Not a ring, but next best thing

[TooPatient]

I am so excited. Just got home from my meeting with my Rabbi. He signed off on my conversion!!!!

We even set a date for the beit din & mikvah. January 24, 2010
I''ve been working towards this for several years and I finally made it. I feel ready & the rabbi agrees.

This is so great. And I''m doing it just for me. I don''t know if I''ve ever done anything just for me before.


I am so happy!

 

[Blackpaw]

Congratulations, Too Patient

that is fantastic news, such an amazing step to take

 

[Luckyeshe]

Congrats, TooPatient!! That''s wonderful news!!

 

[HopeDream]

Congratulations!

I''m glad you''re doing this for yourself!

People with a strong faith live longer and are generaly happier.

Mazel Tov!

 

[FrekeChild]

I thought you said that you were converting because B said he wouldn''t marry you until you did?

I''m not trying to be a jerk, I just thought I remembered you saying that before?

 

[Rachel9]

TooPatient congratulations on your upcoming beit din & mikvah

 

[babycush]

Mazel tov!! Welcome to the tribe

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 11/30/2009 9:57:35 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I thought you said that you were converting because B said he wouldn''t marry you until you did?

I''m not trying to be a jerk, I just thought I remembered you saying that before?

He will not marry me until I have converted but with a major thing like this, I would not consider doing it for just that reason. I''ve given a lot of thought to it and would finish my conversion and live a Jewish life even if he was not around

 

[TooPatient]

Now I have to settle on a name. I have one picked out but not having luck finding a middle name I like with it. Middle names are not required. Rabbi said that it is more common in naming to have two names.

What goes with Bruriah?

 

[babycush]

Simcha
Tovah
Yehudis
Aviva

(I''m liking the ''ah'' sound at the end?)

 

[Indylady]

Congratulations TooPatient!!

How about Sarah, or Chava? I also really like Aviva. So happy for you!

 

[Novel]

Mazel tov!

Adina?

 

[trillionaire]

Congrats! I had a childhood friend named Aviva, it''s a lovely name!

 

[TooPatient]

Bruriah Hannah
Bruriah Aviva
Bruriah Tovah
Bruriah Chava
Bruriah Sarah
Bruriah Miriam
Bruriah Davita

I''m leaning toward Hannah or Aviva. These were both on the list I narrowed down with the Rabbi.

 

[Bia]

I like Sarah.

What does Bruriah mean? Was converting difficult?

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 12/1/2009 1:14:17 PM
Author: Bia
I like Sarah.

What does Bruriah mean? Was converting difficult?

Bruriah is a woman found in Talmud. She was the wife of a well respected rabbi (Rabbi Meir). She was very well educated, kind, thoughtful, welcoming, great sense of humor, "sharp tongue", and didn''t take any c**p from anyone.

I originally read about her in a great book: As a Driven Leaf


I went through with a Conservative rabbi. Most people finish in about a year. Orthodox conversions take longer. (Mine has taken longer because I wanted to study more before completing it. I also wanted time to observe the holidays and other rituals and really understand what I was converting to. I also wanted to be sure that this is the life that I want and not the life someone else wants for me.)

There is lots to learn. The thing they look for is not how well you know historical dates or names or anything. It is how you feel about stuff. Do you observe holidays? Is it something you genuinely want? Do you understand that by converting you will not observe any rituals/holidays from your previous faith?

 

[Bia]

Date: 12/1/2009 1:33:58 PM
Author: TooPatient

Date: 12/1/2009 1:14:17 PM
Author: Bia
I like Sarah.

What does Bruriah mean? Was converting difficult?

Bruriah is a woman found in Talmud. She was the wife of a well respected rabbi (Rabbi Meir). She was very well educated, kind, thoughtful, welcoming, great sense of humor, ''sharp tongue'', and didn''t take any c**p from anyone.

I originally read about her in a great book: As a Driven Leaf


I went through with a Conservative rabbi. Most people finish in about a year. Orthodox conversions take longer. (Mine has taken longer because I wanted to study more before completing it. I also wanted time to observe the holidays and other rituals and really understand what I was converting to. I also wanted to be sure that this is the life that I want and not the life someone else wants for me.)

There is lots to learn. The thing they look for is not how well you know historical dates or names or anything. It is how you feel about stuff. Do you observe holidays? Is it something you genuinely want? Do you understand that by converting you will not observe any rituals/holidays from your previous faith?

