The moment I told my mom that I wanted to get another tattoo with the words “Tikkun Olam”, I thought she would scream. And although, she didn’t scream, she asked why? She was confused, we aren’t Jewish. She had never heard any such phrase. And it turns out that a lot of people don’t know what it is. They’ve never even heard those two words.

Tikkun Olam, translated means “repair of the world”. Literally. It’s a concept that has been developed through Judaism. It surrounds the idea that we not only bear the responsibility for our own moral, spiritual and material welfare, but also for the welfare of society at large.

Granted, some people don’t think that it’s your individual responsibility to worry about anything that doesn’t pertain to you, but I do. I want to be able to make an impact on a greater scale. I want to be able to not only bear that responsibility for myself, but in a way for others - being able to help others in a grander scale. Even though I know I can't help everyone, or sometimes even the people around me won't always be impacted, but the general idea, is amazing to hold to.

Now, in a month when I get a tattoo saying “tikkun olam”, I hope my mom doesn’t freak out.