Hurricane Katrina's devastation has added a new layer of introspection to the Jewish High Holy Days, which begin Monday and Tuesday with Rosh Hashana and end Oct. 12-13 with Yom Kippur."The Jewish High Holy Days are when you should take a good look at yourself, and if there's something you don't like, this is the time for you to modify that," said Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn of Hattiesburg's Temple B'nai Israel.
Debbie Shemper, a member of the synagogue, said Katrina has given her a new perspective on the High Holy Days.
"It celebrates God's role as king of the universe, and certainly what's gone on the last five weeks, it shows you that some things are out of your control," Shemper said. "The hurricane was out of our contol and for what reason it came and devastated the lives it has is really not for us to know, but it does make you think and realize that we all have to think of others and think of ways we can help our fellow man. It's going to definitely be a different new year. I think all people will be thinking in that vein. For Jews, it's the holiest time of the year, and this year I think it will be especially holy."
The High Holy Days period actually begins in Elul, the Hebrew month preceding Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, Rabbi Shraga Simmons wrote on the Web site www.aish.com. Elul is an important period of introspection, of clarifying life's goals, and of growing closer to God.
It was on the first day of Elul that Moses - following the sin of the Golden Calf - ascended Mount Sinai to receive a new, second set of stone tablets from God, Simmons wrote. "Forty days later - on the seminal Yom Kippur - Moses returned to the people with tablets in hand, signaling a repair of the breech between the Jewish people and God."
Rosh Hashana commemorates the creation of the first humans, Adam and Eve. On this day, the Books of Life and Death are open and Jews stand before God to ask for another year of life.
The morning before Rosh Hashana, Jews perform "Hatarat Nedarim" - annulling all vows - which enables them to enter the new year with a clean slate. The shofar, or ram's horn, is blown on Rosh Hashana.
Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Yom Kippur atones for transgressions against God, but it does not include wrongs committed against other humans. It is the custom to apologize and seek forgiveness from any friends, relatives or acquaintances who may have been harmed or insulted over the past year on or before Yom Kippur.
Hurricane Katrina's aftermath magnified the good and bad in humans, Cukierkorn said.
"The hurricane was wind and water magnified," he said. "The people who lived through the hurricane, who they are was also magnified. It brings out the most of what you are. We all have the potential for good and bad."
Acts of violence following the Aug. 29 storm illustrate the bad, Cukierkorn said, while the good is shown through people who performed acts of generosity toward others.
"If you are a negative person and you have a tree on top of your house, you're going to think the world is bad place," Cukierkorn said. "If you're a positive person, you're going to be glad the tree through your roof didn't destroy your house."
We should look for ways to solve problems, not just complain about them, the rabbi said.
"There are always people who have it worse than you," Shemper said.
Cukierkorn said he has heard some Hattiesburg residents complaining that traffic is heavier since Hurricane Katrina because of the flood of temporary residents and emergency workers into the area, or that the wait in restaurants is longer.
"We should be looking at all those people around us and wonder if those people are here because they lost their houses or are here to connect our cable. How thankful we should be for those people," he said. "Those are the kind of things we should put in perspecitve when we come to the High Holy Days."
By Robyn JacksonFrom the October 1, 2005 issue of the The Hattiesburg American .
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/yomtovim5766.htm
Monday, June 30, 2008
A Leap of Faith
A Leap of Faith
If HBO is in any way a measure of societal trends, religious conversion remains strong.This season, Sex and the City's Charlotte York abandoned her Christian roots to convert to Judaism so she could marry Harry Goldblatt.Statistics on how many people convert for love are scarce, but it's not just fodder for television story lines."I haven't seen any recent studies on that topic," says Philip Goff, director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University. "But it certainly is happening. The whole thing about how you have to marry within your faith is a very old tradition in many ways, and in some cases goes back to the Bible and when it makes references to the fact you should not be married to unbelieving people."Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn of Temple B'nai Israel in Hattiesburg said in all actuality people marry because they find some common interests. A Sex and the City fan, he said York began to explore Judaism because of her love interest, but she converted because she found herself connected to Judaism. "She converted because of herself, not for him."I don't think people usually convert because they want to make their mother-in-law happy," he added. "They convert because they feel a calling, they feel a spiritual connection."When you find the right faith, it's like the right shoe — it fits."The reasons for converting vary. Some switch faiths for the love of a man or woman and because of children. Some say it's a bond that makes a marriage stronger as couples can share the same values, religious beliefs and morals. Others say they've done a lot of soul searching and found their "new religion" satisfying, because it was something they've studied and were exposed to through spouses or partners."I see a lot of this in my practice," said Dr. Sharon Jones, a mental health counselor for an Episcopal counseling center. "I do believe that questions of faith need to be seriously considered before a marriage."Monsignor Michael Flannery, vicar general of the Roman Catholic diocese of Jackson, doesn't advise converting just for the sake of having somebody to go to church with. Just because you attend the same church or share the same faith doesn't guarantee a perfect marriage, he said."Here in Mississippi, the majority of the marriages in the Catholic Church are interfaith marriages because Catholics are in the minority here," he said. "Personally, I don't think marrying someone of a different faith is a bad thing."Jones recommends that people think about why they want to make the switch and make sure they are educated about the particular religion."True conversion comes from inside and not as a result of wanting to marry someone to