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Halachic Discussion: Are Female Converts “Not Niddah” After the Mikvah?

This is the kind of question that could only come up after hours upon hours of undisturbed solo driving. When a female convert goes to the mikvah to complete her conversion, does she become “not niddah” after the mikvah? Assuming the timing is right, of course. Not that it matters, but it was an interesting […]

Convert Issues: The Community Requirement

As I’ve mentioned several times here, a potential convert may have to move in order to complete his or her conversion. It may be an easy move or a very difficult one, depending on the convert and the community. Some may have to move across town, and some may have to move to a different […]

Convert Confessions: Candles Are Lovely, But Do They Have to Be So Messy??

I love Shabbat candles. I do. And I even like Chanukah candles. However, the wax is driving me insane. I have half a mind to switch to oil candles, but (a) I just don’t think they’re as pretty and (b) better the devil I know than the devil I don’t. Who knows what problems oil […]

Adventures in Semantics: Goy v. Non-Jew

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 […]

Management Update: Expanded the Mandatory Disclosures

Mandatory Disclaimers: (1) I am not a rabbi. I am certainly no halachic source. I’m not even in a formal learning program right now, so my resources are my congregational rabbi, great friends (including an informal tutor and a couple of orthodox rabbis), and my own research, usually online. (2) I talk a lot about […]

Crashing Venice, CA, for Shabbat!

I had the great pleasure to spend Shabbat this week in Venice, CA. I know nothing about the area, except that I’m pretty sure it was the Venice Boardwalk in the move Son in Law. (Pauly Shore movie from 1993…pure comedic gold!) I attended the Shul on the Beach (officially known as the Pacific Jewish […]

Why on Earth Would Someone Convert to Judaism?

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 […]

Converts and Books: An Obsession

I don’t think I’m alone in the convert world as being someone obsessed with books. Jews are the People of the Book, after all! However, I think I’m taking this a little too literally. My late Chanukah present to myself arrived! In my defense, I got an amazing deal! Of course, it’s only 5 months […]

Am Yisrael Chai!

I’m taking off on a cross-country road-trip today, which makes me feel like a real 1950s beatnik! For your pleasure, here is a short video from my Birthright trip, as taken by Rivka. It was taken on a small jutting-out area on the top of Masada. If you listen carefully, you can hear the amazing […]

When Do You Celebrate Your Hebrew Birthday?

A very interesting question came up on Twitter: When is a convert’s “Jewish birthday”? The actual Hebrew date of his/her birth or the date of going to the mikvah and reemerging as a new Jewish soul? I’d never thought about that before, but that’s a very deep question! As converts, when is our “birth”? My […]