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Conversion is Expensive, Part II

In continuation of a previous post (Reason #84 You Know You’re Crazy: Orthodox Conversion is EXPENSIVE!), here is the second edition of a possibly-indefinite series of posts warning you how horribly expensive orthodox conversion is (not “can be,” IS). I had meeting #2 with the beit din, and here is a breakdown of all the […]

UPDATED: When Can a Conversion Candidate Begin Wearing Jewish “Things”?

Of course, the cop-out, generic answer is always, “It depends on the person.” It also depends on the “thing.” Let’s start by talking about a couple of things, and then we can continue the discussion in the comments if you want to talk about other Jewish items! Jewelry: Personally, I think anyone can wear Jewish […]

When Is It OK to Say “I’m Jewish,” Even If You Really Aren’t?

If you’re like most people, you haven’t really thought about this question. But yes, there are times when you will be asked if you are Jewish, and you should answer a simple “Yes,” even if you’ve had no conversion. (And even if you’ve taken no formal steps at all!) Here are the usual suspects: a) […]

Update on Converts and Aliyah: Reviewing the Law of Return

Do you ever get tunnel vision? Apparently I do. And I did when I wrote Convert Questions: Converts and Aliyah. Let’s summarize that post quickly: There are two times where your “Jewish” status matters when making aliyah to Israel: (1) for the Rabbinate (orthodox converts only, and even then it’s not a given) and (2) […]

Monday Thoughts

I don’t actually have an official post for today. Just checking in on the personal level. Tomorrow I take a 24 hour trip to meet with the full beit din for the first time. As you can imagine, I’m a wee bit nervous. But more than that, I’m annoyed with myself. I realized that I’ve […]

Shabbat Shalom! Conversion Is Like Falling in Love

In the beginning, you decide to convert, and you are infatuated. You want to breathe, sleep, and eat Judaism every hour of the day. Any time spent apart physically hurts. The “eccentricities” of Judaism and Jews are cute, and you’re glad you noticed them. You begin learning everything you can get your hands on, just […]

UPDATED: The Factors to Consider When Choosing to Convert

According to me, there are three major considerations when choosing where/how to convert. These three guideposts should help you decide a) the movement you want to convert with and then b) the community/rabbi/beit din you want to convert with. a) How you feel about your conversion. At the end of the day, this should be […]

Convert Rants: Discouraging the Conversion Candidate

Everyone hears that a rabbi “has” to discourage a conversion candidate 3 times. Some rabbis don’t hold by that at all. Some do exactly three and then will begin a congenial conversion learning process. Some may or may not obviously discourage before working with you, but will continue to discourage you regularly and to varying […]

What Is a Hebrew Name, and What Does It Do?

A commenter had a great question, and I decided to write about it in a longer form and make it accessible to the rest of you! Basically, what is the point of a Hebrew name? When, where, and why is it used? First, what is a Hebrew name? At its most basic, it’s your Jewish […]