For Reb Yaakov Boyd, upper school Judaics and AP Human Geography teacher, being Jewish was never just an identity. It was a journey shaped by hardship, challenges, and experiences that tested his faith. Growing up, Boyd experienced antisemitism first-hand, forcing him to confront his identity and decide what being Jewish really meant to him. He had to overcome many obstacles and challenges, which ultimately shaped his faith into the proud and religious Jew he is today.
Boyd attended an elite Christian boarding school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Although it was technically a Christian school, students from other religious backgrounds still accepted him. Boyd expressed that he was accepted into the school, but was never truly accepted by his classmates following a number of challenges and instances of open hate.
Friends broke off their friendship with him because he was a Jew, his locker was vandalized, his clothes were destroyed, and he even had a swastika drawn on his door. He specifically remembers his 10th grade prom when some attendees told him that Jews were disgusting and barely human. He said that he never experienced that level of hostility in his life. At the time, Boyd thought it was best to avoid the problem by hiding his Jewish identity.
In the face of antisemitism, Boyd felt outnumbered. He felt the need to hide his identity in exchange for his safety. He tried to downplay his Jewish identity and responded to conversations regarding his religion with vulnerability. His fear was shown and gave antisemites a reason to attack. At his lowest point, when he felt in despair, Boyd went to talk to the local conservative Rabbi. He was hoping to find a way to escape the hate he was facing for being Jewish.
Instead, the Rabbi redirected him and told him that he could not escape being Jewish, and “we [the Jews] will always be Jewish to those who don’t like us. You need to invest in being Jewish for it to mean something to you.” This moment marked a turning point in Reb Boyd’s journey.
Shortly after, a Catholic teacher, who was also a pastor, called him into his office. At that moment, Reb Boyd grew a deep concern, believing that his teacher would agree with the antisemitism students had shown him. However, it came to Boyd’s surprise that the teacher did not discriminate against him, but rather gave him advice. He told him that, “Although he had lived his whole life as a Christian preacher, if he could relive life, he would choose to be an orthodox Jew.”
He proceeded to give him a Stone Edition Tanach, showing that he valued it. In that moment, he was shocked; however, Reb Boyd chose to believe this was a calling from Hashem that could not be ignored. “If you don’t remember you’re a Jew, Hashem will send you reminders. If you don’t listen to the positive ones, you might need to be shaken to awaken from your slumber,” he stated. This moment motivated Boyd to embrace his religion and defy the hatred presented to him.
Although times were still hard at school, Boyd began to use his faith as a source of strength. He says that the most impactful moment of his life was choosing to devote his life to Judaism. He learnt to love his religion and began to find comfort in prayer.
When times were hard, he would go to chapel services and hide in a broom closet to pray. He would use a siddur he had bought in a retreat, and it did not matter if he did not pray perfectly; what mattered was that he showed passion and devotion to the Jewish religion, strengthening his connection to Hashem and his confidence to fight back against antisemitism. Throughout the process of better understanding his religion, Boyd began to understand himself better.
Looking back today, Boyd says that the challenges he faced ultimately shaped him into the happy and observant Jew he is today. The twists and turns he encountered led him to his dream job teaching at Scheck Hillel.
“Your Judaism is only as valuable as the amount you value it. If you work hard at it and show it love, you will receive an infinite response. If you neglect it, it will always remain an unreleased point of light in the darkness. It’s waiting for you to pick up and run with it,” said Boyd. By hearing Hashem’s calling and showing his value to his religion, Reb Boyd was protected.
