According to the Talmud, rabbis must ask potential converts a very serious question: “Why should you wish to become a proselyte; do you not know that the people of Israel at the present time are persecuted and oppressed, despised, harassed, and overcome by afflictions?” That’s a great question. And even many converts can’t quite pinpoint […]
Taking a Shyne to Judaism! [Cue rimshot]
Since this blog is, in theory, about conversion, let’s talk about some converts! On a practical level, this is very useful knowledge because it’s inevitably going to come into a conversation: “Oh, you’re a convert?? Did you read the New York Times piece about Shyne??” Rap star Shyne has taken the Jewish and non-Jewish media […]
Convert Issues: Going Back to the Basics
My biggest hurdle in becoming orthodox has been going back to the basics. Most converts who’ve already gone through one conversion feel like we know stuff. We’re not newbies, so why are we back at the beginning?? It can be incredibly frustrating and ego-busting. Even new converts can be incredibly frustrated by suddenly feeling like […]
Liberal Conversion: The Gateway Drug
It seems that most orthodox converts you meet are also liberal Jewish converts. When we liberal converts begin an orthodox conversion, we all seem to think we’re crazy to be going from a liberal movement to orthodoxy. But no, you’re certainly not alone. I had the great pleasure to meet with an amazing rabbi who […]
Kiruv and (Non-Orthodox) Converts
I tried to get some Hebrew reading help from a kiruv organization that offers free tutoring to any Jew. Interestingly, they will work with gay Jews, intermarried Jews, or any other non-Orthodox Jew. However, they will not work with a convert who has had a non-Orthodox conversion because we are “not Jewish.” Of course, they […]