|
Ger tzedek (Hebrew: "righteous proselyte" or "proselyte [of] righteousness") or Ger ("stranger" or "proselyte") is a gentile (i.e. a non-Jew by birth) who has undergone religious conversion to Judaism (גיור giur) by fulfilling the ritual requirements for such conversion accepting the obligations of Jewish religious observance. Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 6 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ...
The word Gentile (from the Latin gentilis, a translation of the Hebrew Nochri/× ×›×¨×™) has several meanings. ...
Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the converts previous beliefs; in some cultures (e. ...
History
In Biblical Hebrew, the word ger denotes a proselyte (and גר הגר —"sojourning stranger"—is interpreted as ger tzedek by the Talmud) or a half-convert—a non-Jewish inhabitant of the Land of Israel who observes the seven Noahide Laws and has repudiated all links with idolatry. The word ger tzedek was used to denote a full convert. In post-Talmudic times, the word ger has become synonymous with ger tzedek, likewise its English counterpart (proselyte), has come to mean a convert to Judaism. 11th century Targum Tanakh [×ª× ×´×š] (also Tanach or Tenach) is an acronym that identifies the Hebrew Bible. ...
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 6 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ...
It has been suggested that Ger Tzedek be merged into this article or section. ...
The Talmud (תלמוד) is a record of rabbinic discussions on Jewish law, Jewish ethics, customs, legends and stories, which Jewish tradition considers authoritative. ...
The Land of Israel (Hebrew: ×רץ ישר×ל Eretz Yisrael) is the land that made up the ancient Jewish Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. ...
The Noahide Laws (Hebrew: שבע מצוות ×‘× ×™ × ×— -- Seven Noahide Laws), also called the Brit Noah (Covenant [of] Noah) are the mitzvot (commandments) and halakhot (laws) that Judaism teaches that all non-Jews are morally bound to follow. ...
Motivations for conversion A mystical interpretation of conversions to Judaism is that a convert is someone with a Jewish neshama (soul) who is simply trying to find his/her way home. // Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ...
// The word Jew (Hebrew: יהודי transliterated: Yehudi) is used in many ways, but generally refers to a follower of Judaism, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity; and often a combination of these attributes. ...
In general terms, anyone who commits to living a religiously observant life is an acceptable candidate for conversion. For a variety of reasons, rabbis have traditionally discouraged people from converting to Judaism, and most will insist that the candidate for conversion demonstrate his/her commitment in word and deed before the conversion is undertaken. Rabbi (Classical Hebrew רִבִּי ribbī;; modern Ashkenazi and Israeli רַבִּי rabbī) in Judaism, means teacher, or more literally great one. The word Rabbi is derived from the Hebrew root-word RaV, which in biblical Hebrew means great or distinguished,. In the ancient Judean schools the sages were addressed as רִבִּי (Ribbi or Rebbi...
A number of reasons for converting exist: some have theological convictions consistent with Judaism; others are attracted to elements of Jewish religious life; some wish to belong to a particular Jewish community. A significant portion wish to convert because they want to marry someone who is Jewish. This latter reason (see secondary conversion) is considered to be insufficient by most Orthodox rabbis. In the sociology of religion, secondary conversion is conversion to a religion not due to any inherent attractiveness of the religion, but rather due to a pre-existing relationship with another convert to the religion. ...
Orthodox Judaism is the stream of Judaism which adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmud (The Oral Law) and later codified in the Shulkhan Arukh (Code of Jewish Law). It is governed by these works and the Rabbinical commentary...
Traditional requirements The requirements under halakha for conversion to Judaism are that a beth din witnesses and approves: Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ...
Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the converts previous beliefs; in some cultures (e. ...
// Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ...
A beth din (בית דין, Hebrew: house of judgment, plural battei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. ...
- Circumcision (Brit milah or a Brit-dam) for men
- Immersion (t'vilah) in a mikveh (ritual bath)
- Understanding and acceptance of the obligations of being a religiously observant Jew.
