I am a Buddhist Jew. Though I am only 16 years old, I know who I am from
a religion stand point. I always felt different when I was in my Jewish temple, I always thought there had to be more to life than just this way of looking at it. I found ways past the Jewish point of view and I'd like to share with you how I relate
to these ways.
When I first learned about karma, I immediately understood it. It was kind
of like a mitzvah in Judaism. When you do a mitzvah, you do a good deed or you help some one out. Occasionally, that person will return the favor. For karma, it's about being balanced, if you do something good or bad, something good or bad
(depending on what you do) will happen in your future.
Another part of what makes me a BuJew is that I believe in rebirth and
reincarnation. Looking at rebirth and reincarnation might be different from others beliefs. I feel that as long as people have had a hard life, that they had to struggle to get through it, but they put others before themselves; they will some how have an easier life, in the next. If they are attentive, compassionate, and patient in that life, then their cycle will stop and they will go on to heaven. If they are not kind, they will go on to the next life, having to struggle through their time of living. Their
struggle may come in any way, shape, or form. For instance, they could go through depression and be in the middle class. Rebirth and reincarnation is a big part of what I believe in, and that will never change about me, because I feel I did
something wrong in my past life and I have to now repay my debts to those I
wronged, by doing it in this body.

For my final thought, about being a Buddhist Jew is explaining the eightfold path and how it relates to the Ten Commandments. So I practice the laws of the eightfold path and the Ten Commandments but the thing is, they are very similar.

For instance, one of the Ten Commandments tells us never to gossip and spread
rumors. Well that's the same as saying don't spread lies in the eightfold path.
Although they relate, they do have differences, too. They difference between them
is quite clear, they have different laws. Some commandments tell us that you will
not have no gods other than me (God), and to remember the sabbath day and keep
it holy, while in the eight fold path it says less specific laws for example, keep
directing your mind in meditation, and intend on living your life to strive towards
perfection. That's how I can practice both the Ten Commandments and the
eightfold path. Because they are different and not, too, similar.
This is who I am and no one is going to change that.