I’m seventeen and very catholic. My entire family is and we go to church every Sunday and literally everything in our lives revolve around the church.

But I’ve been dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts for about the past seven years. The only time I ever felt like god cared about me or there was someone watching over me was when I went to synagogue with my aunt. She’s Jewish and I went to stay with her for the summer and we went to the synagogue every week. It was right around the times of the Charlottesville riot and I’m a poc (half black/white) and the rabbi was talking about how we should all unite together, there’s no room for hate in this country and stuff like that.

I don’t know why but I just cried and cried and I had never payed attention in church before then at the synagogue. His words were so powerful that even though it’s been like three years since I still think about it every day.

Literally going to the synagogue was the only thing that made me remotely happy and it made me feel like I could breathe for the first time.

I don’t know how to tell my parents that I want to go to the synagogue. I know that they’d never let me convert at this age but literally going to the synagogue changed my life.

Am I even allowed to sit in on services I’f I’m not Jewish? I don’t want to impose or offend anyone by my being there.