Conversion

The Conservative movement welcomes all those who wish to take upon themselves the values, beliefs and behaviors of Judaism. Members of the Rabbinical Assembly help guide conversion candidates in the United States and all over the world toward becoming members of the Jewish people. On this site you will find resources and programs that will facilitate your journey.

We hope the excerpt below from Embracing Judaism, by Rabbi Simcha Kling, revised by Rabbi Carl M. Perkins will resonate with you:  

“Judaism is not just a religion or a theory of living. The Jews are a people with a unique past, a unique history and civilization. That history can pose among the greatest of quandaries for a prospective Jew by choice: How can I, really, acquire new ancestors? How can I feel myself to be part of a nation I may have known little about for most of my life? And what happens to my "other" ancestors - the ones who weren't Jewish? For that matter, what happens to my non-Jewish family members who may even today be practicing another religion? What should I do, if I have Christian relatives, on December 25th? For that matter - not to compare the two holidays - what will I expect of them on the 25th of Kislev (the first day of Hannukah)? Can a Jew by choice be a fully supported and supportive member of an extended non-Jewish family?

In short - and this is the core question for the prospective convert - How can I possibly be who I have not previously been? How will people relate to me? Will I ever be accepted as a Jew, by Jews as well as by non-Jews? Will I ever feel competent to pass down the Jewish tradition to the next generation? Can it ever really be accomplished?

The answer is that the seemingly impossible is, in fact, achievable. And it can be enormously gratifying. In North America alone, thousands convert to Judaism each year. It used to be that the religious and ethnic identity one acquired at birth and in early life determined one's destiny. No longer. Choosing a religious identity is becoming increasingly common in America and other Western societies. With the increase in socialization between Jews and non-Jews in such societies, more and more non-Jews are learning about and considering embracing Judaism every year. Whether it is to fulfill a personal spiritual search or to create a common religious identity within a family, conversion to Judaism can be the fulfillment of deeply held yearnings.

Of course, it takes time, for conversion is a process more than an event. It takes effort and the willingness to reflect upon and to discuss one's choice with one's family and loved ones.

Most of all, it requires education. It requires courses and books and newspapers and journals. It requires thoughtful analysis and study. It requires a good supportive student/teacher relationship with a rabbi, who can, on the one hand, challenge one to think critically about what one is doing, and, on the other hand, nurture one's evolving Jewish identity.

Also, since Judaism is more than an intellectual or spiritual stance, to become a Jew one must try out Jewish experiences. For this reason, community - a supportive Jewish community that takes Judaism seriously, within which one can grow - is essential. …Becoming a Jew has always been a challenging journey for an individual to take. For this reason the Jewish tradition considers it worthy of great respect and admiration.”