I’ve written several times before about the need for every convert and BT to have a mentor. But really, you need at least five mentors because each will expose you to a different part of the community and to different facets of Jewish life. As a bonus, you see how multiple people handle similar situations […]
UPDATED: The 5 Types of Mentors You Need Read Post »
At some point in your orthodox journey, someone is going to suggest you go to ulpan. Another class and another thing to learn? Sounds great, but what’s ulpan? In short, it means modern Hebrew classes. But it’s more than that. It’s a particular style of teaching a foreign language through intense immersion and often with
Word of the Day: Ulpan Read Post »
“I take a shower on Friday morning, and by the time Shabbat is over, I feel disgusting.” This conversation came up recently, and I realized there had to be a post on it ASAP. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m OCD (in the real way), and cleanliness is unusually important to me. It broke my heart
UPDATED: When to Take a Shower Before Shabbat? Read Post »
Today, I bring a personal question to the blog. Despite over 11 years of being “Jewishly affiliated,” I still feel most connected to the secular calendar. Only in the last few years have I made more of an effort to interact with the Hebrew calendar. This has created a strange problem, I’m not sure how
How Old Are You Between Your Hebrew and English Birthdays? Read Post »
Shavuot will be here soon, and we all know the deep connections most converts feel for the book of Ruth. (Or Rut, as I like to call her.) There’s a new book out that’ll put a whole new spin on how you read it! I was given a PDF of the book in the hopes
Book Review: Rising Moon: Unraveling the Book of Ruth by Rabbi Moshe Miller Read Post »
If you’re near NYC or can get here on Sunday, May 17, there’s a three hour panel discussion you don’t want to miss. Conversion Crisis: Is the System Broken? will host two of the biggest names in conversion, in addition to the President of the Union for Traditional Judaism (UTJ): Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Rabbi Marc
“Conversion Crisis” Panel Discussion on May 17 in Manhattan! Read Post »
You’ve done it. You’ve survived Passover. Cue tearing open the cabinets and returning life to normal! But wait! There’s more! Sit down and write down everything you need to remember for Pesach 2016. Before you forget, before all the carbs make your brain fuzzy, before you throw away something you should keep for next year
Plan for Next Year’s Pesach RIGHT NOW Read Post »
Here’s the best practical tip you’ll get this close to Pesach: go get a haircut, hippie. Don’t forget. Someone always forgets, and that someone will probably be you. In all seriousness, don’t forget to get your hair cut, especially if you’re a guy. Otherwise, you might start looking like a hippie over the next few
#ProTip: Go Get a Haircut Before Pesach Read Post »
It’s that time of year again… Pesach. And that means cleaning. Yay, right? Preparing for Pesach can feel overwhelming, but thankfully, we’re not reinventing the wheel around here. You too can stand on the shoulders of giants! There are a lot of Pesach guides on the internet, but what they say varies widely. If you’ve
The Best Pesach Guides on the Internet Read Post »
Yes! (But in some communities, it may be discouraged or even “not done.”) But doesn’t a name need to be official before you can use it? Nope. That’s true both under the secular law and Jewish law. Well, in the sense that neither prohibits you from calling yourself whatever you want whenever you want. Want
Can You Use Your Hebrew Name Before Conversion? Read Post »