I will never forget the car ride where my dad was trying to convert me back to Catholicism, after I'd told him that I was actively pursuing Judaism.
He was waving one hand, when he professed- "Joy! You have to look for the signs from G-d! From the universe! Everything pulling you back in- back home!"
Then, the car rattled, crapped out, and rolled to a stop on the curb. Literally right outside was a synagogue with a huge Magen David stain glass window.
I know that we often think of Shavuot as cheese/cheesecake day... But the day is a Celebration of Ruth (well King David, but we have to read the Megillat Ruth for that).
So Chag Shavuot Sameach to all Jewish Converts and those converting, our Gerim Tzedek. Thank you for loving Judaism and Jews so much that you felt compelled to be one of us, and importantly thank you for an excuse to make and eat cheesecake every year.
But Ruth replied, “Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
Hey so like…as a convert, I’m going to take your hands delicately while I say this as gently as I can:
if you are a conversion student and have serious problems with fundamental aspects of Judaism (our maintained connection to Israel, praying in Hebrew, our prohibition about worshipping other deities, Zionism - you do not have to be a Zionist to be Jewish but you have to understand that something like 90% of us are. If you don’t know what Zionism actually is, go learn.) please stop the process. Same if you haven’t unpacked and healed from any former religious trauma. Stop. Back off. You don’t *have* to be Jewish. Being Jewish isn’t better than not being Jewish. And it’s completely disrespectful and insulting to come into Jewish spaces with the idea to mold Judaism to suit you. We are a People. You can either become part of the People, or you cannot. That is not to say you can’t have your own opinions within the peoplehood, but if you have fundamental issues with core aspects of our tribal hood, then you frankly shouldn’t be here.
If u had to pick 5 educational videos about Jews/zionism/israel/palestine that u really like /that helped u deradicalize what would u pick
I kind of made this very hard for myself, because I never actually saved the videos I watched back then that I found thought-provoking - but I looked around for a couple of videos that I remember being either thought-provoking or convincing. This isn't perfect list, it's made with hindsight, and more importantly, what I found convincing isn't going to convince everyone. (OBS! I'm not saying I endorse or agree with all things said in them, what I am saying is that they in retrospect where important to my deradicalization process)
1. Haviv Rettig Gur: The Great Misinterpretation - how Palestinians view Israel
The most memorable one, that was incredibly crucial for my deradicalization and which I find incredibly important and fully endorse, is this video by Haviv Rettig Gur about the Palestinian view of Israel
2. Dr Einat Wilf: Antizionism is Antisemitism
This speech by Dr. Einat Wilf is just... great, and I highly recommend it. So many of her videos resonated with me, and still do (especially the video of her talking about why she believes it was wrong for Sweden to recognize Palestine in 2014)
3. Anti-Zionist Jew Vs. Rudy Rochman
This campus debate between Rudy Rochman and an antizionist jew, among others, was pretty memorable
My sincere apologies for including a video featuring both Destiny and Finklestein, but this debate was pretty interesting and informative, mostly because of Benny Morris- it also finally made me loose all respect for Finklestein (finally)
5. Pro-Palestinians Can't Debunk this Israeli Video
This one I also remember (partly for the cringey title (imo)- I found it very hard to stomach, but true to the title, I couldn't really counter anything said in the video, and it helped me realise that I knew much less than I thought I did
I'll say again that it isn't like, a list of the "most convincing videos" or whatever, just a few that stuck with me. שבת שלום 🧡
+ Bonus judaism video!
Since my decision to convert to judaism preceeded my antizionist brain-cleansing, I wanted to throw in a little bonus video from a channel I watched and found very informative/thought-provoking in this regard, which is Rabbi Tovia Singer's channel - dedicated primarily to countering Christian missionaries in Israel. This video isn't particularly, specifically important, but the channel was, to me learning more about why Jews reject Christianity
(Please note, for any of my Christian followers: No disrespect intended 🧡)
Non-Orthodox converts are just as committed and devoted to Judaism as Orthodox converts
Orthodox converts are not backwards and closed minded compared to Non-Orthodox converts
All those who have converted through recognized movements while under the guidance of ordained rabbis and have passed the Beit Din and emerged from the mikveh, and all the children that they may have, are equal members of Am Yisrael
I’m out of the mikveh with my hair now dry and my soul with its tribe!
I did end up crying a couple times but that’s no surprise for me lol. I feel like my emotions have been on a roller coaster today and it was a long commute to the mikveh so I’m ready to just chill out, but I never want to forget today! I started this conversion over four years ago and it has been so wonderful and worth it, and it was just the beginning of what I hope is a long journey of Jewish learning, community, spirituality, and LIFE!
One of the members of the court even said “It’s good to see you again! It’s been a long time since Sinai!” which I didn’t even start crying about until just now. He said it with humor but it was one of the most validating things I’ve heard since I started this process.
I also finally got to put on the necklace my friend sent as a gift for completing conversion. I’ll have to extend the chain because it’s more like a choker on me lol but I never want to take it off after that!
Hope everyone is safe and eats well! (I got myself celebratory ice cream after lol)
