I have some Jewish background - can my children have B'Mitzvahs?

Thanks for your question.

Let me first emphasise that we try to be very open and welcoming to all, and especially to welcome back and support those with Jewish background etc.

You ahve told me that you had a Jewish father but no Jewish upbringing.

Our rules are in most ways more liberal and open than the orthodox part of the community.  Unlike them, we welcome and consider someone Jewish if they have only one Jewish parent - whether father OR mother - HOWEVER there is an important caveat - IF they have had a Jewish upbringing (and consider themselves solely Jewish) and that upbringing has been marked by 'Timely acts of Jewish life' - which would be things like circumcision, observing lighting Shabbat candles and Friday night dinner (sometimes), attending Passover Seders, celebrating the New Year and Day of Atonement, attending religion school, and having a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

At this point I should explain that we go out of our way to treat both (and all) genders as equal. We have started using the term 'Beyt Mitzvah', 'House of Commandments' in place or Bar (son) or bat (daughter) Mitzvah because we recognise that some kids are gender fluid or have gender dysphoria and we do not want to add to the pressure to be something they don't presently feel fopr themselves.  However in one regard we have realised that we need to be (and usually are) slightly more lenient - otherwise we end up being 'more orthodox than the orthodox', which is not a situation we are comfortable with!  So if a woman has a Jewish mother - EVEN if she has had NO Jewish upbringing - but would be counted as Jewish by the orthodox, then in practice we will often also welcome her (though we would encourage and assist her to do some top-up studies to make her feel more knowldgeable and better equipped to take on her Jewish identity).   

Sadly, in your case with a Jewish father but no Jewish upbringing, we really can't yet count you as Jewish.  However we would recognise you had a Jewish father and wished to take on your Jewish identity, and would outline some reading and studies so that, in due course, you could go before the Bet Din (a Jewish 'court' - three friendly progressive Rabbis who are again there to support and welcome you back!).

In the meantime, however, your children are not Jewish and therefore we cannot offer them a 'Bayt Mitzvah'.  I am so sorry, and aware that this may sound harsh.

If all of you are really keen (and I of course believe that progressive Judaism is a wonderful framework for a modern, meaningful, spiritual life), then what I would propose is that we work out a program which you can all journey on together.  You would do the bulk of the work - reading, some coursework - the course is done at your own speed and takes a minimum of a year but as long as you wish - and you would interpret and relay it to the kids at their levels, discuss together, start doing some celebrations - and teach yourselves to read hebrew (I have an easy and fun self-learning book). This would include the children participating in Religion School.

At an appropriate stage, you would then go to the Bet Din together and all have your Jewish status confirmed - and then we get to start on the BMs (Bar, Bat and Beyt Mitzvah is simply the Jewish way to say 'teenage').  Once they have turned 13, children can be counted as part of the adult community and may lead the service and read from Torah. The first time they do this - which might be 14, 15 or older - we celebrate their involvement wity teh BM celebrations. 

After Religion School, the children would join the BM class to prepare the prayers of the service and some verses from the week's Torah portion. 

I fully realise that is a major commitment and undertaking for families.  But it is also a wonderful opportunity to kearn and bond and share something valuable for the rest of your lives, and there are not so many things you can truly say that about.

Let me know your thoughts, once you've discussed it, and if you want to proceed, I'll be absolutely delighted to assist!  

L'shalom

Rabbi Jonathan

My great grandmother was a jew. Under Jewish law this makes my grandfather (her son) a Jew as well. Under Reform Judaism, are my father and myself considered jewish (patrilineal descent) despite not being raised as Jews?

Dear Marlene,

Thank you so much for your enquiry 'Am I a Jew?'

We would be delighted to assist and you would be most welcome to come along and meet us at one of our synagogues, though you haven't mentioned where you are currently based.  We would love to assist you to recover your Jewish connections and discover a Jewish identity. 

You have rightly pointed out that there are differences in approach between orthodox and progressive (Reform is a part of the progressive umbrella of the World Union for Progressive Judaism of which we are a part).

The orthodox count a person as Jewish if they are born to a Jewish mother.  By this logic, your grandfather was indeed a Jew. However, neither you nor your father have Jewish mothers nor were raised as Jews, and consequently would not be considered Jews.

