You can love Judaism and hate converting. Conversion can be one of the most meaningful choices you’ll ever make…and still include parts you resent, grieve, or simply don’t enjoy. But converts are often expected to be endlessly joyful and grateful. If we admit that something is difficult, people may question our sincerity. Eventually, we start
The Feelings Jewish Converts Aren’t Supposed to Admit Read Post »
There’s a particular kind of productive procrastination that happens when you’re exploring conversion to Judaism. You don’t feel ready to contact a rabbi yet, so you decide to learn a little more first. You order a book. That book mentions six other books. Soon you’ve built an impressive Jewish library, spent several hundred dollars, and
The First 3 Books Every Jewish Convert Should Own Read Post »
How much does it actually cost to convert to Judaism? You’re not paying to become Jewish, but conversion can come with plenty of expenses – some obvious, and some you probably haven’t thought about yet. In this video, we’re talking about the costs you may encounter along the way. We’ll also talk about which expenses
Do You Have to Pay to Convert to Judaism? Read Post »
Choosing a Hebrew name is one of those parts of becoming Jewish that can feel both incredibly meaningful and weirdly high pressure. You’re choosing a name you may use when you’re called to the Torah, on Jewish documents, when someone prays for you – potentially for the rest of your Jewish life. No pressure or
How to Choose a Hebrew Name You Won’t Regret: 8 Things to Know Read Post »
The High Holidays can be deeply meaningful. They can also get surprisingly expensive. Synagogue tickets, holiday meals, time off work, travel, childcare, new clothes, donations, a machzor – suddenly Rosh Hashanah has developed quite the shopping list. But a meaningful High Holiday season doesn’t require buying everything you see other people doing. In this video,
How to Celebrate the Jewish High Holidays on a Budget Read Post »
The Jewish High Holidays are a whole season, not a single event. Between Elul, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah, there’s a lot to learn, plan, buy, schedule, and somehow spiritually reflect on at the same time. No pressure! 😂 If this is your first High Holiday season, you do not
How to Prepare for the Jewish High Holidays as a Beginner Read Post »
There is a LOT you can learn about Judaism: Torah, Hebrew, prayer, Shabbat, holidays, Jewish history, halacha – congratulations, you have acquired approximately 8,000 Lego pieces. Now what are you supposed to build with them? At some point, learning about Judaism has to become living a Jewish life. And that doesn’t happen by waiting until
Stop Learning About Judaism and Start LIVING It Read Post »
The first time you go to synagogue, you might expect everyone to sit quietly and pay attention to the service. And then you get there and… everyone is talking. Someone’s whispering to their neighbor, someone else is catching up with an old friend, and meanwhile you’re afraid to cough because you have no idea what
Why Is Everyone Talking in Synagogue?! Read Post »
Jewish law is pretty clear that a person who converts to Judaism is Jewish. Full stop. The Torah also repeatedly commands us to love and protect converts. But Jewish law and the experience of actually being a convert in a Jewish community aren’t always exactly the same thing. Converts can find themselves in a strange
Are Converts Really Treated the Same as Born Jews? Read Post »
How do you become the kind of person who naturally lives a holy life? Everyday Holiness by Alan Morinis is one of my favorite Jewish books because instead of focusing primarily on what you should do, it asks who you are becoming. In this video, we’re talking about Mussar, middot, and the practical system Judaism
How to Become a Better Person, According to Judaism Read Post »