I've debated about what to say for my #JewishBookstagramTour post. Despite being born to a Jewish family that has survived expulsions and invasions and pogroms across South/Southwest Asia and Europe, I've always felt this deep-seated imposter syndrome. Like there will always be someone more Jewish than I, and that I'm therefore something less. I come from a multiracial/ethnic background. A disconnected family scattered from Haifa & Jerusalem to Hong Kong & London, New York & Los Angeles. A family tree with whole branches that just...disappeared. I grew up in what amounted to a secular interfaith home in an area where there were no other Jews, and with no access to Jewish learning experiences like Hebrew school or summer camp. I didn’t feel Jewish enough, but the classmates who harassed me sure thought I was. As I got older, I began to embrace my Jewish identity more, reclaiming my Hebrew name, being active in my university's Jewish Student Union and Hillel, having a late bat mitzvah, and attending Jewish learning trips. I went looking for information and made sure I knew our history. And still, I didn’t feel Jewish enough. A few years ago, I explained this feeling to a Jewish friend, and they told me that they felt the same way despite having grown up in a more observant family than mine, with regular access to Jewish learning. It was during this conversation that I realised the feeling of not being THERE yet, this unending need to learn more, to be more conscious of Judaism and Jewish values, is the most Jewish value of all. Actively choosing to learn, question, and understand our history, religion, and culture is what makes a Jew a Jew. It doesn’t matter how or if I observe holidays or pray or go to temple. What matters is that I have chosen to take pride my heritage, to educate myself about it, and to honour it. In this photo, I’m holding several incredible books by Jewish authors (listed & tagged in the comments!), and you can swipe through the other images to see a list of additional books to pick up if you’re interested in diversifying your bookshelf. My DMs are always open to questions! @litbylilli is also posting today, so be sure to stop by her page!