The progressive approach is a more egalitarian one, drawing not only on natural justice but also on the fact that for the first half of the Jewish story (Biblical Judaism), the line went through the fathers (Abraham Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Menasseh etc, whilst in the second half (Rabbinic Judaism) it has gone through the mother (who, despite whatever may have happened in the previous 9 months, is always present at the birth!).

Therefore we say the line passes through either mother OR father - provided that the child is raised as a Jew and has 'timely acts of Jewish observance', which would include religious education, bar/bat mitzvah, celebrating shabbat, regular attendance at festivals such as New Year, Passover Seder, Chanukah lighting. (However, if both parents are Jewish, then you are Jewish even without the upbringing and timely acts, since 'what else could you be?')

So sadly, by our definition, since your grandfather was not raised as a Jew by your great grandmother, he would not be counted, though unless he was actively raised as something else, we would look for indications that would allow us to be lenient and accepting.

However, even if we accepted your great grandfather (and if the orthodox would, it would seem harsh and overly rigid for us not so do so), your father would not be considered Jewish since, as you say, he was not raised as a Jew, and for you yourself, the same conclusion would apply.  Sadly, you neither had a Jewish parent or a Jewish upbringing.

Having said all that, I reiterate that we would be happy to assist - we run regular Introduction to Judaism courses which you can access on line at your own speed, and we believe strongly that if you are looking for a meaningful, spiritual framework for your life, this is what our approach to Judaism offers, with a strong emphasis on community, justice and 'healing the world' to enable you to rejoin the community and formalise your Jewish status within the progressive Jewish world (though sadly it would not be recognised by the orthodox, over which we have no control!).         

I do hope this is helpful.  Please contact me if you'd like to know how to proceed.

L'shalom

Rabbi Jonathan

On Conversion, Marriage and Status of Children

Hello,
My name is Deborah, I am Jewish, however my partner who I have been going
out with for 8 years is not. The option of him converting has been discussed
over the last few years. I think his conversion needs to be done through a
liberal/progressive movement though, as we have looked into and spoken to a
orthadox rabbi and it's honestly just too hard.

My question is, if my partner converts through a liberal/progressive shul (synagogue) I
am aware we would ultimately end up getting married by a liberal/progressive
rabbi. Therefore, is our marriage considered Jewish? And when we ultimately
have children and we gave them bar/bat-mitzvahs do they take on the
liberal/progressive identity or would they still be considered orthadox
because of me no matter where they were given bar/bat-mitzvahs and no matter
where we got married?

Please let me know.
Many thanks.
Deborah

-------------------------------------------

Rabbi Jonathan responds:

Many thanks for your message and honesty, Deborah.

The bottom line is what you want conversion for?

If your partner is not interested in converting to Judaism, we can't convert him.  If he (and you) wish to be orthodox, we're not the right address for you.

If you both want to have a meaningful Jewish life that believes in welcoming sincere converts without making it too difficult, then we may be the right place.

However you have given no information as to where you are located.  To convert you have to be able to be part of a Jewish community.

Conversion takes a minimum of a year - realistically it usually takes more like two - and includes circumcision (for males) and mikveh (ritual immersion), which concludes the process.

I would point out, though, that we run an Introduction to Judaism course (which can be done on-line), which is the 'academic' side of the Conversion course.  Your partner (or you both) would be welcome to undertake this, and would both then know and understand more about Judaism and our perspectives, and would be better equipped to understand Judaism, discuss with family, raise children in a Jewish home, and know whether or not he wished to continue to conversion at some point.  You'll find details here:

http://pjv.org.au/education/introduction-judaism-online

Regarding your wedding questions:

The Progressive Movement in Australia, New Zealand and Asia only does marriage between two Jews.

If your partner converted with us, he would sadly not be accepted as Jewish in the eyes of most orthodox, and therefore you would not be able to get married in an orthodox synagogue.

However, since the orthodox observe the matrilineal rule, if the mother is accepted as Jewish by the orthodox, then so are the children.  Therefore, from the narrow point of view of the Jewish status of the children, it makes no difference whether your partner does not convert, or converts through the Progressive movement, or converts through the orthodox system.

Wanting a 'Chuppah' (a Jewish wedding under the canopy) is certainly not a good enough reason to convert and take on an entire framework and world view of belief and practice.  However, if a couple are both born Jewish, or if one converts through our Bet Din (Jewish court), then of course we'd be delighted to conduct a Chuppah.  A past orthodox Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, Rabbi Jakobovitz, ruled that if a couple could have been married by the orthodox, then the children are counted as Jews, whether they are married in a Progressive or orthodox ceremony.   

