​I have received several replies to the email I shared previously. This woman asked me to add her comments to the discussion. Here they are, from Sarah. Hamas and its sponsor, Iran, are keenly aware that non-Arab opinion sides with the underdog. That is why they have spent DECADES patiently building The Big Lie, the lie started by the Mufti of Jerusalem in the 1940s, the idea that Israel is an invading, oppressive aggressor, rather than a tiny beleaguered state surrounded by bitter enemies. This narrative, that Israel is the Big Bad, framed in classic new-Marxist terminology, has become embe ..read more

I received this email from a Jew by Choice struggling with the news from the Middle East: ​As a convert I have been struggling mightily due to the crisis in Israel and Gaza. I am utterly horrified at what Hamas did, as more and more hateful stories are emerging. The inhumanity of what they did is deeply personal; I can barely read about it anymore. The Israeli response has been more impersonal yet equally horrifying.   I wonder if I were not a convert, would I feel differently? A man I know is deeply frightened. He is not observant, but is a Jew. I do not feel as threatened, and I feel ..read more

Earlier this week I sent out this email: Beloved friends,   This is a difficult time. Israel is at war and Jews around the world are upset. What I have read over and over again in the communications from Israel is that the Israeli population is determined and resilient. We must imitate that and learn to be resilient also.   A Jew by choice called me and told me he is feeling anxious and vigilant. He said, “Is it OK that I feel this way? I wasn’t born Jewish.” I told him OF COURSE. You have cast your lot with the Jewish family. You are in this too. You feel the pain, the fear, the d ..read more

​ A frequent question from those just beginning to explore Judaism is, What book(s) should I read? Of course there are so many answers. But let me share Congregation Beth Sholom of San Francisco's list (with permission from their rabbi, Rabbi Amanda Russell) Judaism 101: Recommended Reading List This list was created with Introduction to Judaism students in mind, but can serve as a resource to any Jew-curious individuals.   Our Coursebook: On One Foot, Rabbi Adam Greenwald Aleph Isn’t Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults, Linda Motzkin   For more Information about J ..read more

(This article originally appeared in the December 15, 2021 Mixed and Matched column in the J-weekly.) ​ ​Dear Dawn: The final component of my conversion will be the mikvah. I want to complete this step, but our local mikvah has been closed through the pandemic. Is the mikvah mandated for conversion in Reform Judaism? (I want to do it, whether it’s required or not.)  Can I do it in an ocean, with a representative on shore? I am looking forward to the ceremonial solemnity. — Patiently awaiting my mikvah Dear Patiently: Many people have faced the same problem during t ..read more

An ocean mikvah experience in Hawaii Can you use the ocean for your mikvah? You can! A friend of mine who LOVES the water asked about using the ocean. I contacted the conversion mentor, Lisa, at Sherith Israel because she told me that they have done ocean mikvahs. She asked one of her conversion students to write about his experience. Here's what he had to say. When the day of my mikvah had come, it was typical San Francisco foggy weather but something was obviously different about it. I felt a bit intimidated by what's going to happen to me, yet I was calm and at peace. It felt that somethi ..read more

Rabbi Larry Milder of Beth Emek in Pleasanton wrote joyfully to his congregation: Your Spiritual Workout Routine The heart needs to be moved—not just physically, but spiritually, too. Shabbat morning is when we really get to stretch our spiritual side. Mind you, I love Friday night worship. It is like the calming breath for the soul. Shabbat morning is when our heart takes flight. The apex of Shabbat morning is the reading of the Torah. Not only is that when the action of the service really picks up; it’s also when we are most fully engaged. Now that we are back in our sanctuary, we are read ..read more

This correspondence was first published in my Mixed and Matched column for the J-weekly.  Dear Dawn: Many years ago, under the guidance of a Conservative rabbi in Queens, New York, I converted to Judaism. My records have been lost and no one connected with the synagogue has been able to help me in recovering the document of my conversion.  What am I to do in this situation? I am more than willing to undergo the process again, but I don’t know if a rabbi would consider this appropriate. I am also currently living in a remote location; no Jewish community here. — Jewish for ..read more

​Rabbi Milder of Congregation Beth Emek in Pleasanton recently share this description of Haftorah. You'll see that he is offering a class on how to chant. The cost to non-members of Beth Emek is $60. Take a look at the details. The highlight of Shabbat morning is the chanting of Torah and Haftarah.   What is Haftarah? In spite of the similarity of the words, Haftarah has nothing to do with the word Torah. Torah means instruction, from a root meaning “to aim.” Haftarah, however, comes from a root meaning “conclusion.” It refers to the reading from the Prophets, which was ..read more

  I read the following communication on a Chabad website where people were asking questions about conversion.    QUESTION: "I know that ultra-Orthodox Jews do not think of converts as fully Jewish, although I did go to mikvah as well as do all the other things for my conversion."  ANSWER: Where could you have possibly gotten this idea from??? I'm shocked to hear someone is saying such things. If you had a conversion according to Jewish law, then everyone accepts that you are 100% Jewish. If your conversion was not according t ..read more