please them, family, church elders or for the sake of unborn children," Jones says. "If one converts on the outside, as they grow, they could find that it is not a decision that was good for them."While sharing the same faith can bring families together, it also should not be the cause for marital problems, says the Rev. Douglas Bailey, campus minister at Florida Tech and an instructor of world religions and ethics."It's certainly a peg of compatibility if couples have the same religion, but it shouldn't be a divisive factor between couples, either," Bailey says, adding that students and Florida Tech alumni have asked for advice on the issue of conversion."I do think a reason why people consider conversion is because they are in love and they want to have a common bond," Bailey says. "But in the Catholic Church, we are very careful to inform people that they should be converting for one reason, and that's an inner conversion."Sister Coleen Klinger, an office assistant at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Jackson mission, says individuals are advised to convert to their faith only if they believe the teachings in the Book of Mormon are true."We have missionaries that go out two-by-two to teach them and we also have six discussions with them," she says. "Conversion is a serious matter and we believe people can decide for themselves whether the teachings are true or not."From the September 23, 2003 issue of the The Clarion-Ledger
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/Celso-News-Clarion.htm
If HBO is in any way a measure of societal trends, religious conversion remains strong.This season, Sex and the City's Charlotte York abandoned her Christian roots to convert to Judaism so she could marry Harry Goldblatt.Statistics on how many people convert for love are scarce, but it's not just fodder for television story lines."I haven't seen any recent studies on that topic," says Philip Goff, director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University. "But it certainly is happening. The whole thing about how you have to marry within your faith is a very old tradition in many ways, and in some cases goes back to the Bible and when it makes references to the fact you should not be married to unbelieving people."Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn of Temple B'nai Israel in Hattiesburg said in all actuality people marry because they find some common interests. A Sex and the City fan, he said York began to explore Judaism because of her love interest, but she converted because she found herself connected to Judaism. "She converted because of herself, not for him."I don't think people usually convert because they want to make their mother-in-law happy," he added. "They convert because they feel a calling, they feel a spiritual connection."When you find the right faith, it's like the right shoe — it fits."The reasons for converting vary. Some switch faiths for the love of a man or woman and because of children. Some say it's a bond that makes a marriage stronger as couples can share the same values, religious beliefs and morals. Others say they've done a lot of soul searching and found their "new religion" satisfying, because it was something they've studied and were exposed to through spouses or partners."I see a lot of this in my practice," said Dr. Sharon Jones, a mental health counselor for an Episcopal counseling center. "I do believe that questions of faith need to be seriously considered before a marriage."Monsignor Michael Flannery, vicar general of the Roman Catholic diocese of Jackson, doesn't advise converting just for the sake of having somebody to go to church with. Just because you attend the same church or share the same faith doesn't guarantee a perfect marriage, he said."Here in Mississippi, the majority of the marriages in the Catholic Church are interfaith marriages because Catholics are in the minority here," he said. "Personally, I don't think marrying someone of a different faith is a bad thing."Jones recommends that people think about why they want to make the switch and make sure they are educated about the particular religion."True conversion comes from inside and not as a result of wanting to marry someone to please them, family, church elders or for the sake of unborn children," Jones says. "If one converts on the outside, as they grow, they could find that it is not a decision that was good for them."While sharing the same faith can bring families together, it also should not be the cause for marital problems, says the Rev. Douglas Bailey, campus minister at Florida Tech and an instructor of world religions and ethics."It's certainly a peg of compatibility if couples have the same religion, but it shouldn't be a divisive factor between couples, either," Bailey says, adding that students and Florida Tech alumni have asked for advice on the issue of conversion."I do think a reason why people consider conversion is because they are in love and they want to have a common bond," Bailey says. "But in the Catholic Church, we are very careful to inform people that they should be converting for one reason, and that's an inner conversion."Sister Coleen Klinger, an office assistant at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Jackson mission, says individuals are advised to convert to their faith only if they believe the teachings in the Book of Mormon are true."We have missionaries that go out two-by-two to teach them and we also have six discussions with them," she says. "Conversion is a serious matter and we believe people can decide for themselves whether the teachings are true or not."From the September 23, 2003 issue of the The Clarion-Ledger
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/Celso-News-Clarion.htm
The First Word: Welcome, immigrants to Judaism
The First Word: Welcome, immigrants to Judaism
By Celso Cukierkorn Published: Jun. 15, 2006 in The Jerusalem Post
What do the divisive debates between Americans over immigration policy and within the Jewish world over conversion have in common? As a rabbi who recently became an American, and who is actively involved in counseling potential converts to Judaism, I have noticed that these seemingly disconnected controversies raise similar questions.
If there are jobs that go wanting, should we open the door wider to those who want to fill those jobs? If the family is already established here with children born, should the journey to citizenship involve fewer toll booths?
If intermarriage, low birthrates and secularization yield fewer Jews, should we make it easier for others to adopt our religion? If the husband is a Jew by birth should the wife's conversion to Judaism be simplified?
If America is truly the melting pot and if becoming a Jew literally means joining the wider family, then what's the fuss?
