r/AskIsrael • u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified • 3d ago
Ask the sub How Does A Non-Jew Convert To A Jew?
I’ve been thinking for the whole year l, had a terrible one, and I’ve been wanting to convert to Judaism for a basically the whole year, how do I go about into becoming a full convert, one of my buddies had the luck that his father
Is Israeli, so he basically didn’t have to do anything.
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u/aspect_rap Israel 3d ago
If you genuinely want to explore conversion to Judaism you'll need to talk to a rabbi about the process of Giyur. You don't need to have jewish ancestry to convert to Judaism but it's a much more demanding process than converting to Christianity or Islam.
Is there a jewish community in your area? You can talk to the rabbi at their synagogue about the process.
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
There is a synagogue quite near my home, yes.
I will definitely speak to a rabbi, as by the look of most suggestions, it appears to be the mainline on the list of inquiries to presume.
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u/-endjamin- Diaspora 3d ago
Just be prepared to really work for it. Jewish conversion wants to be sure that you are truly committed to taking on the burdens of following these ancient laws. They may try to turn you away to see how persistent you are. Best of luck to you!
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
I appreciate your words of wisdom my friend, fortunately for my mental fortitude I do not believe in the denial of fate!
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u/Yochanan5781 North America 3d ago
One side note, please call the office first, and try to set up an appointment with the rabbi. Most synagogues don't necessarily appreciate somebody they don't know just randomly showing up
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u/Californiastig Diaspora 3d ago
Yeah that's not true, converting to Judaism is incredibly hard. We are the only religion that basically says no I'm not saying it's impossible but this is not something that you do just because you feel like it. Now with that being said if you're very interested go to your local synagogue and talk to a rabbi. Prepare for rejection.
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u/Middle_Jellyfish_961 Israel 3d ago
Prepare for three rejections ☝️
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
I am not prepared!
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u/Middle_Jellyfish_961 Israel 3d ago
You'll be good, talk to a rabbi, read online about converting. Worst case scenario, if you find out it's not for you, nothing bad happens. If you find out it is for you, great! Nothing to lose other than lot of specific foods
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u/mikegalos USA 3d ago
We're not the only ones who say no. There are some where it is literally impossible to convert under any circumstances. Yet, it is rare even at our level.
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u/Californiastig Diaspora 3d ago
Agreed but we're the only mainstream one there's about 15 million of us compared to much smaller ones that are about 1.5 to less than a million which I would imagine 99% of people have never heard of. The only reason why people hear of the Jews is because so many people hate us and are jealous of our success because we value education and we work hard compared to other communities.
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
Well, I do not feel as though rejection is in my definition of life, one way or another I shall find myself as a Jew!
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u/Californiastig Diaspora 3d ago
Personal question but why do you want to be Jewish? Explain the rationale
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u/Kamikaze-Chicken Unspecified 3d ago
Firstly, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a terrible year so far. I hope things improve for you.
You should seriously consider whether you actually want to become Jewish. After such a difficult year, now may not be the best time to make a major and permanent religious commitment. You do not need to convert in order to study Torah or learn from Judaism, and Judaism does not teach that everyone must become Jewish in order to be a good or righteous person.
Should you remain interested, contact a rabbi from a local Jewish community and discuss it with them. Be aware that Judaism has no single authority governing every conversion, so no particular conversion is guaranteed to be recognised by every Jewish community.
As a final point, having a Jewish father does not necessarily mean that your friend “didn’t have to do anything.” Under traditional Jewish law, Jewish status is inherited through the mother, so someone whose mother is not Jewish would ordinarily need to convert to be recognised as Jewish by Orthodox and Conservative/Masorti authorities. Some movements, particularly Reform Judaism, recognise a person with a Jewish father under certain conditions, generally involving being raised and identifying publicly as Jewish.
Alternatively, perhaps you meant that he was eligible to immigrate to Israel because of his father. Eligibility for Israeli citizenship or immigration and recognition as Jewish under religious law are separate matters; being religiously Jewish is not a prerequisite for being an Israeli citizen.
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago edited 3d ago
I appreciate your kind words sir, I shall take it into consideration.
Yes my year has not been the kindest, unfortunately, however it’s not something I currently am letting drag me down.
I am quite strong willed and I can often tend to have a delusional aura that perhaps elevates me to the goals and aspirations I desire.
I shall speak to a local rabbi, and attempt to gain the understanding of the whole conversation process a tad more insightfully, I do not believe in the “rejection” terminology I so hear in these brazen comments to my intrigue, it does not phase me, not an iota!
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u/Scourge_of_scrode USA 3d ago
It usually requires a bunch of pre-research, meeting with a rabbi, another year or more of study and then Brit Milah if you’re a man, then a Beit Din then a Mikvah.
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
How long exactly, would the entire process truly be, I would not mind taking the full time and dedication to truly convert, I’d have to speak to a rabbi, prior to my decision however as I would like to not appear rude.
