In Iran, Iraq, Morrocco and elsewhere we were surrounded by Muslims who would not marry us even if we wanted

Q: Is there anything against halacha if I follow non-Persian minhagim, like not eating rice on passover and wearing my sisit out? I was not observant before and this is the way I was tought.

Rabbi Zargari: It all depends on which minhag you are trying to divert from. 

Almost all of the functions in your body are controlled by hormones. In the same way that you can not and should not try to alter processes such as growth and metabolism, sexuality is not something you should mess with either. By the time puberty is over in the late teens, there is nothing you could do to stop the train from moving full speed ahead.

Q: I am becoming a more observant Jew. However, my parents are afraid that it will divide the family. What advice do you have for me?

Rabbi Zargari: I definitely encourage spiritually motivated kids with less observant parents to maintain a strong level of respect for the parents in every way possible, and there are several ways to do this.