That sounds tough. I remember watching S&TC (when Charlotte converts) and wondering how difficult it must be to let go of your traditions. But then again, your starting new traditions and new beginnings.

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 12/1/2009 2:00:52 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 12/1/2009 1:33:58 PM
Author: TooPatient

Date: 12/1/2009 1:14:17 PM
Author: Bia
I like Sarah.

What does Bruriah mean? Was converting difficult?

Bruriah is a woman found in Talmud. She was the wife of a well respected rabbi (Rabbi Meir). She was very well educated, kind, thoughtful, welcoming, great sense of humor, ''sharp tongue'', and didn''t take any c**p from anyone.

I originally read about her in a great book: As a Driven Leaf


I went through with a Conservative rabbi. Most people finish in about a year. Orthodox conversions take longer. (Mine has taken longer because I wanted to study more before completing it. I also wanted time to observe the holidays and other rituals and really understand what I was converting to. I also wanted to be sure that this is the life that I want and not the life someone else wants for me.)

There is lots to learn. The thing they look for is not how well you know historical dates or names or anything. It is how you feel about stuff. Do you observe holidays? Is it something you genuinely want? Do you understand that by converting you will not observe any rituals/holidays from your previous faith?

That sounds tough. I remember watching S&TC (when Charlotte converts) and wondering how difficult it must be to let go of your traditions. But then again, your starting new traditions and new beginnings.

I think it would have been really hard if my grandmother was still alive. She was really big on holidays and stuff. After she died, the one side of my family just kind of fell apart.

The other side (my mom''s family) does some holiday stuff but understands that I don''t participate in those holidays anymore. We still get together for birthdays, anniversaries, and Thanksgiving. Plus the annual fish feed.

I think it was harder for my family to adjust than for me.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Wow, congratulations! this is wonderful news!

 

[Bia]

Date: 12/1/2009 2:23:38 PM
Author: TooPatient

I think it would have been really hard if my grandmother was still alive. She was really big on holidays and stuff. After she died, the one side of my family just kind of fell apart.

The other side (my mom''s family) does some holiday stuff but understands that I don''t participate in those holidays anymore. We still get together for birthdays, anniversaries, and Thanksgiving. Plus the annual fish feed.

I think it was harder for my family to adjust than for me.

I understand not actively participating, but why wouldn''t you attend these holiday events with your family? Just curious, I''m not trying to provoke. Definitely don''t feel like you have to answer.

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 12/1/2009 3:26:30 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 12/1/2009 2:23:38 PM
Author: TooPatient

I think it would have been really hard if my grandmother was still alive. She was really big on holidays and stuff. After she died, the one side of my family just kind of fell apart.

The other side (my mom''s family) does some holiday stuff but understands that I don''t participate in those holidays anymore. We still get together for birthdays, anniversaries, and Thanksgiving. Plus the annual fish feed.

I think it was harder for my family to adjust than for me.

I understand not actively participating, but why wouldn''t you attend these holiday events with your family? Just curious, I''m not trying to provoke. Definitely don''t feel like you have to answer.

My family is all close by so holidays are not the only time people get together. I think I might do things differently if family holiday get togethers meant out of town relatives and the one time of the year to see people.

Attending services is clearly not an okay thing to do after conversion.

Dinner with the family could easily be argued to be "just a meal" that happened to have decorations and stuff. (If I had out of town family, I''d almost certainly attend dinner)


In my case, there isn''t anyone at a holiday dinner that isn''t there for other days (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.). Actually things like birthdays usually mean more of my family together since people aren''t trying to spend time with in-laws too.
I still call and wish them a happy Easter/Christmas/whatever since I know it matters to them. They send me a card or call for Rosh Hashanah, Purim, Hannukah, etc.

The annual fish feed is actually much more important to my grandparents than Christmas when it comes to people being there.


In general, I''ve seen it argued both ways (attend the dinner or absolutely not) by rabbis and other people. It just kind of comes down to personal beliefs & situations.

 

[Squirrly]

L''chaim!

and

for doing something so major for yourself!

 

[jewelz617]

Congrats on converting! Sounds like you''re doing it for the right reasons which is great.

 

[babycush]

I really love Aviva for a few reasons...

One- it is my mom''s Hebrew name!

Two- it has two meanings in Hebrew: spring (the season) and spring (as in water). I think it''s an interesting linguistic quirk that English has the same word for both definitions also.

 

[Haven]

Mazel tov! Welcome to the tribe!

I like Bruriah Sabra or Bruriah Lital.
Bruriah Tikvah sounds nice, too.