conversion

Despite a Jewish tradition of welcoming converts, Jews-by-choice may experience inappropriate attitudes that they should both understand and, if necessary, confront.

Israel's responsibilities toward converts begin with equal protection, but ultimately require the full integration of the convert into the family of Israel.

Male converts to Judaism are traditionally required to undergo circumcision or, if already circumcised, a ritual removal of a single drop of blood.

Liberal Jews who support outreach claim that active proselytism was the Jewish tradition until the Roman Empire outlawed conversion to Judaism under penalty of death.

This legal opinion from the Masorti (Conservative) movement in Israel takes the lenient opinion that a convert should not explicitly reject any Jewish law.

Rabbi Uziel holds that as long as the judges first attempt to break off a projected marriage to a non-Jew, they are obligated to convert the non-Jew, even if the motivation is marriage.

For the Israelites, acceptance of the covenant was twofold: identification with the people through circumcision in Egypt and acceptance of God at Sinai.

Kabbalat ol ha-mitzvot (acceptance of the commandments) combines faith and action with an intent to evolve as a practicing Jew.

Plan ahead to enhance the spirituality of the immersion experience; a mikveh or mikvah, a ritual bath, tends more toward the functional than the spiritual.

One of the joys of being "like a newborn baby" after the conversion is that you get to pick a Hebrew name--which is easier than you may think.