While I am a Jew by birth, I'm an American by choice, having become a citizen over a year ago. Maybe more significantly, I have worked to guide dozens of Jews by choice on their journey leading to conversion. I use the Internet as a vehicle to reach out to and attract those who might be consider joining the Jewish people.
MANY WONDER why someone not born Jewish would want to become a Jew, and whether someone who grew up in another tradition can truly embrace a new one. My own experience as an immigrant has helped me understand the possibilities for such profound transitions.
I will always be a Brazilian because I love the hot weather, the warm people, and I have wonderful memories from my childhood. But I chose to become an American for a myriad of reasons influenced by adult rationales and justifications. I encountered America's history, constitution, Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem through mature, experienced eyes and ears. I am most confident that I will be - maybe already have become - a knowledgeable and active participant in my democracy.
I made sure I knew where the polling place was a full two weeks ahead of the first opportunity I had to vote. And I was one of the first in line on that Tuesday in November. And unlike the folks on the street interviewed by Jay Leno, I know the name and recognize the face of the secretary of defense, and the senators from my state (Mississippi) and the mayor of my town (Hattiesburg).
My experience is hardly unique. I truly believe that those who make the choice and who work toward attaining the goal of citizenship often become among the most involved and informed citizens.
More importantly, those who left other societies and have chosen to work for that goal in America have a more immediate appreciation of the blessings of free speech and assembly and a more personal understanding of the value of our constitutional protections from governmental intrusion.
Likewise, I know from experience that those who choose to become Jewish typically are more knowledgeable about their adopted religion, more appreciative of the similarities and differences between the various faiths, and tend to be more genuine participants in the rituals, obligations and tenets of our tradition.
Whether they were attracted by the philosophy, the history, the ritual practices, or they wanted to further express their love for a spouse, I would be more than pleased to have the pews filled with converts. For the most part, they are adults who have made adult decisions.
IMMIGRANTS TEND to make great Americans; converts tend to make great Jews - and for similar reasons.
Given this, should it be permanently disqualifying if you entered the US without benefit of a visa if you now are willing to pay some kind of sanction (fine or taxes) and go through a rigorous process to introduce the details and mandates of this democracy? Should there be such a rigid bar to being able to call yourself a Jew or to become a member of a congregation of whatever denomination you choose? In modern times, when religious affiliation is not obligatory, should it be so burdensome to join a synagogue?
I was born a Jew; I was not born Orthodox, Conservative or Reform.
Should we really be using Halacha as a weapon against people who want to convert? Shouldn't we be looking for ways in which Halacha can be used as a bridge for the acceptance of converts? Furthermore, when one approaches a synagogue, why is it that the sincerity of the convert is always questioned, yet we take for granted that the motives of the born Jew are legitimate?
Don't get me wrong. I am not in favor of an open border or a free pass to citizenship. And I do not wish to see a drive-in conversion window at the neighborhood shul.
There should be realistic standards that help the convert establish the basis for a positive Jewish identity, and there should be serious probing and assessment of the correctness, fluency and sincerity of the answers. But the accident of birth does not make someone different or special and does not and should not provide the title of gatekeeper.
I recoil at the self-styled patriots - those minutemen, or is it minyanmen - who want the day laborers corralled and sent home or who want only purebreds speaking from the bima or participating on the High Holy days.
My adopted country needs and will thrive on the infusion of new immigrants as much as my birth religion needs and will thrive with the addition of those who choose to worship with me. I welcome them as should you.
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/jerusalempost.htm
By Celso Cukierkorn Published: Jun. 15, 2006 in The Jerusalem Post
What do the divisive debates between Americans over immigration policy and within the Jewish world over conversion have in common? As a rabbi who recently became an American, and who is actively involved in counseling potential converts to Judaism, I have noticed that these seemingly disconnected controversies raise similar questions.
If there are jobs that go wanting, should we open the door wider to those who want to fill those jobs? If the family is already established here with children born, should the journey to citizenship involve fewer toll booths?
If intermarriage, low birthrates and secularization yield fewer Jews, should we make it easier for others to adopt our religion? If the husband is a Jew by birth should the wife's conversion to Judaism be simplified?
If America is truly the melting pot and if becoming a Jew literally means joining the wider family, then what's the fuss?
While I am a Jew by birth, I'm an American by choice, having become a citizen over a year ago. Maybe more significantly, I have worked to guide dozens of Jews by choice on their journey leading to conversion. I use the Internet as a vehicle to reach out to and attract those who might be consider joining the Jewish people.
MANY WONDER why someone not born Jewish would want to become a Jew, and whether someone who grew up in another tradition can truly embrace a new one. My own experience as an immigrant has helped me understand the possibilities for such profound transitions.
I will always be a Brazilian because I love the hot weather, the warm people, and I have wonderful memories from my childhood. But I chose to become an American for a myriad of reasons influenced by adult rationales and justifications. I encountered America's history, constitution, Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem through mature, experienced eyes and ears. I am most confident that I will be - maybe already have become - a knowledgeable and active participant in my democracy.
I made sure I knew where the polling place was a full two weeks ahead of the first opportunity I had to vote. And I was one of the first in line on that Tuesday in November. And unlike the folks on the street interviewed by Jay Leno, I know the name and recognize the face of the secretary of defense, and the senators from my state (Mississippi) and the mayor of my town (Hattiesburg).
