Home - Building a Jewish Life

UPDATED: Management Update: Changes Abound

You may have noticed that things have changed. The blog has had its design revamped, and there’s even a new color scheme! Likewise, the “subtitle” of the blog has changed because the old one was too long for this design. I’m open to other subtitles if you have a brilliant suggestion! Now I have most of […]

Controversies You Should Understand: Chabad Conversions

I’ve been trying to decide how to approach the Chabad question for several months. It is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed for conversion candidates because many discover Judaism through local Chabad houses. However, it is difficult to handle a controversy fairly and without making too many people angry! I am not Chabad, […]

No One Likes the Holier-Than-Thou Guy

Even the other toothbrushes don’t like Shabbos Toothbrush :'(

The “Holiday Season” Is Upon Us

This time of the year is like walking on eggshells for many conversion candidates and converts in the Christian world. And even the supportive families can become a little crazy now, even if in their overenthusiasm. Christmas is coming, whether you like it or not. [Full disclosure: I don’t like Xmas at all.] And this […]

Signs You’ve Made It: Nightmares

Nightmares are probably the strangest sign that you’ve really cast your lot with the Jewish people. But they seem to be universal: everyone begins to have nightmares about Nazis, the Holocaust, or other anti-Semitism. [I don’t think anyone dreams about the Cossacks.] It seems unavoidable. Interestingly (and in my totally unscientific opinion), I believe it’s one of […]

Adventures in Machmir Dating

Today, just a funny quote from a singles event that was advertised on Facebook: “This is a Machmir event for Machmir Singles, Ages: Guys 24-32 and Girls 23-28, FREE for Full time learners & Rabbinical Students.” Who knew I lost Ladies’ Night privileges when I became all machmir? Also, can it really be that machmir […]

Do You Have an Adequate Support System?

Just as there are many baalei teshuva who read this blog, there are many conversion candidates reading Beyond Teshuva, a blog created for BTs. [Grammar note: notice that the plural of BTs is not BT’s. That’s your dose of my crazy for the day.] Last week, Beyond Teshuva had a great breakdown of the kinds […]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Spend some time with the people who make you happy!

Does the Squeaky Wheel Get the Grease?

Thanks to the ever-helpful Lifehacker blog, I came across this Psychology Today article: Are You Teaching People to Treat You Badly? Essentially, a psychological theory says that if you don’t “punish” people who treat you badly, they become conditioned to treating you badly. They think it’s ok to treat you badly. As a dog trainer, this is […]

Feel Bad About Your Hebrew? Don’t!

Do you feel inferior because you can’t read Hebrew at the speed of light like your congregation? No need to feel that way. A) It’ll come. Really. Just keep slogging through it. Lest you think I’m being dismissive, I assure you I’m right there with you, struggling to read at a non-embarrassing speed. I spend […]