Therefore, they could if you chose celebrate Bar and Bat Mitzvah in orthodox synagogues (though your husband would not be able to be involved, whereas in a Progressive congregation they could).

I hope this is helpful.

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any further questions, or to make an appointment to come together to chat about it all, without obligation of course!  And if you might be interested, why not come along to a service or two to see if you feel comfortable with our lovely, friendly community in East Kew?

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Jonathan 

Do you welcome converts - and how should conversion students keep kosher?

Dear Rabbi,

I wonder about how Progressive and Reform Judaism handles potential converts, and kosher eating. Do converts have any dietary guidelines or commitments to hold to?

Thanks for your questions.

In terms of our approach to potential converts, we welcome them and support them as best we can, depending on where they are geographically  - in fact we had a Bet Din (Jewish Court) today in Melbourne and welcomed an excellent person who I'm sure is already a brilliant asset to the community and will become even more so.  He has been interested in Judaism since he was seven, and moved from rural Australia to Sydney to become part of a community and complete his conversion.  He understands more about God, Judaism and Progressive Judaism (and himself) than many born Jews, I have no doubt at all, and this is quite often the way!

Your question about kashrut is apposite.  The answer is no, we don't currently have particular expectations and standards, because we believe in 'Educated choice'.  However I believe there is a fundamental flaw with this concept as it is (as, in fact, I am increasingly thinking about democracy!).  The key word is 'Educated' and how do we get people to have the time, interest, ability and knowledge to make 'Educated Choices' for themselves (and all the more so when it affects others, or society, as well)?

I feel more and more that we should have a 'Progressive Shulchan Aruch' (Guide to Jewish practice) so that there are clear suggestions, expectations and a framework, developed and used by long term, knowledgeable educated Jews, which are 'Guidelines' (not laws).  By following these, candidates would have a good idea of what many Progressive Jews do (shop, cook, eat etc), or how they celebrate Shabbat and what they do and don't do... Having tried to adopt and live by these guidelines over some time, and during their studies, they may in due course decide after study and consideration that they want to modify their practice one way or other, but that would be in a more 'educated' setting, and the revised choices therefore more valid and legitimate, and they would be able to explain to themselves and others why they have chosen as they have.  

ECO-KASHRUT

So having said that, let me give you some basic information about my own practices and that of my family, but let me first mention 'Eco-kashrut or kosher'.  If one intention of kashrut is to minimse animal cruelty and exploitation (and this is in line with the established principle of tz'ar ba'alei chayim - minimising pain to animals), then there are various new issues not directly addressed by traditional kashrut - factory farming, raising veal in crates, hormones and artificial feedstuffs, and extending to cruel practices such as inversion pens for easier kosher slaughtering, employing illegal workers etc. Another related issue is environmental - emissions, both from raising meat and 'food miles', ie bringing food from long distances, unnecessary packaging, destruction of rainforests etc. Eco-kosher would therefore mean avoiding factory farmed eggs, chickens and other animals, veal, caution with the sourcing of milk and dairy products and palm oils, buying local and in season, looking for less packaging, less processed foods, and probably less food - ie smaller, healthier portions.  We say 'God provides sufficient food for all' ('noten lechem l'chol basar' in Birkat hamazon, grace after the meal), but the truth is that the developed world uses (and wastes) a hugely disproportionate amount, leaving many millions hungry or starving.  All of the above are, or should be, Jewish and kashrut issues. Judaism is about putting 'prayer into practice'! 

HOW WE KEEP KASHRUT

So, my family and I are vegetarian.  We also only eat free-range eggs (and we'd love to have our own chickens!).  We are aware of the problems in industrial milk and dairy food production, but have not (yet) discovered an easy answer to that, short of having or knowing a cow and butter/cheese maker! We try not to eat cheese with animal rennet (made from enzymes from an animal stomach), though we don't exclusively buy vegetarian cheese etc.  It is however much easier to buy foods with the vegetarian symbol on them.   

We never ate prohibited foods (pork products, or rabbi, camel, kangaroo, dog etc - kosher animals need to both chew the cud and have cloven hooves), or shellfish, eel or shark (deceitfully known as 'flake' here in Australia and common as fish and chips!) - kosher sea animals should have both fins and scales.  

