It’s official!

I’m now a member of the tribe! 🙂

Today was such a great day! I started getting a little nervous this afternoon before meeting with the Beit Din (In my case it was 2 Rabbis and the Cantor from my synagogue) , but once I sat down to meet with them all the nerves faded away. They asked questions and we talked for about 20 minutes, they took a few minutes to talk together before we headed to the mikvah. The nerves started kicking in a bit then, but having to get the kids and myself ready as quickly as we could helped me forget I was nervous. Rabbi Brown also told me I could take my copy of the blessings in with me, which made it much easier. I must say, I think I did pretty well with the prayers. Since the kids were converting with me I said them for them also. I practiced and practiced the prayers so I wouldn’t botch them too bad 🙂 Thad enjoyed practicing them with me and both kids tried to recite them with me. It was amazing! Both kids loved the mikvah and didn’t want to leave. Basically the complete opposite of what I thought would happen! Instead of bribing them to get in, I had to bribe them to get out 🙂 Then we met back with the Rabbis and Cantor afterwards. It was all so great and everyone really made it easy and comfortable. There was some paperwork to fill out afterwards and then it was over! At the end of this month a couple other new Jews by Choice and will go up in front of the synagogue and be blessed and say a little something about our jewish journey. It’s amazing how positively Judaism has effected my family, and it’s only been a year! I’m so excited to see what’s ahead for my family and me.
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Quick Update

My Introduction to Judiasm class starts tomorrow! It’s taught by the wife of the Rabbi at the Orthodox temple. I’m excited and a bit nervous. I have a lot of trouble focusing and remembering things so I hope I can keep up. It’s been forever since I’ve taken a real class.

I kept meaning to update about my experiences with all the holidays that recently passed, but time seems to get the best of me lately. It was a great learning experience this past month. I wish life could slow down more so I could have more time to reflect and absorb everything.

Kyle and I attended Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur services along with a fun Sukkot celebration. The Sukkot barbecue was family friendly so we brought both kids. Thad was excited to meet Rabbi Brown, which for some reason he always associates him with Mickey Mouse. For an almost 3 year old though, I’d have to say that ranks pretty high up there on Thad’s scale of cool.

During my last meeting with Rabbi Brown he said if he did tests, I would of passed the first big one. Basically I’ve moved on from Judaism 101 he said, and he knows I’m really serious about converting and out studying will be for focused from here on out.

I have lots going on this month so I’m sure I’ll get behind again with updates. I’m so excited fall is here and hope the weather stays cooler! We have a bunch of Halloween decorations out and I’m starting work on my kid’s halloween costumes. Can’t believe the husband and I are celebrating out 5th anniversary this Halloween! Each year just keeps getting better and better!

Update

I attended my first Shabbat Friday at Temple Israel. It was wonderful! My husband was able to come with and we kept getting lost trying to follow the prayers and where we were in the service, but even so, it’s was such a good feeling to be there. I’m excited to get the chance to go again this Friday too. This time I hope to be able to stay a bit afterwards and meet some people.

Kyle also came with me to my most recent meeting with Rabbi Brown. We went over the Prayer Book and an overview of the Shabbat service to help prepare us. My next meeting is in 4 weeks.

This evening ended another new holiday for me, Tisha B’Av. It mainly commemorates the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem and exile of Jews from Israel. It is traditionally a fasting holiday and a mourning holiday. However, many Reform Jews don’t fast on this holiday.

I know it’s been a while since I have updated, summer gets pretty busy for me apparently. I haven’t even had a chance to make challah in a couple weeks, which bummed me out a bit. I went through my Christmas and Easter decorations and gave them away. I found it odd that out of the two holidays I got a bit emotional over Easter. I guess I feel a bit guilty that my children will miss out on the fun of the Easter bunny. I also haven’t had much of a chance to read the last book I bought, Choosing a Jewish Life, hopefully I can get back to it soon.

