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) […]
When Is It OK to Say “I’m Jewish,” Even If You Really Aren’t? Read Post »
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)
Update on Converts and Aliyah: Reviewing the Law of Return Read Post »
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
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
UPDATED: The Factors to Consider When Choosing to Convert Read Post »
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
Convert Rants: Discouraging the Conversion Candidate Read Post »
This Shabbos, I sat down with the Kuzari, a classic text by Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi (1080-1145). The story is a recreation of a dialog of a great rabbi speaking to the king of the Khazars, who supposedly then converts to Judaism along with most of his kingdom. As the Khazars were eventually conquered and faded
Halachic Discussion: Converts Can’t Be Prophets? Read Post »
I know what more of you are thinking: Who in their right mind would do that?? I have yet to see anyone anywhere discuss this topic: what if you question the validity of your own conversion? Quite frankly, that’s everything converts want to avoid! The LAST thing a convert wants is someone else to question his
What to Do If You Question the Validity of Your Conversion Read Post »
There is a Status War going on in the world. People who have become religious later in life (either as baalei teshuva or converts) are having a very difficult time proving that they are, in fact, Jewish. Personally, as painful as the conversion process can be, I think the baalei teshuva have it worse. Thanks
Status Wars: Not Nearly as Fun as Star Wars Read Post »
A common question for many converts is whether they can make aliyah to Israel. In short, yes, a convert from any movement can make aliyah to Israel under the Law of Return. This means the convert can get expedited citizenship and be labeled as a “Jew” on their ID card. (I’m still very confused by
Convert Questions: Converts and Aliyah Read Post »
Let’s start with a funny quote since the rest of this post isn’t very funny! “I think G-d is a goy. A mix of a girl and a boy.” – a 3rd grader And a quick definition to get us all on the same page! A connotation is “a subjective cultural and/or emotional coloration” of
Adventures in Semantics: Goy v. Non-Jew Read Post »