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Judaism isn’t into proselytizing. But if you’re interested in becoming Jewish, here’s the lowdown on conversion.
You can become a Jew in only one of two ways: either your mother is Jewish, or you have an authentic Jewish conversion.
People decide to convert to Judaism for many reasons. Perhaps they went to a Shabbat dinner and felt a spark of holiness. Maybe they began reading the Torah and it really resonated with them. A partner or a friend could have introduced them to some Jewish traditions and they found them to be incredibly meaningful.
Judaism is not a religion that proselytizes; Jews don’t go around asking people to join the ranks. But if you’re interested in becoming Jewish, here’s the lowdown on conversion.
To convert to Judaism, you must first be certain that this is the right decision for you. It’s going to completely transform your life, and it could affect your relationships with your family members and friends. If you have a spouse and/or children, you must take their needs and wants into consideration, too.
You cannot practice any other religion once you are Jewish. As soon as you convert, you are officially a Jew, always and forever, and fully obligated to observe all the commandments of the Torah – so you need to be 100% certain about your decision.
After figuring out that this is the right path for you, you’ll need to seek out a sponsoring rabbi who can help you with the process. They can connect you with a beit din, a rabbinical court made up of three knowledgeable rabbis. The beit din will let you know everything you need to do to convert.
First, find a sponsoring rabbi in your community. Then, find a beit din that will (hopefully) convert you. You will need to meet with them and apply for conversion. The application will include questions about you, like where you live, your former religion (if any), your spiritual beliefs now, what you do for work, your family, etcetera. You must be honest on your application.
Once the beit din accepts your application, they will let you know what the next steps are. Typically, you will need to find a teacher in your community who will teach you concepts that observant Jews know about, like praying, keeping kosher, and observing Shabbat and the holidays. You will need to read certain books that will teach you about the fundamentals of Judaism; the curriculum varies from one beit din to the next. Essentially, you will learn what it takes to live your life as an observant Jew.
It’s critical to be part of a Jewish community during and after your conversion. You will need to live in a place where you can be surrounded by other observant Jews and within walking distance of a synagogue. By living near Jewish people, you can receive invites for Shabbat and the holidays, as well as host others, and be part of a community. Additionally, you will have to be near kosher grocery stores and restaurants so you can easily keep kosher.
A main part of being a Jew is keeping Shabbat, the Sabbath. There are a number of commandments that you must follow on Shabbat, such as not turning lights on and off, using your phone, driving a car or working from Friday at sundown until Saturday night, about one hour after sundown. Some Jewish holidays are like Shabbat, where you must follow the same commandments. Learning to observe Shabbat fully typically takes some time; most people don’t do it overnight.
If you’re going to be Jewish, this means keeping kosher. There are a number of commandments on keeping kosher, but essentially, it means eating food that is kosher and making sure you observe the laws. There are certain forbidden animals, like pigs, shellfish, and fish without fins and scales that we do not eat. While cow and chicken are kosher, we do not mix them with cheese or have them on the same plate as fish (no surf-n-turf, sorry!). Chicken, cows, and other kosher animals must be slaughtered in a kosher manner, where the animal dies instantly and does not feel any pain. Dairy and meat meals must be eaten separately. Vegetables and fruits must be washed to get rid of bugs. You must have separate dishes for dairy and meat in your home. There are other rules, but these are the basics.
When you convert, you will need to choose a Hebrew name that is meaningful to you. It might sound like your English (or native) name, or it may not. It’s your choice. Converts are the children of the first patriarch Abraham and his wife, the matriarch Sarah, so their names are the first (and potentially second) Hebrew name + ben (if you are a man, for son) or bat (if you are a woman, for daughter) Avraham avinu ve-Sarah imeinu. You can choose whether or not to go by your Hebrew name outside of Jewish rituals.
Note: If you are a man and you are uncircumcised, you will need to undergo a circumcision. If you are circumcised, then you will do a hatafat dam brit ceremony, which entails the drawing of a drop of blood from the remnant of the foreskin.
Once you and your rabbi have decided that you are ready, the rabbi and his beit din will test you on what you learned, which involves asking you some questions. If you pass, you will typically sign a document pledging to renounce any former religions, fully commit to observe the commandments, send your children to Jewish school, and live a Jewish life.
Then, you will go to the mikveh, a ritual bath made from natural water. There, you will dip in the water and say the relevant prayers, and when you come out, you will officially be Jewish.
The minimum amount of time it takes to convert to Judaism is around one year, but it could take longer depending on how long it takes you to learn the relevant material and become observant. The beit din, your sponsoring rabbi, and you will decide when the time is right. Keep in mind that this is not something you should rush.
Converting to Judaism is a decision not to be taken lightly. Judaism believes that a non-Jew can develop a meaningful relationship and connection with God through the seven Noahide commandments; conversion to Judaism is not a necessity. But if you are passionate about becoming a Jew and ready to embrace all the responsibilities being a Jew entails, conversion is a transformative experience that is akin to receiving a new soul, and has the power to bring a world of fulfillment and meaning to your life.
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