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The Seven Noachide Laws – Sheva Mitzvot B’Nei Noach

If you don’t already know this, you should: You don’t have to be Jewish to merit olam haba, the afterlife. In other words, Hashem loves non-Jews too.  And even better, you don’t have to wear anything in particular, or subscribe to a particular religion, or eat kosher! All non-Jews have to do to please Hashem […]

What Is the Proper Role of a Congregational Rabbi?

I’m curious what you think a congregational rabbi’s role should be with the individuals who attend his synagogue. Below is a list of possible roles to jumpstart your thought process: Spiritual Leader Organizer Counselor (but what kind of counseling/how serious?) Role Model Teacher of children Teacher of adults Person who oversees lifecycle events Host Friend? […]

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Filed Under: Conversion

Conversion Special Cases: Young Conversion Candidates

What if you’re considering converting to Judaism in your teens or early 20s? You face special problems during conversion. Sorry. But on the bright side, there are common problems that you will hopefully never deal with! In other words, all conversions have “problems” and frustrations. Unfortunately, when you’re under 18 (or even under 22), you […]

What If You Live Outside a Jewish Community – Temporary Solutions

This post is intended for people living outside easy driving distance of an orthodox community. We’re not talking about “living outside the community” as in “living 5 miles from the eruv and shul.” I’m going to share how I would approach living in an area without any Jewish resources. As always, each situation is different […]

UPDATED: If You Think Only an Orthodox Conversion Is “Good Enough,” Then Don’t Get a Liberal One!

Who Are We Talking About: Please take the time to read a few paragraphs instead of having a knee-jerk reaction to the title. I’m not talking about the people you think I’m talking about. I’m not talking about people who are converting liberal but are open to the possibility of converting orthodox at a later […]

If You’re Considering a Non-Orthodox Conversion, Speak to an Orthodox Rabbi First

When I began my conservative conversion process, the rabbi had a policy that all potential conversion candidates must visit the orthodox rabbi in town and ask him the following questions. I believe these are good questions to consider when deciding which movement to convert through. In other words, you should make an informed decision before […]

My Narrow, Unsympathetic Point of View

Today, I’d like to take a minute to discuss something that I believe is important to clarify. From a comment: “There is a lot of pain involved with conversion for many people, but I’ve noticed time and again that you don’t seem to see this. Human feelings and embarrassment and dignity are a PART of halacha… I’ve read a […]

Rabbi Speaks Out Against Geirus l’Chumrahs

Question: What is the status of the ‘extra’ conversion immersion [tevila leHumra] demanded by some Orthodox rabbis?  You may know this as geirus l’chumrah. A geirus l’chumrah is when a convert (already converted) is required to undergo a “new” conversion because of doubt about a prior conversion. Sometimes this is necessary. That’s why it exists. You […]