America is the "land of the free," the land of many cultures -- a great "melting pot," as some say. Yet, in this land of many cultures a great injustice is committed and compounded daily. It is not done by any one person or organization (nor a particular retail store as the title might indicate). With people conforming to be more "American," individual cultures and customs are forgotten. Yet, I'm not out to blame America for this process -- instead, this column is a journey of self-discovery.In the middle of August, I, along with 17 Brandeis students and 14 other local college students (more than 20 were Russian and, all were Jewish) joined an organization called Aish on a one week trip to London, Eng. Most students joined the trip because they thought that the opportunity to see London for an almost too-good-to-be-true price was a very stupid thing to pass up. Although we were disappointed with the small amount of time spent actually touring London, most of us found the trip to be fulfilling in ways we could never have imagined before we embarked.

Three days into the trip, I had a cold. We hadn't seen much of London, and one of the speakers, Rabbi Jamie Cowland, had just criticized the core of American ideals in a morning lecture (lectures were part of the bargain). He spoke about how America is a relativist society when it comes to morality, (where what's moral to one person is not necessarily moral to another and that's okay) and tried to prove how such a society cannot exist. Needless to say, an argument ensued.

Most of the students on the trip were upset with the apparent attack on their beliefs, felt cheated, and were upset with the trip up to that point. Had I written a column on that day, I would have entitled it "How my trip to London made me sick."

However, after that morning's lecture and on our way to see Hampton Court, things started to change. After listening to why our tour guide became an Orthodox Jew, I realized that while I disagree with her on many religious points (such as whether or not there is a God), I learned more on that train ride about my own culture than I have in the last 10 years.

In the London Underground, there is a hole between the train and the platform. As a result, at most subway stations the public announcer and the yellow writing on the ground peculiarly warn the travelers to "Mind the gap" (it sounds especially funny when combined with a British accent). During the next few days, an amazing thing occurred, and people on my tour group actually began to mind the gap -- not the one on the Underground, but the one in their own understanding of Judaism. Instead of arguing about whether or not the beliefs were justified, people began to listen as to why they are followed.

Even among the information about Orthodox Judaism that was disagreeable to the less observant members of our group, people were able to pick the important information, such as the history, culture and religious ideas of the Jewish people -- something taken away from most of the Russian participants and never taught to most of the American ones. In a span of the last four days, this trip had gone from a highly disappointing one to a highly fulfilling voyage of cultural, religious, philosophical and historical understanding of what it means to be Jewish.

The important question wasn't whether or not we were suddenly going to be convinced that becoming an Orthodox Jew was the only way towards salvation; the important questions were about how these particular Orthodox Jews had gone from being completely secular to utterly devout, and what they could teach the tour group about ourselves.

In the process, they broke many of my own stereotypes, biases, and preconceptions of what Orthodox Jews (who don't go to Brandeis) are like. Besides following Judaism to the letter, there isn't much difference between them and a typical, secular Brandeis student. However, these Orthodox Jews seemed to feel much more fulfilled because they are more in touch with their spiritual side.

I also learned that these people aren't "religious robots" either. While they try to follow what they believe to the best of their ability, sometimes even they fail, as being human trips up the best of them.

As a result of this trip the gap in my knowledge of my own culture was beginning to be filled. I learned about concepts such as Shomer Negiah, Orthodox Jewish marriages, why Jews are so sure that their religion is the right one, and that Moses really did receive the Torah. Now, I am not saying I agree with the ideas, but I am saying it is sometimes better to look past the fact that we disagree and listen -- something which is seldom done at Brandeis.

By the end of the trip my cold had cleared, and I was feeling great, not only because I could now breathe (ah, the symbolism), but because I had discovered a treasure trove of information that I thought I didn't need or want, yet which I had absorbed with such eagerness.

Ultimately, this trip was about human growth for both the religious staff and the nonreligious participants. It was a learning experience for our hosts in London as their stereotypes of secular Americans were also dissolved.

Thus, I encourage everyone, no matter what religion, race, or culture to undertake such a journey of realization and self-discovery. Each person should try to find out the reason for their beliefs (or lack thereof) and maybe even for their culture or religion's existence. After the trip I didn't start eating Kosher, not touching girls, nor wearing a yarmulke, yet I have still gained an appreciation of who I am and where my ancestors came from.

Now, I am writing to warn you too to "Mind the gap" -- the rift between you and the culture of your antecendents. You too should be able to appreciate what it means to be Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist or your own respective religion. It is essential that different cultures are not lost in America. On the surface we are all Americans, but we are something underneath as well. Therefore, before we look externally for answers, we should all look within our own cultures.

Our group invited the Rabbi to come and speak in the Boston area. Hopefully, if he comes to Brandeis, he will be greeted not with contempt for his ideas, but with respect and an open mind, because among everything else he is "bridging the gap" which the assimilatory American culture has created in each and every one of us.