My Conversion Story Journal

October 9, 2025

I shook the lulav. I smelled the esrog. I still think G-d wants us to shake the lulav and esrog because it looks hilarious. Any parent that gets their child to do something funny laughs a lot and gives them a giant hug. G-d has an entire nation doing something that looks (and feels) silly. If Sukkot is all about joy and the sukkah is a hug from G-d, I am positive it is fun for G-d that thousands of people are shaking to the left, shaking to the right, shaking up, shaking down, and so on. Oh, I know there are spiritual aspects to it, of course. However, joy often is felt by just doing something a bit silly.

The esrog really does smell good.

Thank you Hashem for every day. I am so blessed.