I’m a rule-follower, plain and simple. I’m always home by curfew, I stop at every stop sign and I never cheat on tests. But, I’m also not afraid to stand up for what I believe in, and this summer that meant causing some trouble. As teenagers, we are often encouraged to adhere to social norms, but sometimes we have to be brave enough to go against the grain to make a difference.

I’m Jewish and observe my religion by wearing a prayer shawl, called a tallit, when I pray. For thousands of years, only men were allowed to wear tallit. Recently, some denominations of Judaism have begun to permit women to wear tallit.

The denomination of ultra-orthodox Jews who maintain the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a holy site for Jews, don’t believe women should wear tallit. The legality of women wearing tallit at the Western Wall is unclear and often disputed among Israeli law-enforcement officials. Regardless of legislation, women who wear their tallit at the wall risk being spit on, stoned or even shot for their actions.

Because it is my personal practice to wear a tallit when I pray, I chose to wear my tallit at the Western Wall despite the dangers. Two of my friends also chose to share in the experience with me and borrowed my tallit to say their prayers. As a group, we were making a statement about something we believed in, even though many people around us were judging us for our choices.

We were lucky enough to be spared harassment from those around us, but we received harsh looks reminding us what we were doing was challenging the normal behavior of women in that place. It may be scary to speak out when you have an opinion that differs from your peers’, but everyone is capable of finding the courage to defend their beliefs.

Regardless of the dangers of breaking from the traditionally accepted conduct of women at the Western Wall, it was important to me to stand up for what I believe in. If you are passionate about something, don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Trying to make a difference isn’t always easy and sometimes it takes some rule breaking, but when you see the change your actions can inspire, it makes it worth the risk.