My experience is hardly unique. I truly believe that those who make the choice and who work toward attaining the goal of citizenship often become among the most involved and informed citizens.
More importantly, those who left other societies and have chosen to work for that goal in America have a more immediate appreciation of the blessings of free speech and assembly and a more personal understanding of the value of our constitutional protections from governmental intrusion.
Likewise, I know from experience that those who choose to become Jewish typically are more knowledgeable about their adopted religion, more appreciative of the similarities and differences between the various faiths, and tend to be more genuine participants in the rituals, obligations and tenets of our tradition.
Whether they were attracted by the philosophy, the history, the ritual practices, or they wanted to further express their love for a spouse, I would be more than pleased to have the pews filled with converts. For the most part, they are adults who have made adult decisions.
IMMIGRANTS TEND to make great Americans; converts tend to make great Jews - and for similar reasons.
Given this, should it be permanently disqualifying if you entered the US without benefit of a visa if you now are willing to pay some kind of sanction (fine or taxes) and go through a rigorous process to introduce the details and mandates of this democracy? Should there be such a rigid bar to being able to call yourself a Jew or to become a member of a congregation of whatever denomination you choose? In modern times, when religious affiliation is not obligatory, should it be so burdensome to join a synagogue?
I was born a Jew; I was not born Orthodox, Conservative or Reform.
Should we really be using Halacha as a weapon against people who want to convert? Shouldn't we be looking for ways in which Halacha can be used as a bridge for the acceptance of converts? Furthermore, when one approaches a synagogue, why is it that the sincerity of the convert is always questioned, yet we take for granted that the motives of the born Jew are legitimate?
Don't get me wrong. I am not in favor of an open border or a free pass to citizenship. And I do not wish to see a drive-in conversion window at the neighborhood shul.
There should be realistic standards that help the convert establish the basis for a positive Jewish identity, and there should be serious probing and assessment of the correctness, fluency and sincerity of the answers. But the accident of birth does not make someone different or special and does not and should not provide the title of gatekeeper.
I recoil at the self-styled patriots - those minutemen, or is it minyanmen - who want the day laborers corralled and sent home or who want only purebreds speaking from the bima or participating on the High Holy days.
My adopted country needs and will thrive on the infusion of new immigrants as much as my birth religion needs and will thrive with the addition of those who choose to worship with me. I welcome them as should you.
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/jerusalempost.htm
Sueddeutsche Zeitung: Rabbi Cukierkorn's historic Jewish Conversion Seminar in Germany
Germany's largest newspaper reports on Rabbi Cukierkorn's Historic mission
where he performed Jewish Conversions. Accompanied by members of Adat Achim Synagogue, Rabbi Cukierkorn traveled to Obersalzberg in August of 2007 where several of his students convened in the educational center of the infamous "Eagle's Nest", the place where Hitler lived and planned the destruction of the World's jewry. In this beautiful area of Germany, now the site of a luxury hotel, new Jewish souls were born.
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/obersalz.htm
where he performed Jewish Conversions. Accompanied by members of Adat Achim Synagogue, Rabbi Cukierkorn traveled to Obersalzberg in August of 2007 where several of his students convened in the educational center of the infamous "Eagle's Nest", the place where Hitler lived and planned the destruction of the World's jewry. In this beautiful area of Germany, now the site of a luxury hotel, new Jewish souls were born.
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/obersalz.htm
Found: Jewish Soul Journey to Judaism through Conversion
By C. J. Trent Published: May. 15, 2008 in The New York Jewish Post
Growing up without faith feels like an integral part of life is missing. For some, discovering that Judaism is a reflection of their own personal beliefs confirms that the synagogue is home. The subsequent decision to convert is a heavy one marked with personal and spiritual development.
Rabbi Joseph Benson of Temple Beth El in Jefferson City, Mo., believes that converting depends on the person; it is a very personal act. Because each person is unique, the specific reasons for converting may vary. As he explains, one person may grow up in a religious home while another may grow up without any faith, but both will decide to convert. No two experiences or reasons for converting will be the same.
For Lynda Renham Presky, a healthcare worker in Oxford, England, converting to Judaism was an intensely personal experience, one which led her to develop close relationships with her Jewish friends and become a teacher at a Hebrew school. Though she was raised without a particular religion, Presky says her family suspected that her great-grandmother was Jewish. Years later, Presky met her first husband, who was Jewish, and decided to convert. Although the marriage didn’t last and she is now engaged to an Atheist, Presky has remained devoted to her faith. She worked for the Centre for Jewish Education, and has led workshops on Judaism in secular schools.
Although the decision to convert is personal, many find a renewed sense of faith in Judaism, one that was lacking in a Christian-based childhood.
Rabbi Joe Blair, leader of Beth El Congregation and Temple House of Israel in Staunton, Va., moderates a conversion forum on Jewish.com. Although some who decide to convert to Judaism may not grow up with a specific religion, Rabbi “Joe” believes that exposure to Christianity is inevitable.
“There are very few who convert who have no formal ties to church or a particular religion,” he said.
