Don’t leave off the love: Devorah Ahavah Gerzoff’s journey to Jewish faith and Israel

The Jerusalem Post brings us the inspiring story of Devorah Ahavah Gerzoff, a woman whose life journey illustrates a profound rediscovery of Jewish faith and identity. Her narrative, beginning in a secular household in suburban Philadelphia where Jewish holidays were not observed, paints a picture of a childhood devoid of religious practice, exacerbated by financial struggles and illness.

“

I’ll often say [about] my parents, though not communists, it was as if we were being raised in a household without real religion, because we didn’t celebrate holidays at all, of any kind, really. Birthdays. That was it.

Gerzoff's path was further shaped by significant personal losses, including the deaths of her father and brother. These experiences left her without a spiritual anchor, leading her to find solace in poetry. This period highlights a common thread in many Jewish journeys: finding meaning and connection through personal hardship and introspection.

“

We didn’t have a car, there was no money, and there were no celebrations. It was very sad, but I didn’t feel like I was missing out because none of my friends were too observant, either.

The turning point for Gerzoff came through her daughter. The desire to provide her child with a Jewish education, something she herself lacked, initiated a gradual process of rediscovery. This act of maternal love became the catalyst for Gerzoff's own engagement with Judaism, demonstrating how the desire to pass on heritage can reignite one's own connection to it. Her story is a powerful reminder that it is never too late to embrace one's roots and find spiritual fulfillment.

“

I was an English teacher, and writing poetry became a sort of therapy for me. It was a consolation in dealing with death, my father’s death when I was 10, and my brother’s death when I was newly pregnant with my daughter.