Adriana Fernandez - The Non-Jewish Nanny Educating the World about Judaism

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She's an "influencer."   
The Non-Jewish Nanny Educating the World about Judaism
Meet the non-Jewish woman who is spreading joyous Judaism online.
https://aish.com/the-non-jewish-nanny-educating-the-world-about-judaism/

Two years ago, Adriana Fernandez started working as a nanny for an Orthodox Jewish family in Boca Raton. She quickly learned about how they observed Shabbat, ate kosher food, dressed in modest clothing and celebrated a variety of holidays. She was intrigued, and she wanted to share what she was learning with the world.

Fernandez shared her experiences on TikTok and Instagram, posting photos and videos about wearing modest clothing, preparing for Shabbat with the children she nannied, and finding Doritos with Hebrew lettering on them.

"Look what I found," she gasps in one video as she holds up a bag of kosher Israeli BBQ Doritos. "Israeli Doritos?!"

The young influencer, who has 16.4 million views on TikTok and nearly 33,000 followers on Instagram, educates her audience about Jewish topics as she learns them as well.

"I was shocked that my TikTok and Instagram took off so quickly," said Fernandez. "So many of my followers are Orthodox and Jewish. That makes me so happy."

She constantly receives messages and comments from observant Jews thanking her for representing them in a positive, accurate light.

"I make these silly and funny videos and I get the sweetest messages ever, like people telling me I'm doing a lot of mitzvahs," she said. "When I see antisemitism, it blows my mind. Why would anyone think these traditions are horrible or weird? I think they're fantastic."

Fernandez also receives messages from Jews from all backgrounds who are inspired by her videos.

"I get messages from people who say they struggled with their religion and because of my posts, they feel more inspired," she said.

The non-Jewish nanny grew up in a religious Christian home in Florida and went to a private parochial school where she learned to respect other people's cultures and religions.

"I was raised to be loving and accepting of everybody," she said. "Some people are antisemitic because they have no exposure to Judaism or poor exposure to it. They have a preconceived notion about Judaism that they learned from the media or in movies."

Before becoming a nanny, Fernandez, who is in her 20s, went through a rough time in her life. She was partying, worrying about her self-image online and off and hanging out with people who didn't have strong values.

"My life was fast-paced and I was in a really dark place," she said.

But when she started working with a Jewish family, her life turned around.

"So much of this world is unpredictable and unstable and what really kept me grounded and brought me back to reality was being surrounded by a community that was so focused on values," she said. "It made me stop and say, 'None of this matters.' I wanted to be happy and have a wholesome family. That's exactly what the Jewish community promotes. It was a wakeup call for me."

Fernandez mostly learns about Jewish traditions through the kids she nannies. She watches with them Jewish educational videos made for kids and loves Jewish music. When the Miami Boys Choir was trending this past summer, she posted a TikTok talking about how they would be her Justin Bieber or One Direction if she were a young Jewish girl.

Yoshi, he's Harry Styles for the Jewish community," she says in the video. "I don't make the rules!"

Working with children is what brings Fernandez the most joy. She enjoys helping them with their schoolwork, like learning the Alef Bet.

"Kids have such a fresh and innocent perspective," she said. "They're such a joy in that sense. If I'm in a horrible mood, hanging out with kids makes me so much happier."

When Fernandez has a more advanced question or wants to know about Jewish theology, she speaks to the kids' moms.

"I talk to them about Judaism's perspective on the afterlife and the meaning behind some of their observances," she said. "They have given me an even deeper insight into Judaism and they are so willing to kindly educate me."

One question that Fernandez hears time and time again is whether or not she's going to convert to Judaism. Many people who watch her videos are shocked that she's not Jewish. But she has no plans to convert.

"I really like the fact that I have a voice as a non-Jew, which I think is more important and meaningful than if I were to become Jewish," she said. "I can observe and take away a lot of beliefs and foundations and still live my life happily."

Still, Judaism has taught her a number of principles that she's found comfort in.

"I know that everything is going to be okay because God doesn't give you anything you can't handle," she said. "Judaism taught me that it's easy to implement spirituality into your everyday life. The Jewish people are very mindful of spirituality. They incorporate God into everything."

For now, Fernandez is going to keep creating content about her life as a non-Jewish nanny for Jewish families. But in the future, she hopes to combine her skills as a nanny, opera singer, and voice teacher and open up a sensory center for kids where they can come and play.

"I have so many different ideas for my future, and I never know where it will take me," she said. "I know I will have kids. Then, I'll be a nanny to my own kids."