When we ate meat, we tried not to eat foods cooked with meat and milk together, or the two in the same meal - but we might say grace after meals after the main course, go to sit in the lounge and then have a milk coffee or an ice cream, having deliberately made it a 'different meal'!

We have never had separate crockery or cutlery.  We believe that washing up, or the dishwasher, cleans any meaty or milk bits away - and even if it doesn't, that was the intention!  But of course we'll explain our practices to guests who might be concerned - and if necessary we'll get disposable (paper or bamboo leaf) plates (still bad for the environment), etc.

Generally all fruit and vegetables are kosher (parev, meaning neutral - they can be eaten with either meat or dairy), although technically even some of them are not kosher - for example if they are grown in Israel during the sabbatical year!  There was a suggestion that one shouldn't drink orange juice unless it had a hechsher - kosher seal - because Israel produces much citrus and some of it may have been frozen and made its way - perhaps years later - into any orange juices ('produce of more than one country')!  These complications do not worry us - it is the intent that counts, and anyway, there is a handy law called 'shishim' which basically says that if by accident there is a small part (less than a sixtieth) of a prohibited product in what you eat, that is fine - it is still kosher!    

Whatever the rules are for home, we apply them as far as possible when out as well.  It seems to me to be inconsistent to have one rule for home and another out! 

And we DO keep kashrut.  But if someone says do we, depending on the intent of the question, we'd say yes, but to our own understanding.  If we are going to them or they to us, or we're going out to eat together, of course we'd explain as necessary.

Sometimes people say 'that's crazy - either you do or you don't'.  But that is their problem - they are wrong.  The rules of kashrut are many and derive from nay different parts of Torah - and of course later tradition: do not eat blood, do not eat these animals or those, do not seethe a kid in its mother's milk, do not eat the cow and her calf together, shoo the mother bird away before eating the eggs, do not eat tithed food, do not eat food grown during the sabbatical year....  

There is actually no one agreed set of laws for kashrut.  On Passover the Ashkenazim (Middle European origin Jews) have quite different rules from the Sephardim (Spanish/Portugese).  And year round, some people wait one hour between milk and meat, while others wait 3 or 6 hours!  Some people determine that some fish are kosher whilst others say they are not!  And then there is 'glatt kosher' or 'super-kosher' - for some people kosher is not kosher enough - and for some groups, even glatt-kosher is not sufficient - only food approved by their own rebbe!

So to conclude, you too can keep kosher, and it's a good idea - but over time and with study and thought, you'll decide just how and what it looks (and tastes!) like.

L'shalom

Rabbi Jonathan

Can you help a non-Aussie?

Hello,

I'm a Canadian living in Asia, nowhere near a non-Orthodox Jewish community, and am highly interested in learning more about (progressive) Judaism in support of a possible conversion in the near to mid-future. It appears you have online Intro classes.

My questions are obvious. Do you take non-Australian tutees residing outside of Australia? Also, are there any significant differences between your presentation of Judaism and that presented by the Reform movement (in Canada, in case that's a significant point)?

Thanks,

Sarah

Hi Sarah,

The basic answer is yes - we certainly welcome students from outside Australia, and Progressive Judaism as taught on our course is a 'close sibling' of US/Canadian Reform (we are all members of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, wupj.org).  The US/Canadian movement covers a spectrum from more traditional to very liberal, and we tend to be towards the more traditional in practice and learning, but more liberal end in terms of beliefs etc.

The more complex answer is that ours is an 'Introduction to Judaism' course.  It would prepare you well to complete conversion in Canada (or with us).  But to convert, it is necessary to have a developing relationship with a congregation, so you can attend shabbat and festival services and become part of a community.  It is very hard to be a Jew on your own - and virtually impossible to convert on your own.

We had an excellent student from deepest New Zealand - she completed the course and attended our December open weekends in Melbourne twice running several years ago.  But she then decided to move to Melbourne six months ago and has become involved with the community and attending several times weekly - and went to the Bet Din (Jewish Court) and was accepted last month.  

I hope this is a useful response. If you have not already done so I would refer you to https:// progressivejudaism.blogspot.com to read my responses to a range of other queries, and to http://pjv.org.au/education/introduction-judaism-online

where you can do two free trial introductory sessions and then get registered and started if you wish.

If you could give me a bit more background about yourself, family/partner, where exactly you are located to see if we have a community in the vicinty etc, it will help me give you better guidance.