After confirming that all these criteria have been met, the beth din issues a Shtar Giur ("Certificate of Conversion"), certifying that the former gentile is now a Jew. Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the foreskin (prepuce). ...
Brit milah (Hebrew: ברית מילה; literally covenant [of] circumcision), also bris milah (Ashkenazi pronunciation) is a religious ceremony within Judaism that welcomes infant Jewish boys into a covenant between God and the Children of Israel through ritual circumcision performed by a mohel (circumcisor) in the presence of family and friends, followed by...
Brit milah (Hebrew: ברית מילה; literally covenant [of] circumcision), also bris milah (Ashkenazi pronunciation) is a religious ceremony within Judaism that welcomes infant Jewish boys into a covenant between God and the Children of Israel through ritual circumcision performed by a mohel (circumcisor) in the presence of family and friends, followed by...
A Mikvah (or Mikveh, מקוה) is a Jewish ritual bath used for immersion in a purification ceremony. ...
The word Gentile (from the Latin gentilis, a translation of the Hebrew Nochri/× ×›×¨×™) has several meanings. ...
Pre-Majority conversion Someone who was converted to Judasim as a child has an option of rejecting this at his Majority (Bar or Bas Mitzvah). The only thing he needs to do is publicly violate a Jewish commandment, or conversly publicly state, or demonstrate his commitment to remaining a Jew. See the book the Bamboo Cradle for a true example of this.
Variations and controversy The requirements for conversion to Judaism are intended to avoid any uncertainty about a convert's true status. The certification by a beth din was based on events the completeness of which were carefully defined. A beth din (בית דין, Hebrew: house of judgment, plural battei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. ...
Both the Conservative and Orthodox movements require that all halakhic requirements be met, but they differ on what constitutes a competent beth din. Orthodox rabbis generally do not accept the authority of non-Orthodox rabbis. Moreover, in Orthodoxy, a person who converts under the guidance of a non-Orthodox rabbi is presumed to have an incomplete or erroneous understanding of the law he or she is taking upon him or herself; therefore, Orthodox rabbis generally do not accept conversions under Conservative (or Reform, or Reconstructionist) auspices. Conservative Judaism (or Masorti Judaism) is a denomination of Judaism characterized by: A positive attitude toward modern culture The belief that traditional rabbinic modes of study, and modern scholarship and critical text study, are both valid ways to learn about and from Jewish religious texts. ...
Orthodox Judaism is the stream of Judaism which adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmud (The Oral Law) and later codified in the Shulkhan Arukh (Code of Jewish Law). It is governed by these works and the Rabbinical commentary...
Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ...
Reconstructionist Judaism is a denomination of Judaism with a relatively liberal set of beliefs: an individuals personal autonomy should generally override traditional Jewish law and custom, yet also take into account communal consensus, modern culture is accepted, traditional rabbinic modes of study, as well as modern scholarship and critical...
Since the Orthodox movement is not unified, Orthodox rabbis often will not automatically accept each other's authority. This has led to a general reluctance in the Orthodox communities to prepare and perform conversions.
In America, Reform Judaism rejects the concept that any rules or rituals should be considered necessary for conversion to Judaism. In the late 1800s, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the official body of American Reform rabbis, formally resolved to permit the admission of converts "without any initiatory rite, ceremony, or observance whatever." (CCAR Yearbook 3 (1893), 73-95; American Reform Responsa (ARR), no. 68, at 236-237.) The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), founded in 1889, is the principal organization of Reform Jewish rabbis in the United States. ...
Although this resolution has often been examined critically by many Reform rabbis, the resolution still remains the official policy of American Reform Judaism (CCAR Responsa "Circumcision for an Eight-Year-Old Convert" 5756.13 and Solomon Freehof, Reform Responsa for Our Time, no. 15.) Thus, American Reform Judaism does not require ritual immersion in a mikveh, circumcision, or acceptance of mitzvot as normative. Appearance before a Bet Din is recommended, but is not considered necessary. Converts are asked to commit to religious standards set by the local Reform community. As such, all Reform conversions are rejected as not being conversions by Orthodox Judaism.
