RJ Blog

by Rabbi Thomas Gardner I once read an autobiography called Turbulent Souls, written by a man who grew up Catholic. It was only after he had become an adult that he learned that both of his parents had been born Jewish. My favorite part of the book was when he acknowledged that he probably should have guessed earlier, since after returning from Mass every Sunday, his father would eat  gefilte fish, while singing to the author’s mother My Yiddishe Mama. When we think of a Jewish person, what do we think of? Do we think of a man with a [...]

by Kenneth David Shoji At my Bet Din, one of three Rabbis who interviewed me told me that Judaism has been described as a faith of “Pots and Pans.” She further explained that Judaism was about doing and acting in everyday life, not just having a belief but carrying out actions and practices as part of your identity. Reflecting back on this discussion I am reminded of my mother, who showed me that it is smart to make cleaning up part of the preparation of the meal, taking care of all aspects, the fun and the not so fun, of [...]

by Janine PrestonTemple Or Rishon, Orangevale, CA Anyone who really, really knows me was not surprised to receive the announcement of my conversion to Judaism. When I very seriously told my two best friends from college about my decision last fall, they started to laugh. “Janine,” they said, “you have been talking about this since 1985 — we would only have been surprised if you had decided not to make this official!” I was first introduced to Judaism by a boyfriend back in college. I started studying about this religion that made him so happy, that created a framework for [...]

by Stephanie SeibergTemple Emanuel, Kensington, MD When I decided to convert I wondered often if I would ever really feel Jewish? I never could have anticipated that the death of my non-Jewish father would be the event that would take me there.         I had married a Jewish man several years before my father died. Prior to marriage, we agreed to raise our children Jewish, but at that point I considered myself a non-religious person and had never really considered conversion. Events in my life, including my father’s illness, over the years led me to feel a void with my lack [...]

By Rabbi Peter Knobel I just had the privilege of representing the Reform movement on a panel “Conversion: Who Is the Gate Keeper of the Jewish Nation” at the Israeli President’s Conference in Jerusalem, Facing Tomorrow.  These are my opening remarks: The time has come to finally recognize the religious streams as the gatekeepers of the Jewish people.  The current situation is alienating Jews in the tefusot (Diaspora). Conversion is significant for Jewish continuity in Diaspora. There is no possibility for a unified solution to gerut (conversion). I want to emphasize that, if we had any doubts in the past, [...]

by Vicky Farhi URJ Outreach Specialist This past Shabbat I sat on the bima during Shabbat Service as the Board of Trustees representative.During this service, a young man was being called to the Torah for the first time – he was the bar mitzvah boy. Sitting there, observing the family and friends of this young man, as well as the congregants who had gathered to worship, made me once again realize the beauty of belonging to a Reform shul. Why?Because of the richness of the people who are engaged in creating a Jewish community.  The young man celebrating his bar [...]

by Rabbi Victor AppellURJ Congregational Specialist for Marketing, Outreach & New Communities The other night I went to the middle school orientation for incoming fifth-graders. I still cannot believe that my son, Avi, is going to be in fifth grade. The school offers a wonderful after-school program in which students can play sports, take fun classes and get their homework done. I picked up an application form on my way out of the school building. At home that night, I looked over the brochure and began to fill out the application. Before I could even put pen to paper, I [...]

by Michael DoyleOriginally published on Chicago Carless Four months ago my rabbi said to me, “Unless you’re the greatestfaker ever-and I don’t think you are-how will you know when you’reready?” It was a segue into asking me whether I felt the time was rightto take the next step in my Jewish journey and write my conversionessay-an essay to answer the question, “What does Judaism mean to me andwhy do I want it in my life?” It was three months after beginning that journey, and while in myheart I had an inexplicable sense of knowing the Jewishness at the coreof who [...]

by Rabbi Jordan D. CohenTemple Anshe Sholom, Hamilton,Ontario, Canada The mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim – welcoming the stranger – for a congregational rabbi, can be one of the most satisfying mitzvot of all. When a phone call or e-mail comes in, or a new face walks in the synagogue door, asking about conversion, I know I am going to get to share in a remarkable story. This inquiry may be the first step towards the fulfillment of a life-long spiritual yearning. It may be the reclamation of a lost family heritage. It may bring unification to the mixed identity of [...]

by John WoffordTemple Emanuel, Grand Rapids, MI The first Pesach Seder during my conversion process took place at the local Reform synagogue, my home-temple. As a matter of immersing myself in Jewish life before ‘making the change,’ I went to several home-hosted Seders, but the largest service was at Temple Emanuel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. These holiday events bring many fresh faces; I wasn’t surprised when I sat next to a stranger–a young guy about my age.We greeted each other, but as I saw a few familiar Temple ‘regulars,’ he and I didn’t begin to speak until much of the [...]