Klarissa Glavan Spang, 23, a barista and life coach living in Pittsburgh, saw Judaism as a fresh approach to life, one she didn’t experience growing up in the Assembly of God church. The daughter of a pastor, Spang was very active in her church: she helped with Sunday school, participated in the church choir, and helped build the sanctuary for her family’s church. With a mother involved with Women’s Ministries, a sister who attends an Assembly of God University in California, and a brother who intended to become a Youth Pastor, Spang grew up as part of a very Christian family.
Troubled by the thought that belief in Jesus and his forgiveness would allow violent acts to be committed without remorse, Spang turned to Judaism. “Judaism is more than just speaking the words,” she said. “The point is to live it in the everyday.”
Karen McCready, 27, a New York-based research assistant on HIV and international health issues, grew up Protestant, but unlike Spang, she never felt a strong tie to Christianity. After exploring a variety of religions in college, she found that her personal beliefs were in tune with Jewish beliefs.
“After college and several years of not practicing any religion at all, I began reading about several religions – Judaism, Buddhism, and Baha'i – out of curiosity, but also out of a desire to find something that would fit my worldview,” she said. “Eventually, I found I just couldn't put the books on Judaism down, and everything I read just seemed to sync with what I'd believed my whole life but couldn't find a way to fully express through Christianity.”
Rabbis Joe and Benson believe that many who decide to convert may also be searching for a religious home.
“Judaism speaks to them and makes them feel they’ve come home,” Rabbi Joe said.
For McCready, an emotional tie to Israel and discovering her Jewish soul led her to convert. After attending her first Kabbalat Shabbat service at a Reform temple, McCready felt as though she had come home.
“I'd always been Jewish; it just took 24 years to figure it out. There is a belief in Kabbalistic tradition that those who convert to Judaism in fact have a Jewish soul and were present at Mount Sinai for the giving of the Torah,” McCready said. “I believe this and I feel this ancient connection to the Jewish people that I can't find another non-mystical way to explain.”
Both Spang and Presky credit the feeling of belonging to a strong Jewish community among their reasons for converting. For these two women, their faith is also a way of life, a daily reminder of their commitment to a religion that speaks to them. As Spang puts it, “Judaism has put beauty back into the world for me.”
Today, there are a number of resources for those drawn to Judaism. The Internet in particular has become a forum for discussion, a meeting place for those searching for answers and those who can readily give them. McCready, for example, created the Conversion to Judaism Resource Group on Facebook, the popular social networking website.
Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn of Adat Achim Synagogue in Miami Beach, Fla. and creator of convertingtojudaism.com, thinks the Internet provides an equal window to the world for anything people want to express. Although there is the risk of misinformation on the Internet, Cukierkorn believes it is an important resource for those exploring their faith.
In what he calls “passing the torch,” Cukierkorn has traveled to China, Vietnam, Europe and South America to conduct conversions. He has found that Americans are unlike other cultures in their approach to conversion: Americans shop for the best religion. With easy access to information on the Internet, Americans are able to discuss their beliefs, explore others, and perhaps eventually decide to convert.
As Cukierkorn explains, “Conversion is like a shoe: if it fits you, it fits you, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
“Shopping” for Judaism and self-exploration are needed to confirm that the decision to convert is the right one. After confirming one’s choice to convert, it is necessary to prove to others that such a decision is serious. Converting to Judaism is no easy task, and religion is a commitment.
Traditionally, a person seeking to convert must approach a rabbi three times to prove his or her commitment to the religion. Once the potential convert has assured the rabbi of his or her dedication, a period of studying overseen by the rabbi occurs. Some will take “Introduction to Judaism” classes; others will study individually with a rabbi; all will study Jewish law, beliefs, religious practices, and history, in addition to the Holocaust, Israel, Hebrew and holidays.
Once the period of study – which may last from six months to two years – is complete, the potential convert will appear before a Bet Din, or religious court. Comprised of three rabbis, the Bet Din will quiz the potential convert to ensure his or her sincerity in converting and to assess their knowledge of the Jewish faith. Once the potential convert has passed this test, he or she typically makes a pledge to the Jewish people.
To complete the conversion process, male converts will undergo circumcision, or “Brit Milah.” Females, and males converting to Orthodox Judaism, will participate in an immersion ceremony, or “Tevillah.” Traditionally, the convert showers as a way to clean the body, is covered with a robe, then enters into the four-foot deep mikveh while shedding the robe. After reciting a blessing, the convert is immersed in the water. In accordance with Jewish law, the immersion must be witnessed by three attendants. Emerging from the mikveh, a convert is now Jewish.
The process may also involve choosing a Hebrew name and participating in a public ceremony that introduces the convert to the community as being newly Jewish.
Converting to Judaism is undoubtedly a personal journey, one that requires much thought and self-analysis. Growing up without ties to a specific religion makes the movements toward Judaism more meaningful: it is admitting that religion plays a central role in self-identification.
I know firsthand how personal the decision to convert to Judaism is. After finding a sense of community in Judaism that was lacking in my Christian-based childhood, I decided to convert a couple of years ago. Though the decision was difficult and required several months of self-exploration, it is one with which I am very happy.
