If you are considering becoming Jewish too, here are some suggestions for you as you explore Judaism a step at a time. People choose to become Jewish for many different reasons. Some came to Judaism after a long spiritual search. Many people who eventually convert had their interest sparked because of a romantic relationship with someone Jewish. Among the reasons most given by people who do convert are that:.
Becoming Jewish will make it easier for children by giving them a clear religious identity. Think about your own reasons. Remember, conversion must be your own free choice, not done because of pressure, but out of a genuine desire to embrace Judaism. Some reading suggestions are included in the bibliography on conversion.
Go to lectures, take introductory courses on Judaism that are offered by many colleges and Jewish congregations, and talk to some Jewish friends. Remember that Judaism has an important ethnic component. You are joining a people, not just a religion, and so need to learn about different aspects of Jewish culture and about Israel [and the Holocaust ]. Remember, though, that Judaism is a faith of good deeds [and other ritual observances], not forced creeds.
There is more concern in Judaism that you act morally than that you have specific beliefs [at least among liberal Jews]. All Jews share a passion to make the world a better place. It is difficult to provide a brief summary of basic Judaism.
To get you started, though, here are some general Jewish beliefs that are widely held among Jews:. Judaism introduced the world to the idea that God is one, not many, and is kind, loving, and personal.
In Judaism, you pray directly to God and can receive help, guidance, and understanding. You can pray on your own and with a prayer community in a Jewish congregation. Judaism accepts the idea of a covenant, or agreement, between God and the Jewish people. Rather, people have free will to choose between right and wrong. Judaism encourages religious freedom of thought. Judaism welcomes probing spiritual questions. Judaism has, for 4, years, emphasized a strong sense of family and the value of a close community.
Visit a Jewish congregation to sample a service or attend a Jewish ceremony, such as a Passover seder or a Sabbath meal.
While ritual practices vary greatly among American Jews, all Jews have some rituals that, for example, celebrate the Jewish holidays and the Jewish family.
Is formal conversion really necessary to be considered part of the Jewish people? After all, so many synagogues welcome non-Jewish members and so many rabbis sanction interfaith weddings. Many Reform and some Conservative synagogue grant membership to non-Jews, Reform and Reconstructionist rabbis will officiate at interfaith weddings, and some Jewish cemeteries will grant burial rights to non-Jewish spouses. Indeed, surveys show that actual converts to Judaism are far outnumbered by Americans born outside the faith who consider themselves Jewish despite having never formally converted to Judaism.
However, even in the most liberal Jewish communities, there is a dividing line that excludes non-Jews. Jews married to non-Jews are barred from admission to rabbinical school. Most importantly, you can call yourself whatever you want — friend of, member of, parent of. Updated: Apr. Men Are Causing the Climate Crisis. Women Have the Solutions. Tel Aviv Is Over. If the candidate is male, the first step in a traditional conversion is to undergo brit milah , or circumcision, or if already circumcised, hatafat dam brit [ritual extraction of a drop of blood].
Reform and Reconstructionist rabbis may offer the candidate a choice about hatafat dam brit if he is already circumcised. Once the circumcision has healed, a beit din is assembled. For traditional Jews, a convert must assent to kabbalat ol ha-mitzvot , acceptance of the yoke of the commandments, that is, a willingness to accept the validity and often to commit to the performance of the Jewish commandments. Liberal rabbis usually ask only for a commitment to perform selected commandments.
The mikveh water is symbolic of the in-between state, or liminality, of the convert, who is undergoing what amounts to a spiritual rebirth. The immersion, known as tevillah, symbolically cleanses the convert of past misdeeds and prepares the convert for a different future and destiny. The newborn Jew takes on a Hebrew name , but a given name only is not sufficient to locate a person within the Jewish tradition.
0コメント