Finding My Voice: A Writer’s Journey

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By Mindy Morasha Rubenstein

I began this journey as a writer before I knew exactly what I was writing about. I was the “lost child” in my family, growing up in chaos, and I didn’t know how to rescue others — but I did know I had a voice. I would later discover that writing could become one of the ways I rescued myself.
Now, I live in Israel and stand between two worlds—my secular Florida roots and the spiritual Jewish life I embraced as an adult.

Roots and Transitions
I grew up secular on Florida’s west coast, and I never anticipated how much my life would shift as I discovered Torah-Judaism as an adult. On one level the shift was external — changes in community, language, even geography. But deeper still was the shift in identity. The moment that moved me most was realizing that “religion” or “Jewish life” weren’t merely labels — they were frameworks for meaning, for relationship, for connection to the Divine.
In one early piece for Chabad.org, “The Path to Religion Is Bumpy and Lonely, Yet Beautiful,” I wrote about how I entered that process, the loneliness, the fears, and the hope. (Chabad)

Writing as Exploration and Healing
Over the past years, I’ve found that writing can serve as a mirror, a healer, and a bridge. As someone who navigates CPTSD and ADHD, I’ve learned that the body and mind hold stories that the mere intellect cannot always express. In one piece for The Times of Israel titled “From Pain to Purpose,” I wrote:

“During my 2.5 years here … I have experienced some of the deepest trauma and grief a human being can experience. And yet — I have chosen to turn it into light.” (The Times of Israel Blogs)
That article marked a pivotal moment: I wasn’t just telling other people’s stories, I was telling my story — with honesty and purpose.

Themes in My Work

Return & identity: My writing often circles around the idea that returning (to faith, to self, to the land) is messy, beautiful, and incomplete.

Spiritual & physical integration: One article on Aish.com, “Exercising My Spiritual and Physical Muscles,” explored how my gym time and my Torah study were not separate but intertwined. (Aish.com)

Community & outreach: In “The Secret to Effective Jewish Outreach” (also on Aish.com) I reflected on how the most effective outreach doesn’t make people feel far but whole. (Aish.com)

Context beyond the Diaspora: Since making Aliyah in 2022, my writing has shifted to reflect the land, the challenges, the identity re-contextualized. “Thank You, G-d. It is an honor serving You” on the Times of Israel is one such post. (The Times of Israel Blogs)

Selected Links to My Work
Here are a few articles I’ve published across different outlets:

• The Times of Israel – “From Pain to Purpose” (Apr 29 2025) → Link (The Times of Israel Blogs)
• The Times of Israel – “‘Hidden Yidden’ awaken as non-Jews become heroes” (Nov 5 2023) → Link (The Times of Israel Blogs)
• The Times of Israel – “Thank You, G-d. It is an honor serving You” (Oct 9 2023) → Link (The Times of Israel Blogs)
• Chabad.org – “The Path to Religion Is Bumpy and Lonely, Yet Beautiful” → Link (Chabad)
• Chabad.org – “Turning Pain Into Promise” → Link (Chabad)
• Aish.com – “Reversing Pew” → Link (Aish.com)
• Aish.com – “Exercising My Spiritual and Physical Muscles” → Link (Aish.com)
• Aish.com – “The Secret to Effective Jewish Outreach” → Link (Aish.com)
• JNS.org – “Reclaiming my legacy and my Hebrew name: Morasha Kehilla” (Jan 5 2023) → Link (JNS.org)
• Atlanta Jewish Times – Archives of many essays and columns by me, including ones on education, identity, parenting. → Link (atlantajewishtimes.com)

What I’ve Learned—and What I’m Still Learning

Authenticity matters. In the early days, I sometimes tried to write what I thought people wanted to read. Over time I realized that the strongest writing comes from truth—my truth, even if it’s messy.

Healing is not linear. Because of my background, I’ve discovered that writing may rage, rest, stall, surge. It’s not always a straight line.

Meaning is in connection. Whether the connection is between body & soul, land & people, faith & doubt — I believe meaning is found in connecting.

The journey continues. I still teach, advise parents and students, build creative outlets, and am launching a book on couples, trauma, healing and the journey home. My writing in the coming years will reflect that work.

Invitation
If you’re reading this and feeling called to write — whether it’s your first sentence, your memoir, a blog, a newsletter — I invite you to join me. Write not to impress, but to express. Write to remember, to become, to heal. The world is richer when we share our voices.

I’m grateful you took the time to read this reflection of my journey. May G-d bless your own words, your own growth, and your own path.
— Mindy Morasha Rubenstein

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