Every week, I meet with Sara, a high-schooler in my neighborhood, and together we learn Torah. Though she is 13 years my junior, after every one-hour learning session with her, I leave feeling reinvigorated, ready to dive deeper into Judaism and to take on more mitzvot.

Unlike Sara, I wasn’t born into an observant family. I wasn’t even born Jewish.

In 2015, I completed my conversion to Judaism through anI wasn’t born into an observant family. I wasn’t even born Jewish. Orthodox beit din (court of law). I’d done five years of studying leading up to the mikvah (ritual bath), and learned all about Tanach, kashrut, Shabbat, the holidays, modesty, family purity and community.

I went to seminary for a month in Jerusalem and studied with a woman who teaches brides before my wedding. I took Hebrew classes and discovered how to read the language. I was in an Orthodox neighborhood and living the life—praying daily, keeping Shabbat and kosher, wearing modest clothing, and, after I got married, covering my hair and practicing the laws of family purity.

About a year after my wedding, though, I had noticed that I was waning in my practice. I was being a little bit more casual about following the mitzvot. I was not feeling very inspired to cover my hair or pray. My husband, Daniel, suggested I find a chavruta, a study partner, to learn with. Being the overachiever I am, I found three: two rebbetzins and a religious woman my mother’s age.

I kept up learning with these chavrutas for several months. But because they were so far ahead of me in terms of their practice and life experience, I never felt like we were quite on the same page. Two were religious from birth, and one was a baal teshuvah who had become religious decades ago. It felt a little intimidating to ask certain questions because I didn’t want to show that I was behind in my learning, especially in front of the rebbetzins. I have a convert complex, which means I’m not sure if I’m ever good enough. (Will people think less of me when they find out I pray in English or doubt my sincerity if I am unaware of this week’s Torah portion?)

I know that it’s probably all in my head, and these incredible learned women would have been fine with any and all of my questions. They weren’t there to judge me, but to guide me. However, I wanted to feel like I was on the same level as, or at least close to, someone where they were in their journeys.

I posted on some Facebook groups to find a partner, but no one responded. Someone suggested JNet—Jewish Learning Network, which is a great program, but I didn’t want to learn on the phone or online. There is a special magic when you sit down with another woman and learn together in person.

Daniel saw that I was suffering. He’d always told me I was so connected to G‑d, and he recognized it when I was slipping away from my devotion. He suggested that instead of studying with these chavrutas, I should learn with a teenager instead.

His reasoning was that teens have a pure, unabashed love for Judaism. They’re still young and have not let life’s hard experiences get in the way of their faith. Since they are in school, they are constantly learning themselves. And they likely wouldn’t be light years ahead of me in terms of their knowledge.

And so I found Sara. Scheduling one hour a week with herTeens have a pure an unabashed love for Judaism keeps me connected to Judaism. We go over the weekly parsha, which I get to learn about ahead of time and know what’s going on during the Torah reading in synagogue on Shabbat. We discuss Chassidic concepts, which I had never before been exposed to and am growing to love. I’ve gotten to learn more about the Rebbe and am inspired to model my behavior after his. We talk about modesty, the holidays and whatever is on my mind. Whenever I have a question (and I have tons), she takes it down and then, like a good student, does her homework and comes back with an answer the following week.

Through our sessions together, my life has been transformed. I have gone from a disconnected place to feeling more hyped up about Judaism than I have in years. I have learned that no matter what stage I’m at with my observance, I can always become more inspired.

In just 60 minutes every week, I get to connect to G‑d, and nourish my mind and my soul, thanks to my new teenage friend.