Ask the Rabbi

Ask the Rabbi March 2024

Rabbi Carla Freedman

March 2024 Question

What is involved in converting to Judaism, these days?

March 2024 Answer

There is no single path to conversion to Judaism.

Orthodox rabbis require a commitment in advance to live an orthodox life, according to the standards of the rabbi or institution that conducts the conversion. The process can take years, and the candidate is required to immerse him/herself in that community and lifestyle.

The Conservative movement has guidelines for its rabbis who conduct conversions. The process usually involves attending classes (often weekly; perhaps with others from nearby Conservative congregations; taught by the rabbis who serve those congregations) and can take a year.

Reform Judaism accepts the independence and autonomy of its rabbis, who are thus free to conduct conversions according to their own standards.

When a person approaches me about conversion, I meet with him/her to find out what had drawn the person to this choice. I lay out the expectations I have, and make it clear that after some training, we will meet to decide whether conversion is appropriate. The training should take about a year (so that the candidate can experience a full Jewish calendar year of festivals, etc.). I meet with the candidate(s) weekly, assign reading material, and cover topics such as Jewish history and Judaism; the Holocaust; Israel; Jewish beliefs; Jewish practices. I expect the candidate to attend Shabbat services
weekly (recognizing that life can get in the way of that), participate in congregational activities, attend festival observances, and get to know members of the congregation.

At the end of a year, I meet with the candidate to determine whether it is
appropriate to proceed to conversion. And so (and I have delayed candidates on occasion, or completely declined to take the process further), we schedule a Bet Din and immersion (for men, at least the ritual drawing of a drop of blood, symbolic of circumcision, is required; this is done privately, sometimes by a medical person).

Rather than ask a candidate to appear before a group of rabbis, I invite the
candidate to pick three members of the community s/he plans to join, and I instruct them on the kind of questions they should ask (no “yes/no” questions, no technical stuff), and we meet for at least an hour, so that the candidate can show that s/he has given thought to all kinds of subjects (ie,
what is your favorite Jewish holy/holiday? And why? What do you think about the State of Israel? How do you think you’d handle an antisemitic comment made to you?) In my experience, the Bet Din members are always impressed with the thoughtfulness of the candidate. Then we will go to Little Harbor, where, while wearing a bathing suit, the candidate will walk into the water, recite the appropriate blessing, and submerge. When the ritual submersion is over, the candidate is Jewish; this process is witnessed by the Bet Din and whatever guests the candidate invites. The conversion certificate is then
signed and the new Jew’s Hebrew name (decided in advance, of course) is
announced. A celebration can occur then or later, and we’re done.

We have four candidates at Beth Israel currently, so there will be conversions
coming up over the next year. It is a very great honor to be asked to sit on a Bet Din, so if you are asked, please say yes.

Please send your questions directly to me at:

cfsuncitycenter@gmail.com

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