I believe that conversions through Sephardic rabbis Gavriel Cohen and Samuel Ohana often run to $5,000, and through other Batei Din (Jewish law courts) about $2,000 all told.<\/p>\n
JewishHomeLA.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n Rav Gavriel Cohen, who heads a beis din near Hancock Park, says that in addition to the increase in conversion applicants, their quality and seriousness has increased. \u201cThe ones who come in these days, they\u2019re very strong. They really want to go through it at all costs, even if they are going to lose connection with their family members, or they have to work hard. It\u2019s a different feel,\u201d he says….<\/p>\n Another convert interviewed for this article, Chloe Traicos, had always felt drawn to Judaism and at home in Jewish life, as she puts it. Born and raised first in Zimbabwe and then in Australia, Traicos initially converted Reform, but found that keeping Shabbos and kosher meant she was more religious than all the Reform Jews she knew. Upon discovering that not everyone would consider her children Jewish, she began studying for Orthodox conversion, which she successfully completed this past summer under the supervision of Rabbi Zvi Block, who runs a beis din in North Hollywood. Traicos had long suspected that her maternal great-grandmother, who lived in Odessa, Ukraine, was Jewish, and was exhilarated to learn that a recent DNA test found her to be 43% genetically Jewish….<\/p>\n Having a balanced, realistic approach is also critical. If someone comes into the initial interview and says, \u201cMy mind is made up. I\u2019m doing this 100%,\u201d the warning bells start to go off, Rabbi Union says.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t being born again, where you stand up and wave the flag. We want them to understand the issues and the challenges. It\u2019s not like this is going to solve all of their problems. Is it a beautiful way to live? Sure it is, but they have to appreciate the challenges and be willing to confront those challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n That was one thing that Elsa Monterroso, a woman currently in the process of conversion, had to discover for herself. \u201cIt\u2019s not like you wear the head covering and boom \u2013 no problems will happen to you,\u201d she says. \u201cReligious people are just like everybody else \u2013 it\u2019s real. And it\u2019s so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n How many people complete the program and actually convert each year? At the RCC, generally accepted to be the \u201cgold standard\u201d of geirus in Los Angeles, it\u2019s about 1 in 3 candidates, or about 20-30 each year. Most of those who drop out do so within the first 6-8 months, once they realize the demands of living a fully Orthodox lifestyle. Some were experiencing what turned out to be a passing interest, others were lacking in commitment, having been pushed into conversion for family reasons or other pressures. Sometimes applicants will be rejected \u2013 about one to two each year \u2013 usually due to hiding information, such as a girlfriend or boyfriend in the background, says Rabbi Union.<\/p>\n Rabbi Union believes that in today\u2019s fragmented Jewish community, a central body that handles conversions and creates and enforces recognized standards can only be a good thing. To counteract the humanistic concerns, he encourages the close involvement of a sponsoring rabbi who lives in the convert\u2019s community and offers support and guidance, even while the actual conversion goes through the regional beis din.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, what is it we want to accomplish?\u201d Rabbi Union asks. \u201cWe want people who will become observant members of the Orthodox community, and who are fully participating in Orthodox life. They can be Chassidish or Modern Orthodox, Yeshivish or Mizrachi, but they have to be members of an Orthodox Jewish community, and we\u2019re helping people to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Conversion stats:<\/p>\n Primary motivations of converts:<\/p>\n \u00b7 Jewish spouse or boyfriend\/girlfriend<\/p>\n \u00b7 Inexplicable pull to Judaism<\/p>\n \u00b7 Jewish parent or grandparent, or raised as Jewish<\/p>\n \u00b7 Spiritual seeker, looking for G-d<\/p>\n Average cost of conversion: $1,500-$2,000, includes tutoring, administrative fees and mikvah fees<\/p>\n Average timeframe: 1-2 years<\/p>\n Number of Orthodox conversions done in LA annually: approximately 50-80 (based on anecdotal data)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I believe that conversions through Sephardic rabbis Gavriel Cohen and Samuel Ohana often run to $5,000, and through other Batei Din (Jewish law courts) about $2,000 all told. JewishHomeLA.com: Rav Gavriel Cohen, who heads a beis din near Hancock Park, … Continue reading