Resources for conversion to Judaism: The Conversion to Judaism Resource Center (convert.org), Conversion to Judaism online convertingtojudaism.com
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/nyjewishpost.htm
Growing up without faith feels like an integral part of life is missing. For some, discovering that Judaism is a reflection of their own personal beliefs confirms that the synagogue is home. The subsequent decision to convert is a heavy one marked with personal and spiritual development.
Rabbi Joseph Benson of Temple Beth El in Jefferson City, Mo., believes that converting depends on the person; it is a very personal act. Because each person is unique, the specific reasons for converting may vary. As he explains, one person may grow up in a religious home while another may grow up without any faith, but both will decide to convert. No two experiences or reasons for converting will be the same.
For Lynda Renham Presky, a healthcare worker in Oxford, England, converting to Judaism was an intensely personal experience, one which led her to develop close relationships with her Jewish friends and become a teacher at a Hebrew school. Though she was raised without a particular religion, Presky says her family suspected that her great-grandmother was Jewish. Years later, Presky met her first husband, who was Jewish, and decided to convert. Although the marriage didn’t last and she is now engaged to an Atheist, Presky has remained devoted to her faith. She worked for the Centre for Jewish Education, and has led workshops on Judaism in secular schools.
Although the decision to convert is personal, many find a renewed sense of faith in Judaism, one that was lacking in a Christian-based childhood.
Rabbi Joe Blair, leader of Beth El Congregation and Temple House of Israel in Staunton, Va., moderates a conversion forum on Jewish.com. Although some who decide to convert to Judaism may not grow up with a specific religion, Rabbi “Joe” believes that exposure to Christianity is inevitable.
“There are very few who convert who have no formal ties to church or a particular religion,” he said.
Klarissa Glavan Spang, 23, a barista and life coach living in Pittsburgh, saw Judaism as a fresh approach to life, one she didn’t experience growing up in the Assembly of God church. The daughter of a pastor, Spang was very active in her church: she helped with Sunday school, participated in the church choir, and helped build the sanctuary for her family’s church. With a mother involved with Women’s Ministries, a sister who attends an Assembly of God University in California, and a brother who intended to become a Youth Pastor, Spang grew up as part of a very Christian family.
Troubled by the thought that belief in Jesus and his forgiveness would allow violent acts to be committed without remorse, Spang turned to Judaism. “Judaism is more than just speaking the words,” she said. “The point is to live it in the everyday.”
Karen McCready, 27, a New York-based research assistant on HIV and international health issues, grew up Protestant, but unlike Spang, she never felt a strong tie to Christianity. After exploring a variety of religions in college, she found that her personal beliefs were in tune with Jewish beliefs.
“After college and several years of not practicing any religion at all, I began reading about several religions – Judaism, Buddhism, and Baha'i – out of curiosity, but also out of a desire to find something that would fit my worldview,” she said. “Eventually, I found I just couldn't put the books on Judaism down, and everything I read just seemed to sync with what I'd believed my whole life but couldn't find a way to fully express through Christianity.”
Rabbis Joe and Benson believe that many who decide to convert may also be searching for a religious home.
“Judaism speaks to them and makes them feel they’ve come home,” Rabbi Joe said.
For McCready, an emotional tie to Israel and discovering her Jewish soul led her to convert. After attending her first Kabbalat Shabbat service at a Reform temple, McCready felt as though she had come home.
“I'd always been Jewish; it just took 24 years to figure it out. There is a belief in Kabbalistic tradition that those who convert to Judaism in fact have a Jewish soul and were present at Mount Sinai for the giving of the Torah,” McCready said. “I believe this and I feel this ancient connection to the Jewish people that I can't find another non-mystical way to explain.”
Both Spang and Presky credit the feeling of belonging to a strong Jewish community among their reasons for converting. For these two women, their faith is also a way of life, a daily reminder of their commitment to a religion that speaks to them. As Spang puts it, “Judaism has put beauty back into the world for me.”
Today, there are a number of resources for those drawn to Judaism. The Internet in particular has become a forum for discussion, a meeting place for those searching for answers and those who can readily give them. McCready, for example, created the Conversion to Judaism Resource Group on Facebook, the popular social networking website.
Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn of Adat Achim Synagogue in Miami Beach, Fla. and creator of convertingtojudaism.com, thinks the Internet provides an equal window to the world for anything people want to express. Although there is the risk of misinformation on the Internet, Cukierkorn believes it is an important resource for those exploring their faith.
In what he calls “passing the torch,” Cukierkorn has traveled to China, Vietnam, Europe and South America to conduct conversions. He has found that Americans are unlike other cultures in their approach to conversion: Americans shop for the best religion. With easy access to information on the Internet, Americans are able to discuss their beliefs, explore others, and perhaps eventually decide to convert.
As Cukierkorn explains, “Conversion is like a shoe: if it fits you, it fits you, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
“Shopping” for Judaism and self-exploration are needed to confirm that the decision to convert is the right one. After confirming one’s choice to convert, it is necessary to prove to others that such a decision is serious. Converting to Judaism is no easy task, and religion is a commitment.
Traditionally, a person seeking to convert must approach a rabbi three times to prove his or her commitment to the religion. Once the potential convert has assured the rabbi of his or her dedication, a period of studying overseen by the rabbi occurs. Some will take “Introduction to Judaism” classes; others will study individually with a rabbi; all will study Jewish law, beliefs, religious practices, and history, in addition to the Holocaust, Israel, Hebrew and holidays.
