First Conversion Meeting Etiquette

Question

Although ethnically I am partially Jewish and have been very involved in the Jewish community, it’s not through a matrilineal line, so I am not halachically Jewish — and I am getting ready for my first meeting with a local rabbi to begin the formal conversion process. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. While I am of course saving my questions for him – I have one question about the initial meeting that I am hoping to find the answer to on my own:

We will be meeting at his office in the synagogue building. When I go to services at a synagogue, I always wear a kippa while there. I, of course, do not wear one outside as I don’t want to misrepresent myself.

My question is: For this initial meeting, since it’s in the synagogue building but not in the sanctuary itself… should I wear my kippa out of respect for the rabbi and the space? Or should I not wear it because it is just in his office and I am just in the formal conversion process? I don’t want to do anything to inadvertently offend or seem inappropriate. For context, I am meeting with a Modern Orthodox Rabbi.

Thank you in advance!

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Answers

  1. Personally, I do not think that you need to wear a Kippah. However, I think that the best thing to do is to contact the Rabbi and ask him directly what he feels would be the correct etiquette.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team