Shabbat Shalom (the greeting leading up to shabbat)

Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black

I'M MILES FROM A COMMUNITY BUT I WANT TO CONNECT TO MY JEWISH ROOTS

Hi there,

I am just sending this email as I am interested in converting to Judaism. I have sent a lot of emails to different Jewish organisations online but have not received any responses so it is a bit disheartening. 

I feel I have a Jewish soul. My great-great grandmother was Jewish. She had a son, who had a son, who had a daughter - my mother. I feel that it is already in me through the bloodline and my genes and I really want to confirm my identity and become fully Jewish.

My problem is that I live in a rural town in NSW, 5 hours from Sydney, and this being the case there is no local synagogue to attend. This does not worry me though as I would be happy to do everything online.

Are you able to assist or direct me to where I could get some help with this?

Kind regards,

Rabbi Jonathan responds:

Many thanks for your perseverance in trying to discover more about and re-establish your Jewish identity.  I am confident it will ultimately be a rewarding and worthwhile search.

We will try to assist.  However I should say from the outset that it is very hard to be a Jew on your own, and virtually impossible to become one when you are five hours from the nearest physical Jewish community.   Your situation, as you describe it, is slightly different, or perhaps 'between the two', in that you feel you have a Jewish connection already through your great great grandmother.  So let's locate you in the 'very hard' rather than 'virtually impossible'. Although we can now talk and do study 'on-line' and you can even watch regular shabbat and festival services, we have not yet created a 'virtual community' that you can participate meaningfully in.  Perhaps this will come in the next few years.

Next I should explain that what we offer is a pretty comprehensive course about Judaism (from our Progressive perspective).  You take it at your own speed but it takes a minimum of a year simply because it is structured to learn about the festivals at the time when they are approaching etc.  We have a Shabbat weekend each December (15th to 17th in 2017) at the Leo Baeck Centre in East Kew, Melbourne so you can experience the services and community and meet other students etc. 

The course will ensure you have a good understanding and familiarity with life cycle, the cycle of the year and festivals, history, theology, Jewish belief and practice etc.

This is the 'academic' part of the conversion course, but in order to convert, you also need to be able to read Hebrew (I have a good book for that, as you will see in the Introduction above), and to have experienced services, Passover Seder, High Holy Days etc - and really to have created a relationship with a Jewish community. You'll need a 'Sponsoring Rabbi' and once they think you are ready, they'll arrange a 'Bet Din' (Jewish Court) who will hear your story and hopefully welcome you formally to the Jewish people.

I do hope this is both clear and helpful.  I understand that it can feel frustrating and upsetting to get no responses or to be knocked back, especially when it is so relatively easy to join some other faiths.  It is worth remembering that Judaism, unlike some other major faiths, does not believe you 'have to be Jewish' or order to have a place in 'the world to come/salvation/redemption/eternal peace' etc.  Judaism believes there are many legitimate and meaningful paths, and that all that is required is to be a 'decent human being' and follow the 7 Noahite laws (things like ensuring Courts of Justice for your community, not murdering or stealing or taking limbs from living animals etc).

And of course, whenever you can get to Sydney (or Melbourne or Canberra etc), do make the effort to get along to one of our congregations - I can arrange introductions and someone to welcome and assist you.

L'shalom

Rabbi Jonathan     

Do I really need to learn Hebrew?

Hi Rabbi Jonathan 
I was thrilled to find the course and information on conversion here in Australia. I was, however, concerned that I would need to learn Hebrew. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which affects my cognitive abilities, could you please explain further the level of Hebrew required in order to convert? 

Thanks

George.


Rabbi Jonathan responds:

Hi George,

First, I am sorry to hear about your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which I know can be a truly debilitating affliction. There is, however, no arbitrary level of hebrew required in order to become Jewish (indeed there are many Jews who cannot read hebrew!).  What we are looking for is your best attempt to learn it.  And actually Hebrew is much easier than English as it is phonetic.  You just learn the sounds of the letters and vowels and put them together.  My book 'Hebrew from Zero' makes it as easy and enjoyable as possible, and teaches tricks to memorise the sounds and avoid the common mix-ups between similar letters.  If you wanted to be considered for conversion by the Bet Din, you'd have to have developed a relationship with a community and a Sponsoring Rabbi, who will have submitted your material showing your understanding of Judaism, and you'd have to have shown a serious attempt at learning to read (actually decode) hebrew.  The reason we require it is so that you can join in with blessings etc, even though it is also written in English letters (transliterated) in our prayer book (Mishkan T'filah, World Union Edition).

