Conversion
Thank you so much for your interest in exploring or converting to Judaism at Temple Emanuel. We are thrilled to be a part of your spiritual journey. Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker will be your spiritual partner to guide you on this journey.
The conversion process involves both learning about Judaism and participating in Jewish life. During the process, we invite you to become part of our community by fully participating in the life of our synagogue. To help with that, we publish weekly electronic mailings called “Staying Connected.” In addition to our website, Staying Connected is our primary source of communication with the congregation. It showcases our service offerings, community events, social and study programs as well as many other Jewish opportunities to discover.
Exploring a new religion involves trying new things. Please try to participate to the best of your ability. The more you experience and the more people you get to know, the easier it is to understand this whole Judaism thing. For that reason, you are welcome to participate in almost everything we offer. If there’s an event in Staying Connected, it’s very likely that we’d love to see you there. Occasionally, some events have a cost associated with them. If the costs are too much for your budget, just speak with Rabbi Charlie and he’ll make sure that you’re able to participate.
In addition to synagogue participation, you can expect to meet with Rabbi Charlie on a monthly basis for Jewish study, experimenting with Jewish practices and rituals, and answering all your questions. Overall, the process can take 12-18 months or longer. It takes a while to make sure you have the time to make the best decision for yourself. Once you formally convert to Judaism, we will help you transition to a full membership with Temple Emanuel or other synagogue depending upon your circumstances.
To begin, please complete the form attached for official enrollment in the program. Afterwards, please call or email to set up your first meeting with Rabbi Charlie. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either of us.
Lori Baydush, Vice President, Membership & Engagement
Hilary Goldberg, Engagement & Programming Coordinator