Once the period of study – which may last from six months to two years – is complete, the potential convert will appear before a Bet Din, or religious court. Comprised of three rabbis, the Bet Din will quiz the potential convert to ensure his or her sincerity in converting and to assess their knowledge of the Jewish faith. Once the potential convert has passed this test, he or she typically makes a pledge to the Jewish people.
To complete the conversion process, male converts will undergo circumcision, or “Brit Milah.” Females, and males converting to Orthodox Judaism, will participate in an immersion ceremony, or “Tevillah.” Traditionally, the convert showers as a way to clean the body, is covered with a robe, then enters into the four-foot deep mikveh while shedding the robe. After reciting a blessing, the convert is immersed in the water. In accordance with Jewish law, the immersion must be witnessed by three attendants. Emerging from the mikveh, a convert is now Jewish.
The process may also involve choosing a Hebrew name and participating in a public ceremony that introduces the convert to the community as being newly Jewish.
Converting to Judaism is undoubtedly a personal journey, one that requires much thought and self-analysis. Growing up without ties to a specific religion makes the movements toward Judaism more meaningful: it is admitting that religion plays a central role in self-identification.
I know firsthand how personal the decision to convert to Judaism is. After finding a sense of community in Judaism that was lacking in my Christian-based childhood, I decided to convert a couple of years ago. Though the decision was difficult and required several months of self-exploration, it is one with which I am very happy.
Resources for conversion to Judaism: The Conversion to Judaism Resource Center (convert.org), Conversion to Judaism online convertingtojudaism.com
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/nyjewishpost.htm
The Call to the Torah, Now Heeded Online
By CHARLES DeLaFUENTE
JUDAISM is more than 5,000 years old. The Internet has been around for a tiny fraction of that time. But a rabbi with a specialized Web site has brought ancient tradition and modern technology together, providing conversions to Judaism in a process that is largely accomplished online. The rabbi, Celso Cukierkorn, offers an online conversion course to anyone who wants to become Jewish. A PC and a Web connection bring the rabbi and converts from as far away as Australia and New Zealand together for online study and even the final exam.Rabbi Cukierkorn (he pronounces it COOK-your-corn) is a convert himself, of sorts, to computer technology. He grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, and recalled that students learned to use computers at his high school. But the equipment was boxy mainframe technology, probably from the 1960's, he guessed, and he did not pursue computer training beyond high school. "Until the mid 90's, I wasn't computer-literate," said Rabbi Cukierkorn, who is 34. "But then I realized that there are different ways to touch people," and that the computer was one of them. His ancestors, who were rabbis, "traveled from village to village to bring the message of God," he explained. "Right now it's the same thing, except I don't go to a specific place. I can do that from the computer."Rabbi Cukierkorn also conducts in-person conversion classes at Congregation B'Nai Israel, a Reform synagogue in Hattiesburg, Miss. But modern technology, he said, provides him with "a wonderful way to help people who cannot find a rabbi to convert them or who live in places where they don't have a rabbi or their schedule will not allow them to convert" in more traditional ways. Most of his online students learn about his Web site, www.conversiontojudaism.org, from people who have taken his course or from rabbis, he said. The online curriculum, which is divided into eight units, is a blend of books and online material, some of which Rabbi Cukierkorn wrote. It is customized for each student, depending on prior knowledge of Judaism. One of the units, for example, is what the rabbi calls "the life cycle of the Jewish year," beginning with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and proceeding through other holidays and festivals in chronological order.At the end of each unit, there is a quiz. The curriculum requires about 80 to 120 hours of work, which can take from three months to more than a year to complete.In addition to the online coursework, the process requires attendance at a conversion seminar. One was held recently in Beverly Hills, Calif., and another is scheduled soon in Miami Beach. Rabbi Cukierkorn said he hoped to hold one in New York at least once a year. The course is followed by a final exam, also given online, that has 100 questions. But unlike most tests, there is no predetermined passing score. The rabbi said he looks to see "how they feel and what's inside them." He reads the answers "to see a bigger picture.""That's what this is all about," he said. "We're not looking for intellectual capabilities." The rabbi said that he generally lets the convert decide how much to pay, and that the payments have ranged from almost nothing to $2,500. Many conversions involve someone who has married or plans to marry a Jew, but some people give other reasons, the rabbi said. One of the more unusual involved people who had seen the movie "Schindler's List" and decided individually that they wanted to become Jewish.One of the rabbi's online students, Melissa Davimos, 38, of Boca Raton, Fla., said she wanted to convert before her daughter, Spencer, was born. She said she was unable to find a synagogue in Boca Raton that welcomed converts, so she turned to the Internet. She said she and her husband, who is Jewish, planned to join a synagogue soon and to have a baby-naming ceremony there for Spencer, who is now three months old.Another participant, Ana Scherer, of Florianopolis, Brazil, said by e-mail that she was born a Catholic, but that at age 12 she "came to a conclusion that Catholicism was not my true call." Mrs. Scherer, 34, said she began studying online in Brazil and continued when she moved to Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., in 2000. Rabbi Cukierkorn, who was trained as an Orthodox rabbi and graduated from the Ayshel Avraham Rabbinical Seminary in Monsey, N.Y., said he had not encountered criticism that people who seek conversion online are not serious enough about their desire to become Jewish. Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, the chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, the academic and spiritual center of Conservative Judaism, said that the Conservative movement requires at least a year of study by prospective converts, including learning Hebrew, and requires "a good deal of human contact," although the process does not all have to be face-to-face. Rabbi Schorsch said it sounded to him like the Web site program met the second test and was "on the right track" for the first.Rabbi Cukierkorn said his process for conversion online was identical to the one he uses in his synagogue. "The only difference is that I might do the conversion interview over the phone," he said.Asked where the majority of his converts came from, the rabbi paused, then said: "I have people everywhere. They come from wherever God touches their souls."
