Author name: Kochava Yocheved

Welcome! My name is Kochava, and I'm not crazy. Well, maybe I *am* crazy, but not for converting to Judaism. I'm a Southerner, writer, lawyer, teacher, parent, homeschooler, activist, nerd, and brand-new YouTuber. You name it, I'm curious about it.

Reason #643 You Know You’re Crazy: Developing the Starbucks Habit

Reason #643 You Know You’re Crazy: If you live in an area without kosher restaurants, you develop a heinous Starbucks habit. Starbucks is the only “kosher” place I can go in town. Sure, the food isn’t kosher, but many of the drinks are! (Please check with your LOR and rabbinic websites to find out which. […]

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Management Update: Chavi is learning how Blogspot works

So…I’m trying to learn how Blogspot works. I have to say, it’s pretty amazing. I have used LiveJournal, and this is the space-age compared to LJ! I finally figured out how to schedule posts for the future, so now postings will arrive as a regularly scheduled thing. I have one post scheduled for 7am Pacific

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My Parents Have No Idea What I’ve Gotten Them Into by Converting to Orthodox Judaism

My Parents Have No Idea What I’ve Gotten Them Into by Converting to Orthodox Judaism Read Post »

Reason #2,421 You Know You’re Crazy: Judaism Makes You Go to Law School

Reason #2,421 You Know You’re Crazy: Judaism Makes You Go to Law School Read Post »

The Question on Everyone Else’s Mind When Talking to Converts

The Question on Everyone Else’s Mind When Talking to Converts (especially female converts)… “So…who’re you converting for?” I suppose I’m not totally one to talk since I’m technically a stereotype. Yes, an ex-boyfriend brought me to the Jewish people, at least initially (and much to his dismay). However, he didn’t remain in the picture long

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You Know You’ve Made It When Someone Mistakes You for a Born Jew!

It seems like all converts wait for the day when they won’t stand out. I’ve always been a stand-out kind of person (and I generally like it), but I’m amazed that I get happy at the idea of blending in somewhere. Aka, being mistaken for a born Jew. Unfortunately, this goal is less likely for

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Reason #254 You Know You’re American: Food Brachot

Reason #254 You Know You’re American: Food Brachot Read Post »

Shabbat shalom, ya’ll!

Shabbat shalom, ya’ll! I’ll be off the interwebs until Saturday evening. But there are plenty of posts sitting in my editor, just waiting to be posted. Proud moment of the day: Saw very obviously observant Jews at the grocery store who were also very obviously lost. I got to explain the weirdness of our 5

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Reason #1 You Know You’re Crazy: You’re Suspicious of Kindness

Reason #1 You Know You’re Crazy: You’re Suspicious of Kindness As any of you converts/converts-in-progress know, the conversion process, despite being an incredibly worthwhile, meaningful, and “religious” experience, can be soul-crushing when well-meaning (or not so well-meaning) Jews try to “discourage” you. Sometimes this discouragement can cross the line over into flat-out rude or cruel.

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Reason #201 You Know You’re Crazy: Unpronounceable Hebrew Names

Reason #201 You Know You’re Crazy: You chose a Hebrew name for yourself that you can’t pronounce correctly with any consistency. In my case, I chose Kochava, which has that guttral “ch” sound smack dab in the middle of the word, which is even harder than pronouncing it when it’s at the beginning or end

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