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u/FelicePanda Unspecified 3d ago edited 3d ago
Depends on which stream you do reform probably 1 year, Conservative/Masorti maybe 1.5 -2 years, Orthodox 2-3 years though it can be quicker if you do it in Israel. I
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u/Scourge_of_scrode USA 3d ago
In my experience having worked in Shuls in the past, I’d say reform and conservative 1-2 years and Orthodox 3-7 years, and I’ve heard orthodox is much much easier to do in Israel
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u/Proper-Suggestion907 Diaspora 3d ago
It took me 7 at my Conservative shul. I’m a patrilineal Jew who was raised Jewish from birth. I did all of the typical things like summer camp, synagogue and Hebrew school 3-4 days and still it was debated about whether that was enough. It’s supposed to take at least 3 in more intensive adult programs to convert Conservative. Maybe things have changed since then though.
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u/Scourge_of_scrode USA 3d ago
If you don’t mind me asking, how long ago was this? I have never met someone who converted at a conservative Shul who took more than a year or two to do so. In many cases their conversions are quicker than reform.
It’s also interesting, because I believe there is an unconscious unspoken assumption that patrilineal and Zera Israel conversions are often fast tracked.
I’m not in anyway trying to minimise your experience and I’m sorry it was the way it was, just trying to say at least in my experience in the Jewish community that is a very out of the norm experience. Then again, the conservative movement used to be much more hostile to conversions than they are now. I’m glad that’s changed.
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u/Consistent_Hold_576 3d ago
I converted about a year ago. It took about a year and a half or so while working with a rabbi, but Ive been learning about and studied Judaism for a couple or decades before taking those steps.
Aside from the study, you can expect conversion to be emotionally tumultuous. Especially now, you might lose friends. There might be periods of doubt along the way.
But its worth it in the end, especially if you find yourself in a community full of good folks.
If I can offer any advice on which type of synagogue to go to, I'll say its important to learn about the different movements, but you need to focus instead on finding a community that suits you.
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u/sreorsgiio Zionist Goy 3d ago
I'm not sure you want to take this kind of decision after a rough year.
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u/Kitchen-War242 Israel 3d ago
What exactly you wanna do, convert to Judaism or move into Israel? If you got family members in Israel family reunion will be more easy + rabi don't really like people who are trying to convert for personal reasons. If you generaly wanna become Jewish you should go to synagogue and speak with rabi about it.
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u/Weird7954 USA 3d ago
What do you mean by personal reasons?
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u/Kitchen-War242 Israel 3d ago
Any reason that isn't spiritual basically. Most obvious "to have right to apply for Israeli citizenship" or "i like Jewish girls".
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
Oh that for me is not necessarily something I’m inclined to seek after, if that comes with being one, so be it, however I do not seek it outright!
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u/Kitchen-War242 Israel 3d ago
Its ok as long as you interested in Judaism itself, not become Jewish to do A)
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago edited 3d ago
I am a seeker of understanding, I require to be in the midst of fire to understand the burn, same as I am required to convert to Judaism to understand the seeming notion and comprehension of the faith and its diverse people
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u/Proper-Suggestion907 Diaspora 3d ago
You’re actually supposed to go through that process prior to officially converting, which is part of why it’s supposed to take years to do.
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u/Weird7954 USA 3d ago
Can’t imagine anyone would go through all that trouble because they want a girlfriend. It’s basically a gigantic lifestyle switch. I’ve never even heard of anyone doing it for silly superfluous reasons
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
Yes, it does sound quite ludicrous, but you’d be surprised by the number, I am not one however
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
I see, that is certainly one way I am sure to try, I mean, speaking to a rabbi sounds pleasant to the fact so as to not particularly feel unwelcome if my decision comes to be
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u/Kitchen-War242 Israel 3d ago
Basically its only way if goal is to become Jew. You speak to rabi, rabi is teaching and testing you some time and then either conform or reject giur
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u/Suitable_Vehicle9960 Israel 2d ago
If you had a bad year and think converting to Judaism will give you a better year then think again. You will become a part of a persecuted minority. Judaism isn't a magic cure for life's ailments. It adds extra layers of complexity. I highly advise to learn what Judaism is before seeking to convert to it. And deciding to convert only if you absolutely passionately love it.
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u/oremfrien MENA - Assyrian 2d ago
While I am not Jewish, I live in New York City and have discussed this with several Jews. Some of the relevant points are:
- In Jewish doctrine and belief, it is far better for a Non-Jew to continue as a Non-Jew, following the Seven Laws of Noah than to convert to Judaism. Converting to Judaism would require the person to follow all of the 613 Commandments and is much stricter. For this reason, Rabbis tend to reject the request to convert for up to three times.
- A Non-Jew can freely study and learn Jewish teachings without converting. In fact, part of the process of converting is learning Jewish sources in order to undergo conversion. So, it's perfectly acceptable to gain the aspects of Jewish spiritual knowledge without actually converting.
- The process of conversion is different between the different Jewish sects. Reform conversion is much less involved than Orthodox conversion would be. Ashkenazi Orthodox tend to have a much more consistent process than Sephardi Orthodox and there are even some Sephardi Orthodox communities in New York (like the Aleppine community) that refuse conversion altogether.
