OR 5 Number the Stars

Number the stars is a Holocaust story that helped me connect with my Jewish identity when I was younger which in turn helped me realize my dream of helping Israel.  In the story her sister dies. This had a powerful effect on her. Then they needed to get out of Denmark They escaped to Sweden. This is important because it showed me the need of a safe haven for Jews to live. Another example from the book is when they are hidden under the boat and the mother almost has to kill her baby to keep everyone else safe. This further showed me how important it was to have a safe environment for the Jewish people to live.

OR 4 Star Wars

Star Wars has taught me that standing up for the right thing and doing what I believe in will pay off in the end. Anakin Skywalker does what he loves to do, he pod races. he says "I am 8 I'm, old enough to compete!" even though it may have not been the best decision. He did it and ended up winning his own freedom. furthermore Darth Vader turns back to the light side at the end of his life. He talks to Luke and says "follow the light side". Although it went against what he originally believed he went back to his original belief in the light side and in doing so he guaranteed the continuity of the Jedi Order.

OR 3 Boyer

The Enduring Vision is a non fiction account of the development of a young people. It was written by Boyer Clark. Most everything historical I read I try to see through the scope of "where/when do Jews come into the picture". Unfortuanltly even in times where I think Jews were involved he doesn't mention them because he is a Christian and thus sees Christianity as a more primary sculptor. He doesn't even mention Jews during the Second Great Awakening he writes "the Catholics and the Protestants both found new ways to connect with their god and shape society"(289). he doesn't mention the impact the jews had on society during this time. Because for real they were building factories and helping industrialize. Next Boyer tries to make the point that African Americans converted to Christianity because of water and for little other reason. he says "the slaves native religion had water as a holy object, similarly Christianity used water for Baptisms  In this chapter he doesn't mention that the jews by being good to god escaped slavery in egypt and that the Slaves may have seen that as a reason to convert to Christianity. I often see things through a very "jewish" lens and reading a book written by someone who doesn't has forced me to accept history in a different way.

OR 2 Harry Potter

Harry Potter shaped my childhood and the childhood's of countless other children in the 1990's. No fictional story was quite as popular during that time period as the Harry Potter series. This directly led to a community of people who love  Harry Potter. Although all of us are Muggles and thus can not perform magic we still have an affinity for Harry, We all share a common connection to him, sympathy.  Harry lost his parents in a car crash and is severely abused by his aunt and uncle he says, "He wasn't exactly starved at the Dursley's"(43 J.K Rowling, HPATSS). Harry was treated horribly in his foster home and we all know it. Every time that he does something awesome like join the Quidditch  team as a first year. Everyone reading shares a feeling of awe at his ability to overcome such difficult odds. He even beats out other wizards who grew up in a magical families and had flown on brooms many times before. Furthermore everyone loves Harry Potter because he is a real person, and makes mistakes. Harry should not have tried to fight the troll in the second book. J.K Rowling writes "the beast stood 10 feet tall" this indicates the shear danger that Harry put is own life in by attacking te troll.  In the end We are fond of connecting to Harry potter because we all want to be him but he reflects us as well because he too makes mistakes.

OR 1. Flying horses

Flying horses is a song written and performed by the band Dispatch. This specific video is from a casual performance they did before a concert in Germany. Dispatch uses many literary techniques and symbols in this song to make a person wonder and question what they are trying to say. In my opinion the overall purpose of the song is to remind people to appreciate what they have before its gone.  I interpret the beginning of the chorus to be an interpretation of how things can seem good but could turn bad. The chorus goes, "But then I stole a ring from the flying horses and I can't begin to explain how, I stole a ring from the flying horses, and it's all rusty now" The man who stole the ring isn't quite sure what he had done, or why he did it. But he is proud of the fact that it happened. The ring was better and more deserved to be on the horse. When it is removed from the horse it becomes rusty and not as cool as it was. Furthermore the song demonstrates how we can learn lessons from other people. A verse says "If you chance to meet upon either, well you know where they've been, but don't pick them up or try to find me". Chad, the lead singer is teling us not to get as excited as he. He had made the mistake of trying to bottle of the beauty on his own. And told everyone else the danger involved. In the end the song Chad, Brad and Pete, have done us a good deed by rhyming and reminding us not to take what we have for granted.