Progressive and Reform Judaism in Israel and a few other countries reject this approach; many Reform rabbis in these countries hold that it is absolutely necessary for a man to have a brit milah or brit dam, that both men and women require immersion in a mikveh, and that the conversion must only be allowed at the end of a formal course of study, before a Bet Din. This is a common view of many Reform rabbis in Canada, as well as a small but growing number of Reform rabbis in the USA.
In response to the tremendous variations that exist within the Reform community, the Conservative Jewish movement has attempted to set a nuanced approach. Their Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has issues a responsa (legal opinion) stating that Reform conversions may be accepted as valid when they include the minimal halachic requirements of milah and t'vilah, appearance before a Bet Din, and a course of study. (Proceedings of Committee on Jewish Law and Standards: 1980-1985, p.77-101.) The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards is the central authority on halakha (Jewish law and tradition) within Conservative Judaism; it is one of the most active and widely know committees on the Conservative movements Rabbinical Assembly. ...
Note: This is based on an entry from the 1906 public domain Jewish Encyclopedia The responsa literature, known in Hebrew as Sheelot U-teshuvot (questions and answers), is the body of written decisions and rulings given by rabbis to questions addressed to them. ...
Consequences of conversion Once undergone, a religious conversion to Judaism is irreversible, unless there are grounds to believe that the convert was insincere during the conversion process. In such cases—which are rare—a beth din may annul the conversion. Publically and willfully violating Jewish laws (such as working on the Shabbat) are taken as Prima-Facie evidence that the conversion was not sincere, and the person is considered as having never actually converted. A beth din (בית דין, Hebrew: house of judgment, plural battei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. ...
Place in religious life Halakha forbids reminding a convert that he/she was once not a Jew and hence little distinction is made in Judaism between "Jews by birth" and "Jews by choice".
According to Orthodox interpretations of halakha, converts face a limited number of restrictions, e.g. female converts cannot marry Kohanim (members of the priestly caste). These restrictions apply only to the converts themselves; children of a female convert born after conversion are not affected by them in any way. Converts can become rabbis (and some have). The position of a Kohens hands when he raises them to bless a Jewish congregation A Kohen (or Cohen, Hebrew priest, pl. ...
A convert chooses his or her own Hebrew first name upon conversion but is always known as the son or daugher of Abraham and Sarah, the first patriarch and matriarch in the Torah, often with the additional qualifier of "avinu" (our father) and "imanu" (our mother). Hence, a convert named Akiva would be known as "Akiva ben Avraham Avinu" for ritual purposes in an Orthodox synagogue and "Akiva ben Avraham Avinu v'Sarah Imanu" in egalitarian non-Orthodox congregations.
(It should be noted that for purposes of a prayer for recovery from an illness, the mother's name is traditionally used, so in an Orthodox congregation one would hear "Akiva ben Sarah Imanu").
See also The history of Abraham ben Abraham, also known as Count Valentine (Valentin, Walentyn) Potocki (Pototzki or Pototski) is a controversial subject. ...
As Judaism is not an actively proselytizing religion, conversion is a relatively uncommon occurrence. ...
Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the converts previous beliefs; in some cultures (e. ...
Gerim or Geirim are literally Strangers sometimes refered to in The Hebrew Bible. ...
External links - Choosing Judaism
- Conversion to Judaism homepage—information on conversion within all branches of Judaism in North America
- Conversion to Judaism on the Itim site (practical information on Orthodox conversion through the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and conversion in the diaspora).
- Intermarriage and Conversion Reading List Introduction
- Practical Tips on how to convert Orthodox reasonably quickly
- Frequently asked questions:
|
Feeds |
Contact