CBI Blogs

CBI has been a constant guiding force throughout my life. My parents joined the synagogue in 1995 when we moved to Round Rock from San Antonio. I was consecrated, celebrated my Bat Mitzvah, and was confirmed in our beloved old sanctuary. Rabbi Levy officiated my wedding over Zoom in 2020, my daughter's naming ceremony in 2021, and my son's naming in 2024. Now, they both attend the Child Development Center at CBI and are beginning to appreciate the beauty and meaning that Judaism brings to our family.

My paternal grandfather, Lung Jung Jew (the name Americanized from something like Chu, Zhu, or Xiu), immigrated to America from China when he was just 8 years old. My grandmother, Hortencia Jaramillo, was the strong, tiny Hispanic matriarch of my dad’s large family. On my mother’s side, the Schillers of Highland Park, IL, were a typical Ashkenazi Jewish family with roots in Lithuania and Poland.

As someone of mixed heritage, I’ve struggled with the identity crisis that many multiracial people face — the feeling of not fully belonging to any one culture. I knew little about my Hispanic background, and my cousins in San Antonio seemed much more connected to it. My Chinese grandfather was quiet and passed away when I was young, so that part of my heritage remained largely a mystery.

But being Jewish is where I found grounding. Thanks to my parents’ dedication to raising Jewish children — and to the inclusive environment CBI offered — I found a community where I truly felt I belonged. Even though my last name isn’t Jewish in origin, my Jewish identity has always been something I’ve carried proudly on my sleeve.

Growing up in Round Rock, TX in the 90s, my siblings and I were among the few Jewish children in the school district. Rather than try to blend in, I embraced being different. In first grade, when my teacher read us stories about Santa Claus, I would politely ask to color on the side. For a 3rd-grade “Living Museum” project, my mom encouraged me to choose a Jewish role model, so I dressed up as Golda Meir and taught my classmates about Israel’s first female prime minister. In 4th grade, I joined the school newspaper and wrote editorials about Jewish holidays.

I started teaching in the religious school at CBI when I was 17 years old, and this year I officially celebrated my 16th work-iversary at CBI! Over the past 16 years, I’ve been lucky to wear many hats at CBI. I started by teaching first grade in the religious school. In college, I worked as a part-time receptionist and, for a while, even made lunches for the CDC. In 2015, I became the full-time Youth Coordinator, and in 2022, I stepped into my current role as Director of Community Engagement. Each of these roles has brought new meaning to synagogue life for me. I've had the privilege of helping children of all ages find the joy in Judaism, I've helped guide those interested in learning more toward the answers they were seeking, and now I focus on helping to build engagement opportunities and connections within our community at CBI.

Through these years, I’ve come to realize something powerful: CBI is a place where Jewish identity grows. It starts in preschool with Shabbat songs like “Bim Bam.” It’s nurtured in religious school, where kids make Jewish friends and form community. It’s celebrated during holidays and sustained through life’s hardest and holiest moments.

CBI isn’t just a synagogue. It’s a space where Jewish life and belonging take root — across generations, cultures, and identities. All we have to do is commit to making Judaism a priority in our lives

.