Mark Abramowitz
Society plays a major role in shaping who we are and who we will be when we get older. There is a universal definition of an “American” but no one really fits into that. We each have our own identity, whether it is based on our religion, how we are raised, where we grew up, etc.… My name is Mark Abramowitz. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and so were my parents. I lived in New York and New Jersey my entire life, and was raised here as a Jewish American. My twin brother is my only sibling, and we did everything together as kids, and still do today. I went to a Jewish private school from kindergarten until high school, and most of my friends came from there. My religion definitely shaped how I am today, because we have special traditions, and holidays, and foods that we eat, that differentiate us from the “normal American”, if that even exists. Although my ethnicity is Jewish, I consider myself mostly American, because I was brought up in a traditional American household. My grandparents came to America from another country, and brought their cultures with them, but I will always be a New Yorker. My parents were both brought up here in America, and they too consider themselves American. I feel more like an American, because for 18 years I’ve grown up in this society acting just like everyone else. Society may help aid in shaping who we are, but we are the true factors in what makes us who we are. Now that I am in college, I am surrounded by a large and diverse group of people, and I find myself very interested in learning about their different religions and cultures, as well as sharing mine. Since I was always in a close knit community my entire life, this is a new experience for me, and I am hoping to build new relationships and learn new things about the world. Since we have a universal English language, we can easily and freely communicate with one another, and expand our horizons.
