When I tell people that I am going through a conversion to become Jewish the first thing they alway ask is...Why Judaism?? The answer I usually tell everyone is that is how the good Lord made me...LOL. I know in my heart that is the honest truth, but I had a bit of a journey to go through before I finally came to that conclusion. This is my story in a nutshell:
I was raised in a Christian home more specifically Catholic and exposed to all of the things a good Catholic girl ought to be exposed to. I just NEVER felt comfortable in a church or in all the bible classes I was made to go to. I mean I loved the things that I was learning, but I never felt like I really got IT. My soul was enraged and nothing I did would ever quiet it. I never felt that peace that I heard some people describe once they are inside of a church or after a service. I just felt sad and empty like my soul was never fulfilled. I talked to my family about it and they always looked at me like I was weird. *sigh*
When I became old enough to learn about things on my own I began to research other religions I went through several transitions tried everything from other Christian denominations, Hinduism, Wicca basically anything I could get my hands on. The one faith that I always seemed to gravitate towards was Judaism. I kept running away from that urge though, because who ever heard of a black Jew…lol.
One day I just said the heck with it and I just started to read anything about Judaism that I could get my hands on and I also found an online forum that catered to Jewish women of color. I asked them tons of questions and really started to interact with them. After a few months I finally decided to take the plunge and called a Rabbi...actually several Rabbi's, but there was only one I felt brave enough to face.
Let me give you a little background on converting to Judaism, as a person seeking a conversion you have to seek out the Rabbi, because Jews do not proslestyze non-Jews. The Rabbi was nice enough to invite me to come into speak with him face to face after a brief phone conversation. I was nervous about his reaction to me, but when I met him he was very warm and welcoming answered all of my questions and invited me to a worship service. The moment I walked into my first Shabbat evening worship service my soul quieted and I knew I was finally “home”. I knew right then that I was born to be Jewish I was just birthed into the wrong family…LOL.
My family’s reaction to the news of my impending conversion was better then I thought. They were very cool about it and they teased me about it at first, but I knew they meant well. I have never looked back and do not regret my decision at all. I love my synagogue, it very multicultural so I see all sorts of people even a few with faces like mine. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms and I started learning Hebrew. My son goes to religious classes every Saturday and he is doing very well. I am still not sure if I want to convert him officially or if I want to wait and let him make his own decision, but I have time to figure that out.
I don't want to offend anyone, because I do not believe in certain aspects of other religions. To be completely honest I feel Christianity and other religions are wonderful, and I still incorporate a lot of the Christian holidays into my life because of my family. I just know for a fact that being a Jew is the only life for me.
19 comments:
I loved this post. Learning new things is awesome!
The path to GOD is one that is very personal and I believe comes to each of us in a different. As long as it leads you to GOD and puts you at peace who is to judge you?
i think you are very courageous to find your own way spiritually! glad you found a place to practice your faith with peace. hugs!
You are SO AWESOME!
@Keelah Thank you!! I try my best to be...LOL
Which tradition of Judaism did you convert to? (Ignore me if I am being too nosey).
I converted from Judaism to Christianity, so we are like alternate universe versions of each other lol!
@DJ Black Adam... if you’re asking me about what tradition I follow as in Ashkenazi, Sephardic or Mizrahi (Sp?). I would have to say that I follow mostly Ashkenazi traditions because that is who I am around the most. I have however begun to read more about the Sephardic traditions and am learning Hebrew in their tradition.
Now if you’re asking about tradition meaning movement I am following. I’m converting into the Reform tradition, but I feel as I get deeper into my spiritual journey and feel ready to commit I will want to eventually convert Orthodox. I am really taking my journey into Judaism step by step, because I don’t want to get overwhelmed. I mean going from 10 commandments to 613 is enough to make anyone turn tail and run from it all…LOL. The synagogue I attend does not have an affiliation with any particular movement. My Rabbi incorporates a little from each tradition in our services, but with that said, he is a liberal, and Orthodox Jews would consider him reform.
The fact that you converted to Christianity intrigues me. What made you decide to do that? (If I may ask) This is just too cool.
613 Mitzahs of the Torah, lol, I always catch Jehovah’s Witness, Mormons and other So- called “I follow the Ten commandments” Christians with asking them about the other 603 lol
As for myself, Well, I received Christ a few years back at a very small Pentecostal church outside of Chicago. My family has ancestry from Ethiopia (Beta Israel), however those of us who followed the Judaic faith followed an African American / Hebrew tradition; an “offshoot” of Judaism, which I followed up until I was about 18 years of age, very Torah (Tanakh as a whole) based, we didn’t rely on the Talmud in that tradition. Then I decided to convert to Conservative Judaism. General study of Judaism and the Talmud led me to read the New Testament out of curiosity, so I began to have questions and that study of the New Testament was what eventually led me to accept Jesus as HaMoshiach Adonai Shekinu.
I am of no particular Christian tradition, I keep it simple, I follow Christ’ example as best as I can, read the scriptures and meditate upon them and try to keep the physical / temporal in check and allow the Spirit of the Most High to guide me.
So anyway, I know some reform Jews here in Chicago, most of the folks I talk to still are either Conservative or Reform, some of my Ethiopian friends are Conservative in their observance, I have met a few Orthodox and Chasidic Jews here in Chicago also, however, they get kind of stand offish when the find out I converted (to be expected).