The Second Meeting

Today was my second meeting with Rabbi Brown at Temple Israel. Kyle was able to come meet the Rabbi and we spent almost an hour an half discussing different aspects of Judaism, my conversion, how this could effect out lives, and what to kind of expect along our journey. Kyle wasn’t really raised around religion so this is all very new to him and considers himself to be agnostic. I think we both took a lot of positive feelings and knowledge away from the meeting today.

Rabbi Brown said that a big portion of his congregation don’t know if they believe there is a G-d. Jews embrace questioning and faith isn’t near the top of the priority list, and also 1/3 of his congregation at services are non-Jews. I think learning that information will help us be more at ease as an interfaith couple when attending services and just being in the Jewish community.

I knew Kyle would be supportive in my conversion process and helping me raise our children in a Jewish family, but after today I see he plans on taking a bigger role than I anticipated, and I could not be more excited! I thought I’d be more alone in my process and it’s comforting to know that he has a bigger interest in something I am very passionate and excited about. Right when we got home he started researching some books and we purchased a couple today. He also said he wouldn’t mind coming to meetings with the Rabbi every now and then with me, which I also wasn’t expecting.

We also officially decided we will not have a Christmas tree at Christmas time and their will be no gift from Santa for our children. Originally I was planning on putting up a “Chanukah tree” and giving the kids each one gift from Santa. Our kids are young enough that they will just grow up knowing that those practices are in Christian homes, and as a Jewish family with a Jewish home, we just don’t have those things.We still plan on Christmas Day being  spent with both sets of the kids grandparents and we will still exchanging gifts. I think it will be a bit hard for me to let it go, especially because I love the festive feeling of Christmas decor, but I’ll just have to have some fun with snowflakes and snowmen instead! 🙂

Success!

I made a decent challah bread this week!

I also learned not to secure the top and bottom of my braid until I’m happy with how the braid looks.
I’m hoping to find some recipes that can use up challah bread throughout the week since I will be making it so often. I’ve seen French toast, but I’ll have to see what else is out there. Feeding to the ducks is always an option too I suppose.

And for the end of Shavuot we decorated the house with paper flowers

My next meeting with Rabbi Brown is June 6th. This is the one the husband will hopefully come to if he gets the day off work. I’m so excited!

And although its still a few hours away… Shabbat Shalom!! 🙂

Meeting with the Rabbi

It went very well! He was so nice and seems like such a great guy, which I suppose is what you would expect from a clergy person, but he was even more awesome than I anticipated.

He asked me about my family, schooling, kids, why I wanted to convert, why I chose Reform Judaism, my expectations, and other questions along those lines. The process will take about a year and he will meet with me about every 3 weeks for 45 minutes.

My home work before the next meeting is to talk to Kyle (the husband) more about my conversion. Rabbi Brown asked if I could get Kyle to come to the next meeting to talk about Kyle’s expectations of my conversion, support, and the future of our Jewish family. Judaism is a very family centered religion and there are many questions Kyle and I haven’t thought to talk about, especially since he is Agnostic and doesn’t know much about Judaism.

I am so excited for the next meeting with Rabbi Brown and to get ready to celebrate Shavuot!

 

Earlier today when I left to meet Rabbi Brown at Temple Israel

Tomorrow’s the Day!

I meet with Rabbi Brown at Temple Israel tomorrow afternoon! 🙂 can’t wait! It’s just a half hour meeting, so not too involved. Kyle and I drove past the synagogue yesterday so I’d know where to go.

I’ve told a few more people about my conversion, friends and family, and it has been received better than I could of ever imagined! One friend has even been to Temple Israel a few times and offered to go with me. She also gave me some information of a Jewish friend of her’s that attends Shabbat there, so if I have questions or anything, she could help me out.

Also this week, my brother and his wife come for a visit! I am sooooo excited!!! This is going to be a great week!

My first meeting with a Rabbi at Temple Israel is set up!!!