Converting to Judaism

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:26pm

I had the honor of witnessing the conversion ceremoney for a friend of mine in my congregtion this week. She did several years of intensive study in pursuit of her dream. Judaism is a very difficult faith to convert to. It involoves learning Hebrew, Torah study, ethics and passing a very difficult exam by a Bet Din which is a court of local Rabbis. This woman had better synagogue attendance thean our congregants who were born Jewish. On Monday morning she was immersed in the Mikvah or ritual bath and was given the Hebrew name Shoshana bat Avraham ve Sarah. All who convert are given the bat or bar Avraham or Sarah because their own parents are not Jewish. Sarah and Abraham were our matriarch and patriarch. I joined her at our synagogue following her immersion in the Mikvah which incidently is done in the nude. I remember kissing and hugging her in the lobby of the synagogue and she was still damp from the Mikvav. It was like embracing a newborn baby. Which in a sense, she was. The Rabbi then announced her Hebrew name , blessed her, and handed her the Torah for the first time. The woman then recited the Shema , which is the most important prayer we say twice a day. " Here O Israel, the Lord Our G-d is one. You shall love the Lord your G-d........................." I was very touched by all of this and cried through most of it. Mazel Tov Shoshana bat Avraham ve Sarah!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:28pm

My Jewish mama told me tonight (she had me over for dinner with the family) that she is beginning to teach me Yiddish and I need to start a vocabulary book.

I have already forgotten this evening's word...bashredt? Something like that - means "destiny."

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:29pm

A lot of times, the converted ones are the best ones. Sounds funny, but still.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:30pm

Rath, the word is Bashert and it means meant to be or destiny. Sometimes when someone finds their partner in life they call her a basherte or him a bashert.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:31pm

Oh okay. She was talking about a friend of mine. But since I don't have a book yet (since I didn't know I was supposed to start one) I didn't yet know how to spell it and was guessing.

Thanks!

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:32pm

Yiddish is like, the BEST. I don't know too much, but my mom, grandma and I always toss a few words around. I used to go to a school which was half a day of Hebrew study, and half a day of English. It kind of bums me out that I don't recall much of the Hebrew, and next year I'm hoping my homeschool program might be able to offer Hebrew. I'd love to take Yiddish, but I doubt they'd EVER have that. Colleges might, though.


There, happy?

Updated On: 7/2/05 at 10:32 PM

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:35pm

Up in Lost: Here is a new Yiddish word--OY! It is an exclamation meaning oh no. It is often used in the phrase oh no! I was referring to your typos.

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 10:36pm

FOr one, I'm the biggest 'Oy' using poerson on the planet. Two, I want to fit in with Liam, sorry.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:14pm

Yenta, what a lovely story. Mazel tov to the new tribe member!

[jaded_october]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:20pm

that makes me very happy. im planning to convert when im older, ive been going to a synagogue for 3 years now, every friday night (unless i have rehearsal or a show.) i already consider myself Jewish though, i dont believe you have to convert to be Jewish, i think its all in your belief. but youre not considered a real Jew unless you convert, so whatever it takes...

good for her though. thats exciting!!

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:22pm

Jaded.congratulations on your studies. Try going on Saturday morning when they read the Torah. Also, you must go through a conversion to be Jewish.

[jaded_october]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:26pm

i have gone on saturday mornings. personally, i think its amazing (although it was very confusing when i first started). and everyone is standing around me, bored, reciting the same old thing, but i love hearing it every week, its very touching to me.

and i know you have to go through the conversion, thats why im doing it im just saying, i think it should JUST be about belief, and that's where im different than everyone else. oh well.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:28pm

It is all about belief and committment. After converting, you can be called to the Torah for an Aliyah, be counted in a minyan and be on the bimah, hold the Torah. Things that make you closer to G-d

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:29pm

And if your mother is Jewish. My new mother is Jewish. So I'm Jewish.

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:30pm

I just found my Sedor.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:31pm

You are indeed Jewish, Rath. Now that I know that I am converting to Catholicism and becoming a nun.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:33pm

Why? Do I threaten you? Worried I'll be a better Jew?

[sabrelady]

Posted: 7/2/05 at 11:33pm

Oh Yenta a bet u canget "some"> (L0L)

[shlamdiddly]

Posted: 7/3/05 at 12:01am

man that makes me feel kinda bad. I haven't been to services since Yom Kippur in September.

[PJ]

Posted: 7/3/05 at 12:15am

I've considered converting when I'm older.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 7/3/05 at 12:56am

*Warning: Shameless Plug*

Rath~ If you want to learn Yiddish, go out and buy my mom's Yiddish textbook! It is called "Yiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature, and Culture" by Sheva Zucker. There are cassettes and cds and everything!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/3/05 at 12:57am

Well isn't that impressive!

[babygiraffeboots]

Posted: 7/3/05 at 1:37am

I really wish I went to services more. I feel horrible for letting the rst of my life get in the way of it. I miss services from Jew camp a lot, they were this amazing, indescribable feeling of community and peace, it's hard to explain.

My first Yiddish word was svine, my brother tought it to me and my mom got mad.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 7/3/05 at 1:53am

Mazel Tov,

Conversion is an amazing thing to witness, because it always seems like a person has found something they have been looking for their whole life. Mazal Tov (spelling of Mazal intentionally Hebrew and not Yiddish!)

Akiva

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 7/3/05 at 2:14am

that's really cool. I'm actually considering maybe possibly converting myself, just because I'm so tired of the close-mindedness of the catholic faith...but I need to really do more study before I make a big descision like this.