My father's relatives are all modern Orthodox and his mother was the first to break the chain. He was raised conservative. My mother was raised reformed and I was raised reformed as well, getting bat mitzvaed but not keeping Kosher or Shabbas.
I have been working at an Modern Orthodox camp (the counslers are, not the campers). THey're so cool and it seems like the men and the women have so much more respect for one another.
It's hard to convert in my household, though I'm joining a new Orthodox temple.
I want to convert once I'm living on my own in college. Any suggestions or rules I should learn? How do I convert and will I be accepted? Anybody have the same experience?
2007-07-11 09:42:23 · 6 answers · asked by Dylan Eve 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When you get to college contact Hillel and/or look up Orthodox Synagogues in the phonebook or make a Net Search.
2007-07-11 09:48:26 · answer #1 · answered by James O 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
First there is no such thing as ReformED Judaism, it's Reform Judaism - not that big of a deal, just a personal pet peeve. As long as your mother is Jewish, you do not need to and actually can not convert. Just start practicing more - start with Shabbat and keeping kosher and work you're way from there. Talk to the local Chabad rabbi or his wife - they are always super nice and are more than willing to help people become more observant. As for your family, they might be a little freaked out at first, but they should come around. I was a JCC youth director for many years and when the kids would come back from camp or Israel really observant Reform and Conservative parents were always a little taken a back but they always came around. If your parents really have a problem there is a great book , "What Do You Mean You Can't Eat In My Home?" that they might want to check out. Hope that helps, Good Luck.
2007-07-11 17:21:04 · answer #2 · answered by blkjewishgal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your mother is Jewish then you are Jewish too.
If you are Jewish, you can simply start keeping kosher and Shabbat, and learning more about Judaism. No conversion is needed if you go from attending a reform temple to attending an orthodox synagogue.
If your mother is not Jewish (if she or her mother converted via the conservative or the reform) you would need to convert to Judaism if you wish to lead a Jewish life.
2007-07-11 16:54:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good heart, but your question is irrelevant. Your Messiah is here! The law could never save you from your sins. But the High Priest in the line of Melchizedek can! (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 7-10)
Trust in your Messiah. It's not about new "rules" that you need to learn or how to "convert" to another sect of Judaism without making your parents mad; Yeshua (Jesus) is madly in love with you and made the final sacrifice for your sins so you could have the relationship with God you were created to have!
"For if that first covenant (Judaism) had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He (God) says:
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for ALL shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”" (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
In that He says, “A new covenant” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:7-13)
You see?!? What is obsolete (Judaism) is ready to vanish away! Not because God changed his mind...but because He has planned this since the fall of Adam in the Garden. (Gen. 3:15)
God promised throughout anchient Israel that they would have a coming King, a Ruler who would redeem them back to God and save them from their enemies. The problem is: They killed Him when He came to the earth! (Luke 23:20)
So don't be mislead, thinking you need a new set of rules because some people you met are "cool" or have "respect" for each other. God Himself wants a relationship with you and is extending His hand, asking you to accept. If you choose not to, it will not matter who your friends were or how reformed your theology is. His Son is the only way to Him.(John 14:6)
He was prophesied throught Israel's history (over 300 times, each one fulfilled by Jesus)...the Messiah was all they looked for. Trust in Him and enter into the fullness God has planned for you.
With love...
2007-07-11 17:18:11 · answer #4 · answered by DB 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
you'll be accepted. my family is reform too, and for passover we found a Seder to go to, and we didn't know it was orthodox. that was embarrassing :/
2007-07-11 16:48:18 · answer #5 · answered by lins 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no duh, inat. she knows shes jewish thats why shes talking about how she is jewish and got bat miztvaed, etc....
2007-07-11 16:58:54 · answer #6 · answered by shann. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