish lives,” he said. “I don’t believe I was born Jewish by chance. I don’t think anything in life is random.”

When the interviewer asked him if he would convert to another religion for money, Golden answered firmly: “I would never do that. Not for any amount in the world. I’m Jewish, and I believe there’s a reason I was born Jewish. It’s not a coincidence. If everything in life were just random, then life itself wouldn’t have any meaning. And what’s the point of living a life that has no meaning?”