Avishai Shitrit: Judaism Questionnaire+

A Sweet Jewish Childhood Memory: "I remember at my parents' synagogue in Kiryat Arba, Rabbi Shmuel Ben Amram gave lessons in the Zohar. I understood nothing, but I would sit and listen. As a child, I was invested and would go there, even though I didn’t understand anything, but there was something that made me feel good. Perhaps it was the first time I experienced Torah study."

A Figure from the Jewish World I'm Connected To: "Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu. I sometimes went to see him with my father, but I only truly connected to him after he passed away. I realized what the people of Israel lost, and it connected me to him. The stories about him made me understand his greatness. Even his son, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, said he didn’t fully know the depth of his father's greatness. The very fact that the rabbi dedicated his life for the benefit of the people of Israel made me feel like I want to give back - but I don't know how."

Judaism for Me Is "Being connected to Hashem, everywhere. Judaism for me is to see another Jew in the world, through whom Hashem is revealed. Every Jew who lives according to the Torah and mitzvot is another point in the world shouting that Hashem exists in the world!"

A Mitzvah I’m Particularly Attached To: "There are many. We are supposed to live all 613 commandments, but if I have to choose, then Torah study makes you feel a tangible connection to the Torah. When another day passes with Torah study, it connects you to the Torah and Hashem in a real way."

Something Judaism Has Taught Me: "To believe there is something beyond what you can see, something beyond what people tell you you can do. There’s always beyond, the supernatural, because there's Hashem in the world."

My Favorite Holiday: "I think I look forward to Passover because my birthday is close, but not necessarily because of the holiday itself... all holidays are equal to me."

A Biblical Figure I'd Like to Meet: "I think King David. His life was not easy. He was always pursued. As a child, he was declared a mamzer, his brothers hated him, and even when he was king, he was pursued. Despite all this, he always lived with Hashem, and he didn’t kill those who pursued him. He lived with Hashem even when the situation was difficult. These are enormous strengths."

A Book That Changed My Life: "The book by Rabbi Hass Z"L, "The Way of Work." I read it when I was in high school. Everyone went on a trip, but I stayed because I didn’t feel well. Because of this book, I told myself I wouldn’t continue in high school; I’d go to a yeshiva and grow like a Ben Torah. In high school, you don’t really understand what’s important in the world; you just go with the flow. You study Torah for exams, not out of faith and adherence to the commandments. Suddenly I read this book, and just reading outside school hours, and its content about a person’s role in the world made me change direction."

A Project I Participated In That Personally Influenced Me: "Soon I will participate in the play "Keeper of Stories" written by Shuli Rand. The simple Jewish message emphasizes and sharpens what is really important in life, and how to treat every person as a human being. The deeper message is what am I doing here, and what are the things that seem important in life - but aren’t really important. This is definitely a perception I take with me further."