(Not Yet) Jewish
Question
Dear Rabbi!
First, I want to send you all best wishes for the New 5780. year!
In past Holy days I realized that after 7 years of learning how to be a Jew, building my life on 613 commandments and Jewish laws, I have to make it official. Just to let you know, I am circumcised and I chose my Hebrew name. But, I can’t practice Jewish traditions because, no one, except my family, sees me as a Jew. I need to know: What to do now?
There is no Rabbi near me. All I know, I know by reading so many books about Jewish life and Jewish traditions. I want to serve Him as best as I can, so I need help.
Thank you!
With all due respect,
(Name withheld by AsktheRabbi.org for privacy)
Answers
While I truly empathize with your problem, there is little that I can do from here since you need to convert officially. The first step is to make arrangements so that you have a qualified Orthodox Rabbi overseeing, in a personal way, the entire conversion process from beginning to end, because the Orthodox community only recognizes an Orthodox conversion.
To take refuge under the wings of the Almighty is a process which has far-reaching significance to one’s spiritual soul, both in this world and in the hereafter. It has both spiritual advantages and spiritual obligations, which if not fulfilled can end up in a net loss. More importantly, if the conversion is not done with the proper preparation on the part of the potential convert, it just doesn’t work.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team