Conversion

Question

Dear Rabbi,

Hi, I have been studying Judaism for a while now. After much deliberation I really want to covert to Judaism, specifically Modern Orthodox Judaism. I have found a synagogue in my area but I am confused in whether I should approach a Rabbi there or a Beth Din in my area for a halacha conversion. Sorry if this is a silly question, I couldn’t find a straight answer straight away and I wanted to ask a trusted and knowledgeable source.

Thank you so much.

1

Answers

  1. There is nothing “silly” about your question and there is nothing to apologize for.

    Personally, I would suggest that you do both. I would suggest that you approach the local Orthodox Rabbi and introduce yourself. Let him know that you are at the very beginning of a process that you hope will end in your conversion and that you would like his permission to join the Synagogue services. Stress that you are interested in conversion only if it is done according to Jewish Law (Halacha). Together with that, you can either ask the Rabbi if he can recommend a particular Bet Din for you to go to, or, if you already have the name of a reputable Orthodox Bet Din that is expert in conversions, you can contact them directly.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team

  2. Thank you so much for the straightforward and quick response!

    Best wishes!

  3. It’s a pleasure. I am happy that Just Ask! was able to be of assistance.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team