Eliana Bessler

9H2

3/16/09

Who Am I and Why Am I Who I Am?

A person’s identity is the character or personality of that specific individual that

separates that person from all of the other people surrounding him. There are many

aspects that make up a person’s identity, including his values, preferences, and

relationships. All of these must be considered within the context of family, friends,

religion, and education. In Frisch, there are various classes and teachers who teach their

students large amounts of information in several different subjects. Looking deeper into

what I have learned in these past seven months at Frisch, I can personally say that my

experience this year has strengthened my knowledge of who I am.

In one Judaic studies class where specific books from Prophets and Writings are

taught, we studied the concept of the Messiah. To be able to more easily grasp some of

the particulars, such as under what circumstances he will come, our class examined the

ideas of many commentaries, including one who offered his ideas on the book of Haggai,

the Malbim. According to the Malbim, in every generation there is a person who actually

has the potential to be the Messiah. That person will only be the Messiah, however, if the

Jews in that generation are worthy of being redeemed in the “final redemption” by this

person, and essentially by G-d himself. Because of this commentary, I started to think

about how there is a person, alive now, who could possibly be our savior. If all of the

Jews become worthy, we could all be saved. Keeping these thoughts in mind, I am

inspired to become a better person and to influence others to become better people in
order for all people to finally be saved.

My Biology course this year has influenced my religious beliefs as well. While

learning about the many processes that occur in the trillions of cells that make up our

entire bodies, such as cellular respiration, DNA replication, and cell division, I grew to

really begin to appreciate how brilliant G-d is. In these tiny microscopic cells, there are

extremely complex, almost factory-like operations occurring all at once at a very rapid

pace. These operations all occur by themselves from the moment we are conceived until

the moment we die. Somehow, G-d created all of these things to work perfectly and

harmoniously all together. Learning about all of these mechanisms and processes

strengthened my awe of G-d and all of his creations and designs.

Rabbi Ciner, my Talmud teacher, taught me a very important lesson. He taught me

that even though my studies may be challenging and sometimes very confusing, the

added fun and extra enthusiasm that he brings to class makes the learning enjoyable. If

this enthusiasm and fun is added to all classes, acquiring an education can be something

that all students, myself included, can enjoy. The fun and excitement also makes things

memorable so that it is easier to use the information learned not only to excel on tests, but

also to apply to my everyday life. The lesson that Rabbi Ciner taught me showed that I

can actually enjoy my education, that I do not have to go to school only because I have

to, but also because it is exciting and meaningful.

Typical topics of study in English are literature, writing, vocabulary, and

grammar. Along with all of these, however, my class has focused on learning about

different ways of expressing oneself. We looked at Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh’s

artwork to learn about how in both difficult and joyful times in life, they both were able
to express their feelings through art. My class also learned about Jazz. Jazz is a musical

style in which people express their individuality and uniqueness through the use of

improvisation. From this, I learned that I too can reveal myself not just through spoken or

written words, but also through art, music, or any other creative effort of my own interest.

The majority of my daily life is spent at school; therefore, school is an important

source of ideas I use to form my sense of who I am and why I am who I am. Everything

that I learn in a day can be put to good use to develop myself. These examples are only a

few of many experiences, big and small, that have contributed to the development of my

identity over this year so far. It is my greater goal to surround myself with positive

experiences and role models so that I can become the person that I hope to be. My sense

of self grows every day along with me, and I hope to use my identity to discover my

place and purpose in this world.