Quick update.

Possible options have indeed appeared in Singapore (would need to wait till Autumn) and hoping to arrange a Zoom call with Australia. Just sorting out reference letters now.

Once I have a sponsoring rabbi I plan on journaling my path on a website (as long as the rabbi is OK with that).
#JoiningTheTribe #giyur #Conversion

… I’m basically thinking of a blog/diary, but also maybe some general info for others in similar situations.

If you have any ideas let me know!

#Mazeldon #Jewdiverse #JoiningTheTribe #Giyur #Babka #Judaism #Conversion

My #giyur reading today: lmfao, R Zalman Schachter-Shalomi citing #Spinoza. Spicy.

Watching part 3 of Ken Burns’ The US and the #Holocaust. I think everyone should watch it. It is history that must be remembered, showing exactly what happened.

Especially those of us who are looking to convert to #Judaism should see it because although we may not have relatives who were direct victims, it will no longer be history of ‘those’ people but will be history of ‘our’ people.

We must answer, “why do you want to become a Jew?”

#mazeldon #JoiningTheTribe #Giyur #KenBurns #Jewdiverse

At Hanukkah I asked one of my Jewish friends how she learnt the tunes to the blessings and she said that she couldn’t remember because her family had done it since she was a baby.

As a future convert, how would I:
- learn the tunes (and *which* tunes? There are different versions)
- get over the crippling embarrassment of singing a blessing even in the privacy of my own home 😅

#JoiningTheTribe #Giyur #Judaism

@sheepchase

"Jewishconversion" could refer to missionaries succeeding at converting #Jews to their faith.

"#Giyur" works only for those looking for that hashtag, which would be very few people, and mostly Orthodox. (Orthodox is cool of course but most of us here are not of that denomination & don't use that term.)

How about #conversiontojudaism ?

One of the topics could be, what are some good books for those learning about #Judaism, for those considering conversion?

Confession: I’ve still to see #FiddlerOnTheRoof. It’s not available for streaming here in Japan so I need to get the DVD.

Also, I got the DVD for Yentl but haven’t watched it yet.

I think when you have #depression the walk to the DVD player is like crossing an ocean.

#JoiningTheTribe #Giyur #JewishMovies #Jewdiverse #Mazeldon

On one hand, I've really internalized a relatively hard distance from what would have even a remote semblance of Avoda Zara. On the other hand, I guess I've internalized the hurt when after my #giyur, someone in my shul, first thing when they heard I made giyur, grilled me about basically if I'm (chas vechalila) "messianic". Both makes it extra hard to wish people happy (specific holiday of theirs).

With my orthodox #giyur, of course I made a hard break with other religions, both what I tried to practice in the past, but also the dominant one here (even though I was never a part of that except culturally).

At the same time I am pluralistic minded. I appreciate when non-Jews send me wishes for our holidays and would like to reciprocate. But feelings are hard.

(cont'd)

I realised it was incredibly remiss of me to start asking about people’s experiences of conversion without giving my own (in process) story, so here it is for the others #JoiningTheTribe or those #Giyur who might be interested.

(Might be a few toots long; not sure about the convention for this):

I’m from the UK where you probably know there aren’t many Jews compared to the US. I’m also from the North, far from London and not from Manchester or Leeds where there are Jewish communities.

1/9

@naftaliq @imstilljeremy I like #giyur, though I guess for those just starting to get to know Judaism they might not be familiar with it.

Maybe #giyur and #JoiningTheTribe will bring in everyone with something to share.

So who’s #joiningthetribe and what’s your #giyur experience been like?

I’m coming up on 3 years of this process, and it’s been pretty great. I’m very fortunate to live close enough to a wonderful synagogue and I’ve also been able to meet some amazing fellow converts-in-progress. I’m also finally at the point where conversion no longer feels like a race against time anymore, because I don’t have the same inferiority complex I did at the start.

#jewniverse

@imstilljeremy @sheepchase
sticking to the words we already have, #giyur, works, no?

@sheepchase #Giyur could work, although it is not a term understood by everyone you are hoping to reach. @Conversion2Judaism might work.

I am not crazy about #JewByChoice because inevitably someone will say, "These days we are all JewsByChoice" which I find extremely annoying. But that's just me.

#JewishConversion might be confused with Jews converting out.

I became a Jew 26 years ago, and I think people trading stories and networking here on babka is a fabulous idea.

@sheepchase another suggestion: #joiningthetribe, inspired by the phrase Member of the Tribe/MoT which is often used to refer to fellow Jews

I’m partial to #giyur because as much as I did and do choose to be a Jew, there’s a part of me that wants to point out that born-Jews also choose the extent to which they are Jewish. Judaism is a religion of 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈, after all.

@sheepchase personally I like #JewByChoice, but I have heard of other people being uncomfortable with the definition, so I'm not sure. Perhaps #Giyur is more neutral?

Wondering what would be an appropriate hashtag to talk about conversion to #Judaism

#JewByChoice #JewishConversion #Giyur ?

It would be great to hear about people’s experiences. I’m especially keen to hear from those going through the process (or who have been through it) who are doing it for other reasons than marriage, which is the most common reason of course.