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Tag Archives: converts
Shake This And You’ll Go To Heaven
An Orthodox friend explains to me why he doesn’t trust converts or baalei teshuva (returnees to Judaism): "Someone shows up to Canfield Elementary School with a lulav and says, shake this and you’ll go to Heaven. Suddenly the kid comes … Continue reading
Looking For An Orthodox Shul Friendly To Converts?
I get this email: “I was looking at your site and saw that you are a convert to Judaism. I am looking to convert to Judaism. Can you recommend a friendly Orthodox Shul for me to try and get into … Continue reading
Posted in Conversion, Synagogue
Tagged converts, downey ca, Judaism, judea, orthodox shul
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‘Can Anyone Grow Up To Be (Shul) President?’
I get off my sickbed Shabbos afternoon and go to this lecture. Last year, a Young Israel shul hired a graduate of the most left-wing Orthodox yeshiva (Chovevei Torah) — as its assistant rabbi. A few months later in response, … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Orthodox, YCT, YICC, Young Israel
Tagged assistant rabbi, century city, chovevei torah, converts, dr jay, halacha, Israel, israel movement, left wing, ncyi, orthodox synagogue, presidencies, presidents, private citizen, productive members, rabbi moshe feinstein, Rabbis, rosh yeshiva, screening policy, synagogue president, talmudic, weiner, woman president, Yeshiva University, young israel of toco hills, young israel synagogue
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Trembling With Excitement To Join The Jewish People
"I need to know your motivations," he said. "Orthodox Jews are a tiny peculiar people. Why do you want to become one?" "Motivations?" I exclaimed. "Motivations? You need to know my motivations? You can never know my motivations because I … Continue reading
Posted in Conversion, Orthodoxy, Personal
Tagged Aish HaTorah, bais, Beth Jacob, bezalel, century city, converts, Dennis Prager, evil man, excitement, machinations, manly man, motivations, orthodox jews, preacher, quot quot, rabbi, Rabbis, slingshot, Torah, Young Israel
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Orthodox Judaism’s Conversion Controversy
To quote Toby Katz, commenting on Cross-Currents: The RCA is upset because so many RCA rabbis have done conversions that they never should have done — converting women who had no intention of ever keeping mitzvos, just so they could … Continue reading
Posted in Conversion
Tagged contrary, conversion controversy, conversion to judaism, conversions, converts, converts to judaism, cross currents, fallout, friendship, halachic, i don t care, intention, jewish men, jewish women, Jews, judgments, katz, million things, nuts, orthodox judaism, personal tragedies, press release, quotes, Rabbis, RCA, religious life, shortcomings, streams, taking sides, Truth
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Judaism’s Conversion Controversy
A lot of people ask me for my opinion — as a convert to Judaism — on this controversy. I don’t have one. I accept reality. I’m not trying to change it (in this instance). Some Orthodox shuls count me … Continue reading
Posted in Conversion
Tagged Conservative Judaism, conversions, converts, dins, jew, jewish history, jewish law, jewish values, loyal reader, meds, minyan, orthodox conversion, orthodox judaism, orthodox rabbis, outrage, RCC, religious extremists, revocation, rsquo, torah laws
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Conversion Controversy
Eytan Kobre writes: Below I share with you (with very minor changes) the e-mail letter I sent today to Dina Kraft, a JTA reporter, responding to her article on the JTA website regarding the controversy over the ruling of an … Continue reading
Posted in Conversion, Journalism
Tagged acknowledgement, conversion controversy, conversions, converts, diaspora, e mail, feuerstein, itim, JTA, Judaism, kobre, mail letter, minor changes, objectivity, public outrage, rabbi, rabbinical council of america, religious commitment, seth farber, tzohar
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Cruelty In The Name Of God
From Haaretz: The decision by three rabbinic judges at the Supreme Rabbinic Court in Jerusalem, headed by Rabbi Avraham Sherman, to annul conversions conducted since 1999 by Rabbi Haim Druckman and the conversion court system comes as no surprise. The … Continue reading
Posted in Israel
Tagged circumstances, conjunction, Conversion, conversions, converts, divorce proceedings, excuse, haaretz, harassment, Jerusalem, Judaism, Marriage, name of god, prime minister, rabbi avraham, regional court, revocation, strictures, surprise
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