I made this video last year, but apparently I never posted it here! Building a new workflow for my material has been surprisingly hard. Too many moving parts! But better late than never, right? Struggling with your old holiday seasons as you become Jewish? Not at all unusual. Whether you loved them or hated them […]
What are you doing on Sunday? Wanna hang out?
What better way to spend a Sunday than hanging out with other Jewish converts and conversion candidates, exploring how you’ll live your best Jewish life in the month of Kislev?? Don’t forget to sign up for your ticket here! Get more details here:
Seeking more Jewish Community? Join the Convert Kehilla’s Rosh Chodesh Circle!
Are you a Jewish convert or conversion candidate seeking a warm and welcoming community? Look no further than The Convert Kehilla (“community,” roughly). Join our Rosh Chodesh Circle for the upcoming month of Kislev, dedicated to fostering connection, learning, and growth. For the first time in many years, I’m going to begin teaching live again. […]
Imposter Syndrome in Jewish Conversion
Imposter Syndrome is a term that many of us are familiar with nowadays, at least in the workplace. It’s the sneaky terrible feeling that “everyone else” has it figured out except you and you’re going to mess up and they’re all going to know you’re an imposter. The feeling of being a fraud, of not […]
Reflections 11 Years Later
It’s been just over 11 years since I completed the orthodox conversion process that created this blog. What’s changed? What’s it like “on the other side”? Last month, I saw my conversion anniversary on the calendar and made a note in my planner. …And then I completely forgot about it until a week after the […]
Conversion Candidates: The Child Who Doesn’t Know How to Ask
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 […]
Should You Make Up a “Jew-y” Name for Yourself?
Disclaimer: All names in this post are completely made up (and often from random name generators). If I happened to accidentally choose your name, I apologize. Well, except for the famous names. I just felt like using those. It’s very common for converts to take on a Hebrew name as their “everyday” name, even if […]
Converts and Birthright
If you’re young enough, every conversion candidate thinks about the possibility of going on Birthright. I went on Birthright after my conservative conversion, but I was on a trip organized by an orthodox organization and the specific trip was actually labeled as “modern orthodox.” I think that effectively just meant that the trip was shomer […]
Should Public Announcements List a Speaker as a Convert?
Blogger Hadassah posted an interesting question on her blog: Should an invitation to a public lecture identify the speaker as a convert? “I was taught that you never ever out a convert. Even if everyone knows that so-and-so converted, it is a sin to point it out to anyone.” I don’t agree with that necessarily […]
Convert Quote: Handicaps
Sammy Davis, Jr., is one of the most famous American Jewish converts. In true borsht belt/vaudeville style, Mr. Davis has a very famous quote involving Jack Benny, a contemporary American entertainer. On a golf course, Jack Benny once asked Sammy Davis, Jr., what his handicap was. “Handicap?” he asked. “Talk about handicap! I’m a one-eyed […]