Going from professional ballet dancer to kosher cafeteria worker may seem like an odd career choice, but for Northwestern University employee Yehonaton Levy, it’s all part of a spiritual journey.
Daily Northwestern reporter Elise Foley reports that Levy was a dancer for 20 years before converting to Orthodox Judaism, and now hopes to eventually become a rabbi.

“After a mid-career injury I began searching for the meaning of what I was doing,” Levy said. “I virtually got involved in everything, but I would come back to the Torah. Ironically, because I started studying Torah again, I was healed of my injury and given back my career.”
Levy said he could dance even better than before. But he began to question his priorities.
“I began the slow process of becoming more aware of what Judaism meant rather than just believing things,” Levy said. “I had to make a decision whether to keep dancing or retire.”
Levy chose to teach dance and study the Torah. He took an interest in kosher preparation during his religious education.
“I was making my own food in my room, and suddenly I was making food for the other guys,” Levy said. “Then I got a part time job in New York at a kosher cafe. Things just fell into place.”