Hebrew works in two ways, even if people don't understand all of it - they know the readings and prayers have been carefully composed, considered and adjusted to express Jewish prayerfulness and spirituality by our ancestors way back as well as our more recent Rabbis - so when we say the words of the Sh'ma, we are declaring God's oneness, just as Rabbi Akiva did almost 2000 years ago when he was being tortured to death by the Romans, as Jews did in the Holocaust, and as they will do, hopefully in happier circumstances, for generations and millenia into the future!  That 'link in the chain of history' does not require complete understanding of every word (it is always translated in our prayer books anyway!).  This first way might be considered vertical, through time.

The second way it works is 'horizontally', around the world. Jews live in almost every country of the world, and consequently speak almost every language.  So if I go to our congregation in Brussels, their services may be in Flemish - and Hebrew.  In France, in french and Hebrew.  In South America, in Spanish - and Hebrew.  Now my French and Spanish are almost non-existent, and I certainly can't read them fluently - though probably marginally better than my Flemish!  I can't keep up in the service, and it doesn't sound familiar - until they switch to the Hebrew!

So yes, becoming as fluent and confident as you can with Hebrew really is one of the things that makes a confident, rounded Jew!  But no, it is not an essential requirement to be able to read Hebrew fluently.

See alos the post 'Is there a Jewish section in Heaven?'

Good luck

Rabbi Jonathan

I've started - can you help me finish?

Dear Rabbi . I have been in touch with a colleague of yours in the Union for Progressive Judaism as I am living in Australia.

They advised me to get in touch with you re conversion requirements.

I have done an on-line course with an organisation based in the U.S.A but I don't know if it's the real thing.

I haven't been before a bet din (Jewish court) there or been to a mikva (ritual bath), but I have done all the study modules.

Sorry to trouble you but I am anxious to convert in a way that will be acceptable and allow me to become an active member of the Jewish community in Australia.

 

Hi Jessica,

Can you send me the overview of the modules and study that you have done?

Also have a look at the questions I have sent you.  If you feel you can answer these confidently then it would suggest you have done the basic 'academic learning' we require. If not, we'll need to arrange some topping up.  If you'd like to try to answer them as best you can, using work and learning you've done, plus books and internet, then I'm happy to review them to identify what we'd need to do.

In particular it would be useful for you to get an overview of progressive Jewish concepts in our region, for which I recommend our course book 'A Judaism for the Twenty-First Century'  which I adapted from the British Progressive movement. You can get it on line from Amazon or I can get one sent to you for Au$25 plus postage (call the office to order by credit card +61 3 9819 7160).

Before you go before the Bet Din you will also need to take an 'Inventory' for which you'll need to go in to one of our congregations and complete a paper without books, internet etc.  There is no pass mark for this but it does give us an idea of how much you actually have retained in your mind as opposed to in notes - for example what is the Hebrew year; what is the next main festival?

And before this, you'll also need to be able to read hebrew - hebrew gives access to Jewish ritual such as blessings.  This is because the Inventory asks you what certain blessings are for - easy ones, except that it writes them in hebrew, so you won't be able to answer unless you can decipher them!

I assume that you learned to read hebrew as part of the American course, but if not you'll need to find a Hebrew course, or else I have written a self-teaching, self-checking hebrew primer called 'Hebrew from Zero'.   Again you can get this on-line or we can send it to you for Au$20 plus postage, or if you get both books we will waive the postage charges.

Before the Bet Din you will also need a relationship with a congregation, and to have attended regular shabbat services as well as festivals, and in particular the main ones including Passover Seder and High Holydays.  You will need your own copy of our prayer book (Siddur) called Mishkan T'filah - World Union Edition. You will be able to get this from the congregation if you do not yet have one.  It costs $65.

I do apologise that this looks like a list of extra costs - that is not my intention and I have minimised the costs as much as possible.  What I am trying to do is to assist in completing your conversion by a recognised and reputable Bet Din in the shortest appropriate time frame.

You might also be interested to know that we hold a Shabbat weekend in December here in Melbourne, specially aimed for those going through the Introduction to Judaism course.

Please feel free to contact me with further questions. 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Jonathan