Hello!

Hello Blogosphere! 
            Some things you should know about me:

-         I am not Jewish by blood

-         I am Jewish at heart

-         I am converting

-         I am allergic to Gluten.

        However, this blog is going to deal mainly with the first three bulletins. I got this idea from a woman I met at Shabbat last week. I am converting to Judaism; I decided that a long time ago. The only reason I haven’t started the process yet is that I was in school for most of my life. I decided to wait to start the conversion process until after I finished college, which I did, last June. The reason for this is that, my sources tell me, the conversion process takes a year of intensive study. Well, I was already doing that. So I waited until I finished that study to start this next, more important (to me) study.

      I graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington and then moved to New York City because I could, because I have big dreams, because I love New York City, and because as much as I love Bellingham, if I had to stay there any longer I would have screamed. The time simply came for me to move on. So I did.  

      I went to Shabbat last week at this synagogue off of 1^st street- the Town and Village Synagogue. I had wanted to go to a synagogue since I arrived here. I wanted to pray and basically just to be with God for a while. The service started and the Cantor, Shayna Postman, had the most beautiful voice. I don’t know Hebrew, I don’t know any of the prayers she was singing and therefore couldn’t really sing with her, but I listened and I took it in and it was just wonderful. I had found it. I found a sense of home that I only get at a synagogue.

      More than that, I had found other converts like myself. When I was in Bellingham and told people I was going to convert, they always asked “Why.” I understand that they were curious and they all meant well by it but I was so sick of trying to answer that question. Because I couldn’t. My reasons for converting are so hard to articulate. A phrase I heard in a Tarot book (oh yeah, I read Tarot cards too) was “a great truth you can’t put into words” and that’s exactly what this is. It’s impossible for me to explain my decision to convert to anyone, but I just know it to be the truth. It’s what’s right for me.

      With these other people, other converts like me; I didn’t have to explain, because they got it. They understood because they’re on the same page, or very similar pages.

      So long story short- this is going to be a blog about my experience through the conversion process. It might not actually start for a little while, as the High Holidays are coming up and I’ll likely wait until after that to start everything. Plus the classes cost money, and I don’t really have that at the moment. But when something happens, I’ll let you know.