If you haven’t discovered it already, 2 Jews equals 3 opinions! And it is entirely possible for all of those opinions to be correct. How is that possible?? I’m Jewish, so I could give you 18 answers to that question. The best answer I can give you is that Judaism is not only NOT a […]
What Is a Chumrah and What Is Halacha Read Post »
I came across this question on social media again recently, and it has been a frequent concern over the years: “I converted in one Jewish movement and now want to convert orthodox. What will happen to my friendships and my relationship with my former rabbi(s)? Will they hate me? Am I betraying them?” First, I’ll
Friendships When a Liberal Convert Goes Orthodox 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 »
At the seder, the discussion always surrounds the rasha, the wicked child. We rarely discuss the other three children, and usually then, only to compare and contrast with the rasha. This year, I put a name to a long-standing part of myself: the child who doesn’t know how to ask the question. You can never
Conversion Candidates: The Child Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask Read Post »
Most of you are familiar with one thing batei din do in the modern world: convert people. But what else do they do? You’d be surprised. A beit din can do most of the things a secular court can, in addition to presiding over pure halachic issues. What doesn’t a beit din do? Hear criminal
What Does a Beit Din Do Besides Conversions? Read Post »
YES! But uh…it depends on who you ask. There is a halachic basis for the rabbis who declare you must eat meat on Shabbat. (Though even they will admit there was a great rabbi-whose name I forget-who was vegetarian every day but Shabbat.) I find most of these rabbis tend to be far to the
Can You Be an Orthodox Jew Who Happens to Be Vegetarian or Vegan? Read Post »
One of the biggest disagreements about conversion is kabbalot ol mitzvot, the acceptance of the yoke of the commandments. In case you don’t remember, yoke mean burden, not to be confused with a yolk. Fun fact: the “stock” from “being put in the stocks” is a human yoke. Criminals and slaves were put in stocks.
What If You Don’t Like One of the Mitzvot…Can You Still Convert Orthodox? Read Post »
You’re in the mikvah. You have your dips in the water and officially cross over into the obligation in mitzvot. What happens once you get dressed? First mitzvah/bracha. This should not happen in the mikvah because you shouldn’t say a bracha while nude. I think some people hear about the “here, have a candy!” bracha
Immediately After Conversion, What Needs to Be Done? Read Post »
It’s been almost two months since my conversion. I have been shocked that the most common question I am asked is, “So what do I call you now?” Of all the things to ask about a conversion, that’s the first thing that comes to mind?? Maybe it’s the most polite (and practical) thing to ask,
Why I’m Not Going by My Hebrew Name Read Post »
If you’re going to convert, you need to understand a key distinction. There’s a lot of talk since 2006 about nullifying conversions. While a few nullifications have occurred, the general problem is questioned conversions. Nullified conversion: the conversion is void. It was invalid at the time the conversion was performed. The person was never halachically
Nullifying Conversions vs. Questioning Conversions Read Post »