Published: July 1, 2004 in the New York Times
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http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/NewYorkTimes.htm
JUDAISM is more than 5,000 years old. The Internet has been around for a tiny fraction of that time. But a rabbi with a specialized Web site has brought ancient tradition and modern technology together, providing conversions to Judaism in a process that is largely accomplished online. The rabbi, Celso Cukierkorn, offers an online conversion course to anyone who wants to become Jewish. A PC and a Web connection bring the rabbi and converts from as far away as Australia and New Zealand together for online study and even the final exam.Rabbi Cukierkorn (he pronounces it COOK-your-corn) is a convert himself, of sorts, to computer technology. He grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, and recalled that students learned to use computers at his high school. But the equipment was boxy mainframe technology, probably from the 1960's, he guessed, and he did not pursue computer training beyond high school. "Until the mid 90's, I wasn't computer-literate," said Rabbi Cukierkorn, who is 34. "But then I realized that there are different ways to touch people," and that the computer was one of them. His ancestors, who were rabbis, "traveled from village to village to bring the message of God," he explained. "Right now it's the same thing, except I don't go to a specific place. I can do that from the computer."Rabbi Cukierkorn also conducts in-person conversion classes at Congregation B'Nai Israel, a Reform synagogue in Hattiesburg, Miss. But modern technology, he said, provides him with "a wonderful way to help people who cannot find a rabbi to convert them or who live in places where they don't have a rabbi or their schedule will not allow them to convert" in more traditional ways. Most of his online students learn about his Web site, www.conversiontojudaism.org, from people who have taken his course or from rabbis, he said. The online curriculum, which is divided into eight units, is a blend of books and online material, some of which Rabbi Cukierkorn wrote. It is customized for each student, depending on prior knowledge of Judaism. One of the units, for example, is what the rabbi calls "the life cycle of the Jewish year," beginning with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and proceeding through other holidays and festivals in chronological order.At the end of each unit, there is a quiz. The curriculum requires about 80 to 120 hours of work, which can take from three months to more than a year to complete.In addition to the online coursework, the process requires attendance at a conversion seminar. One was held recently in Beverly Hills, Calif., and another is scheduled soon in Miami Beach. Rabbi Cukierkorn said he hoped to hold one in New York at least once a year. The course is followed by a final exam, also given online, that has 100 questions. But unlike most tests, there is no predetermined passing score. The rabbi said he looks to see "how they feel and what's inside them." He reads the answers "to see a bigger picture.""That's what this is all about," he said. "We're not looking for intellectual capabilities." The rabbi said that he generally lets the convert decide how much to pay, and that the payments have ranged from almost nothing to $2,500. Many conversions involve someone who has married or plans to marry a Jew, but some people give other reasons, the rabbi said. One of the more unusual involved people who had seen the movie "Schindler's List" and decided individually that they wanted to become Jewish.One of the rabbi's online students, Melissa Davimos, 38, of Boca Raton, Fla., said she wanted to convert before her daughter, Spencer, was born. She said she was unable to find a synagogue in Boca Raton that welcomed converts, so she turned to the Internet. She said she and her husband, who is Jewish, planned to join a synagogue soon and to have a baby-naming ceremony there for Spencer, who is now three months old.Another participant, Ana Scherer, of Florianopolis, Brazil, said by e-mail that she was born a Catholic, but that at age 12 she "came to a conclusion that Catholicism was not my true call." Mrs. Scherer, 34, said she began studying online in Brazil and continued when she moved to Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., in 2000. Rabbi Cukierkorn, who was trained as an Orthodox rabbi and graduated from the Ayshel Avraham Rabbinical Seminary in Monsey, N.Y., said he had not encountered criticism that people who seek conversion online are not serious enough about their desire to become Jewish. Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, the chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, the academic and spiritual center of Conservative Judaism, said that the Conservative movement requires at least a year of study by prospective converts, including learning Hebrew, and requires "a good deal of human contact," although the process does not all have to be face-to-face. Rabbi Schorsch said it sounded to him like the Web site program met the second test and was "on the right track" for the first.Rabbi Cukierkorn said his process for conversion online was identical to the one he uses in his synagogue. "The only difference is that I might do the conversion interview over the phone," he said.Asked where the majority of his converts came from, the rabbi paused, then said: "I have people everywhere. They come from wherever God touches their souls."
Published: July 1, 2004 in the New York Times
home
http://www.convertingtojudaism.com/NewYorkTimes.htm
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