Anyway, how are things so far in your journey?
DJ... Your story really fascinates me for two reasons. 1) I have yet to come across and AA who was born into the Jewish faith and 2) because I have come across anyone who has converted from Judaism. I know that both scenarios are out there and probably more common then I think. I wish I could find a community of AA Jews in this area that I could learn with.
I find it cool that the study of Torah brought you to Christ and ironic how the opposite happened for me. Keep doing you and the world will be a better place. I personally feel that it does not matter how we worship G-d as long as we have faith and believe that there is only one true G-d
My journey is going slowly, but surely like I said. I know I still have tons to learn and no matter how many times I read a passage in the Torah, Ha-torah or Talmud I always find something new to gain.
Tell me more about the AA tradition you grew up with. Is there a name for it? Is there still a community in Chicago? Did you celebrate all the typical Holidays? (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Purim, Passover, Shavuot etc.) Did you keep kosher?
Now I hope I am not being to nosey.
Not at all nosey, I enjoy talking about these things and learning about others, I just met a Buddhist who follows the Shaolin tradition, fascinating things I have learned from him.
As for me, I generally just went to shul (when I went) at AA ones in, most often Congregation Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Chicago. Since most of what I did was because of our ancestry to Beta Israel, I just did my own thing yet in conjunction with African American / Ethiopian Jews I came across in Chicago (we kind of avoided the “Hebrew Israelite” groups, even though I visited them sometimes). I keep Kosher, celebrated the Biblical holidays in the Tanakh, but not in the way I observed them in the Conservative tradition.
I still observe Pesach and occasionally Purim (Pesach because of its importance regarding the day of Pentecost and the Spirit of God, Purim, because its fun!) I don’t observe Christmas or Easter because of their pagan roots, but I don’t bother Christians who do, I just remind them to remember Christ if that is the reason they are celebrating.
Amended:
Forgive me Tsiporah, I just re-read what I wrote (sorry I was at work and writing fast). The celebrations I still observer are Shavuot (Pentecost), Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot (Tabernacles), Pentecost because of the gifting of the Holy Spirit, Pesach because of the Passover because of the Lamb of God, Jesus.
Same goes for what I said about Christmas and Easter.
My bad.
BTW, Chag Kasher V'Same'ach
And still Purim because I like it :-)
How about you? Which holidays do you observe?
DJ...No problem. I am glad to hear that you keep up a few of the traditions. I find the rigidity of most religions gets in the way of actually worshipping G-d and true meaning of spirituality. (I hope that makes sense.)It is nice when people actually think for themselves and explore what traditions they feel speak to them and the way they want to worship.
I celebrate Christmas with my family, but only out of respect for them and the family tradition of all of us being together on that day.
I am not big on Chanukah (sp?) I light the candles and say the blessings, but I don't make it into the Jewish Christmas.
I pretty much observe all of the holidays alone. Last year I was invited to my first Pesach Seder and I had a lot of fun, but tonight it is just going to me my boy and I. I've been cleaning all weekend getting rid of the Chamezt (sp?)...LOL
I would have to say I love the symbolism and the story of Pesach.
Purim is my son's favorite holiday for obvious reasons.
I have had a few dilemmas trying to stop celebrating Christian holidays such as Easter. My mom always made a big deal of out of buying Easter baskets and dying eggs. My son loves that portion of the holiday and, so I have incorporated dying eggs into our Pesach tradition. We use the best looking egg for the Seder plate.
Was your wife born into the Christian tradition? Or is she a convert like you?
If she was born into a Christian tradition how does she feel about incorporating holidays such as (Pesach, Purim etc.) into her tradition and not celebrating Christmas and Easter?
I am single and not currently dating anyone, but I hope to some day find someone to build a life with. I hope that if he is not Jewish he is a least open minded enough to either try to incorporate both of our traditions or at least let me do me.
Oh...and I don't really celebrate Christmas. I just show up exchange gifts and enjoy being with my family that I don't get to see all year...and the food..YUMMY!!!
Lol, yeah kid’s and Purim, I haven’t indoctrinated mine into the holiday, I’ll have to wait until I have enough money for their gift expectations lol.
My wife was born into the Baptist tradition but left it when she was a teenager to experience Jesus in a more “personal” and “tangible” way. When we met, we would discuss the scriptures often, especially the Tanakh, I was very impressed with the knowledge that she had regarding the Law and the Prophets, most Christians I had meet didn’t have that, in fact she taught me a few things.
She has always understood the connection between Jesus the Hebrew Moshiach and the Hebrews and the Hebraic roots of the faith in Jesus himself and the Apostles, so she was pretty open to celebrating certain Hebrew Holidays, she was pretty through with Christmas and Easter as pagan traditions herself even before I met her, so we do very well.
How wonderful!! It is great that you were able to find someone that you could openly discuss your beliefs with and who had some of the same thoughts.
Are you all raising your children to follow strictly in the path that you all have taken? Or are you encouraging them to find their own path to G-d? How old are your kids? boys? girls? If you want e-mail me you can at Tsiporah05@gmail.com
Hi Tsiporah. I was a Southern Baptist and am now converting to Orthodox Judaism. I have added you to my favorites list and think it's great that I found your blog through the "next blog" option. I can't wait to hear how you are doing.
Welcome To be decided, and I hope you have a wonderful journey into Judaism.
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