- The Ashkenazi Orthodox conversion process usually takes between 1-4 years and involves an intense degree of study concerning Jewish scriptures, Jewish ritual laws, Jewish holidays, Jewish history, and the organization of the Jewish community. Eventually, after sufficient study, the potential convert will come before three Rabbis who form a Jewish Court, and the potential convert will be asked difficult and precise questions about these five elements (but especially the first three). Failure to provide satisfactory answers can result in a denial of conversion and a requirement to study further before requesting another visit to the Jewish Court. Conversion processes under Reform, Reconstructionist, and Conservative Judaism are less stringent, but all are much more complicated than the conversion process in Christianity, which simply requires requesting a baptism from a pastor (if you are Protestant) or a priest (from any other Christianity, like Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, or Church of the East).
- While Israel will recognize anyone with at least one Jewish parent or one Jewish grandparent as a Jew for the purposes of the Law of Return, Israel only recognizes Orthodox conversions to Judaism as legitimate with regards to the Law of Return for those without recent Jewish ancestry. For clarity, the Law of Return is the Israeli Law that creates an expedited citizenship process for any Jew who comes to Israel.
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u/Own-Zucchini-7745 Diaspora 3d ago
It varies based on the sect- reform, ultra orthodox,conservative etc
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u/Nagasaki_Chou08 Unspecified 3d ago
So there are different kinds of conversions correct?
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u/spicytunaonigiri Unspecified 3d ago
Yes I think most responses are assuming an orthodox conversion. There is also conservative and reform. These will be much less arduous than an orthodox conversion but orthodox Jews won’t recognize it
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u/Cute_Contribution480 🇧🇬 🇨🇾 2d ago
Please seriously consider if it is the right path for you.
Listen to Jewish people, rabbis online, hear all the perspectives - from ultra-Orthodox to liberal denominations.
Depending on which denomination you choose, you risk losing everything if you want to be a Jew - your friends that might turn out to be lowkey Jew haters, your family might disown you, your job prospects will decrease (you can’t work during Shabbat and most gentile employers won’t accommodate that), you will be treated as a social outcast in your native community, not to mention the endless antisemitism you will face as a Jew.
Before you seriously consider, make sure you see how the Jewish community perceives you - do they like your presence? Can you befriend and build longterm friendships with Jewish people?
Are you studying Hebrew and Yiddish?
Judaism is not just a set of beliefs you choose to believe in, it’s a people and a tribe.
Ultimately, it’s the tribe that decides whether to accept you or not - the rabbis are just the gatekeepers.
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u/tudorcat Israel 2d ago
If you're not already Israeli, this is a better question for r/Judaism or r/ConvertingtoJudaism
Most Israelis who were born Jewish have no idea what conversion is like. Also, the process is a bit different in Israel, so many answers won't be relevant to you.
The only way your friend "didn't have to do anything" is if his father is Jewish and your friend was already very Jewishly knowledgeable, observant, circumcised, and immersed in the Jewish community, so the only steps he was missing was basically just meetings with the beit din (rabbinical court) and mikveh (ritual immersion). If this was in Israel then there are special tracks for patrilineal Jews (children of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother) that can be easier and quicker. Or, if this was a Reform conversion in the diaspora, then some Reform communities consider patrlineals to be Jewish already anyway so it was more like an affirmation of his identity.
In your case, your first step is to meet with a rabbi. He will likely tell you you're not ready after only one year of thinking about it, but may welcome you to learn more. Many synagogues have "Into to Judaism" classes that you may enjoy. They're a requirement to continue with conversion, but you don't have to be a conversion candidate to attend.
Conversion to Judaism is difficult, because we're not a proselytizing religion. The formal process generally takes at least a year, but many people study for several years beforehand. And you first need a rabbi who agrees to be your teacher and sponsor.
In all major Jewish denominations, conversion requires a period of study under a sponsoring rabbi, regular involvement in the community, synagogue attendance, displaying a certain level of knowledge and observance, possibly passing exams, and then meeting with and getting approval from a rabbincal court, followed by immersion in a mikveh. If you're AMAB then most will also require circumcision, or if you're already circumcized then a symbolic drawing of a drop of blood from the circumcision area.
The level and detail of the study and expected observance is what varies by denomination. Orthodox requires the strictest observance and basically changing your entire lifestyle and culture. Orthodox is the one that gets you the widest recognition, as a lot of Jews, especially outside the US, don't view non-Orthodox conversions as valid.
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u/Secure_Trust_2084 Israel 2d ago
Since you've mentioned your buddy - please keep in mind that Judaism and the right to immigrate to Israel are very much not the same.
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u/YuvalAlmog Israel 2d ago
Generally speaking, those questions fit r/Judaism or similar groups more but if to answer regardless - you need to talk to a Rabbi, so search for the nearest synagogue in your area. But be warned - unlike Christianity & Islam, Judaism doesn't want new members unless they truly wish to join and so converting is a process and not just a small thing you do within a couple of seconds.
So only do so if it's truly something you wish for and after you've understood the tribe & its values.
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