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The Jewish Family - A Question of Conversion
If you're thinking of converting to Judaism, the process and requirements are quite different depending on which "denomination" you are looking at: Orthodox, Conservative or Reform, or any of the variations therein. Please note, however, that if a conversion is performed by any means other than by the use of an orthodox rabbi, Jewish Law deems the conversion invalid.
Of course, the most difficult conversion is to the Orthodox faith, involving such commitments as living within walking distance of a Shul. Because a Jew must not drive on Shabbat, but must attend Shabbat services at Shul, obviously the only way to conform to the Talmudic law is to live close enough to a Shul to be able to get there on foot.
There's no excuse: if you're not close enough to walk, you need to move. Certainly there are other Orthodox rules pertaining to Shabbat (no TV, no phone, no money, and so on), but there are major lifestyle changes required as well that have nothing to do with Shabbat. Your entire way of eating and food preparation would undergo radical change, from setting up a kitchen with two separate sets of dishes, two separate sets of utensils, and two separate sets of pots and pans, to buying kosher foods and eating at kosher-only restaurants.
By researching various conversion programs online, such as Jewish Conversions, Eternal Jewish Family, or Converting to Judaism you can read about alternative approaches to conversion, or consider whether a formal conversion is necessary instead of simply adopting whatever beliefs and practices of Judaism that work for you and your family. To give you some numbers, the vast majority of American Jews (75 percent) are non-Orthodox, identifying with the various movements within that definition, with only about 10 percent of American Jews identifying themselves as Orthodox.
Anyone, Jewish born or not, can be a conversion candidate. However, Jewish law actively discourages conversion, specifically instructing the rabbi to test your resolve and perseverance. Many Jews are of the opinion that this very stringency might ultimately endanger the future of the Jewish people; however, others argue that the authenticity and traditions of what is known as the eternal Jewish family must be vigilantly protected by following the guidelines of the Torah.
So why do people convert to Orthodox or any other form of Judaism in the first place? The answer, according to one rabbi, is joy. Once you become Jewish, you partake daily of the celebrations and traditions in a rich and fulfilling lifestyle with an extremely close-knit and supportive community.
About the Author Eternal Jewish Family (http://hubpages.com/hub/Converting-to-the-Orthodox-Jewish-Faith) is a web site dedicated to the eternal Jewish family. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
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