Choosing Judaism

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed it very much
Review: I am a bit surprised about the other reviews, and since I checked out the Amazon reviews before reading the book, I decided not to buy it and instead borrowed it from the library. I will buy it now, not because it is a "must have" reference book - it is not- but because it left me with such a nice feeling I want to have the book in my new and growing Jewish library.

I am attending an Intro to Judaism class and I am considering conversion. I am reading others books as well, as required by my Rabbi. BECOMING JEWISH by Rabbi Ronald H. Isaacs is the "nuts and bolts" of conversion type of book, if you are looking for one. It goes into detail about the conversion ceremony itself, and key info about the whole process. It is true that Lydia Kukoff's book is not this kind of "nuts and bolts" book (although it does address some of the basic steps), but this is precisely why I don't sit down and enjoy reading the Isaacs book, I just refer to it as I need to, while I did truly enjoy reading Lydia Kukoff's book.

I enjoyed all the quotes through out the book of feelings expressed by other people going through the conversion process. Many of them spoke to my heart and reflected some of my own feelings, others were much different from my experience but I enjoyed learning about them too.

Unlike the other reviewers, I enjoyed that the book is short and I don't agree that it is a "light and simple" read. I found myself stopping many times to ponder my feelings and delve a little deeper into this intense process that is religious conversion: to take on a new aspect of your identity. I did finish it in two days, but I am still thinking about it and things I read in it.

So if you are considering conversion, do not write off this book. At least borrow it from the library and see if it speaks to your sensibilities.

I also recommend To Live! by Rabbi Kushner. A wonderful book for the seeker and for the born-Jew alike.

"Where people truly wish to go, there their feet will manage to take them"
( From the Talmud, quoted in Kukoff's CHOOSING JUDAISM)

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed it very much
Review: I am a bit surprised about the other reviews, and since I checked out the Amazon reviews before reading the book, I decided not to buy it and instead borrowed it from the library. I will buy it now, not because it is a "must have" reference book - it is not- but because it left me with such a nice feeling I want to have the book in my new and growing Jewish library.

I am attending an Intro to Judaism class and I am considering conversion. I am reading others books as well, as required by my Rabbi. BECOMING JEWISH by Rabbi Ronald H. Isaacs is the "nuts and bolts" of conversion type of book, if you are looking for one. It goes into detail about the conversion ceremony itself, and key info about the whole process. It is true that Lydia Kukoff's book is not this kind of "nuts and bolts" book (although it does address some of the basic steps), but this is precisely why I don't sit down and enjoy reading the Isaacs book, I just refer to it as I need to, while I did truly enjoy reading Lydia Kukoff's book.

I enjoyed all the quotes through out the book of feelings expressed by other people going through the conversion process. Many of them spoke to my heart and reflected some of my own feelings, others were much different from my experience but I enjoyed learning about them too.

Unlike the other reviewers, I enjoyed that the book is short and I don't agree that it is a "light and simple" read. I found myself stopping many times to ponder my feelings and delve a little deeper into this intense process that is religious conversion: to take on a new aspect of your identity. I did finish it in two days, but I am still thinking about it and things I read in it.

So if you are considering conversion, do not write off this book. At least borrow it from the library and see if it speaks to your sensibilities.

I also recommend To Live! by Rabbi Kushner. A wonderful book for the seeker and for the born-Jew alike.

"Where people truly wish to go, there their feet will manage to take them"
( From the Talmud, quoted in Kukoff's CHOOSING JUDAISM)

Rating:
Summary: Not a Jew, just Reading...
Review: I read this book because I have a friend who just converted. Anyway, this book helped me understand where she is coming from. This book has a lot of quotes by other converted Jews [not just the author] who either had it real hard by having to tell others and make other understand why they chose Judaism, or why they can't do Christmas anymore. It was about how relationships changed from a Jewish man and his non-Jewish girlfriend to his now completely Jewish relationship with his totally convert Jewish girlfriend. The relationships changed in that converts tend to be more "Jewish" than born-Jews. Born Jews take their lifestyle for granted living the life we live in America, yet converted Jews are all into eating Kosher, talking about Judaism, knowing the history, teaching what they just learned etcetera. It was about how Jewish in-laws would get annoyed because the converted daughter-in-law knew more than the mother-in-law, etc. So, this book is a bunch of people telling tidbits of memories they have while converting to Judaism.

Rating:
Summary: a book for rainy days
Review: This book is basically about several people telling how their decision to convert to Judaism came about and what they actually experienced compared to what they expected.It is light, easy reading - nothing complicated.The reason I gave it only 3 stars is because I feel that it lacks enthusiasm. It has a tendency to be a little dry.If you're looking for basic info on Judaism,look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a book to curl up with on a rainy day,this may be just what you're looking for -a low key easy read.It does have a small glossery of some Jewish words but nothing that you couldn't find elsewhere.It would perhaps make a nice gift but again,the excitement or enthusiasm of a new convert is just not conveyed.Forgiving that one point,it is in general a good book that I would buy again.

Rating:
Summary: An easy read and a little shallow
Review: This is truly Judaism 101 or maybe even Judaism 020. The writing style is very simplistic with large font, and the book is surprisingly short. I didn't find this book to be very helpful, and I didn't find anything in it that I didn't already know.

...

Honestly, I found the book CHOOSING JUDAISM to be a little depressing. In my opinion, the author portrayed herself as somewhat passive in her conversion process and didn't seem to have much passion. She presents it as a strickly technical procedure, which I found very uninspiring.

Rating:
Summary: Not the book to read on the subject
Review: This was the very first book I read on the subject, when my (now) husband and I were just beginning to discuss marriage. We had been learning about our religious traditions to see if we could create a family together. I read this book as the very first step toward the consideration of conversion. What a mistake. This book, though it does its best to try to make you feel one with Jewish people (which of course is very important), also served to make me feel that the decision to do so would pretty much alienate me from my spiritual past and my own family. And the book does not attempt to deal with this alienation, except for a few suggestions about how to incorporate your parents into life cycle ceremonies. For anyone who has mainly positive memories about their own family, their own religious upbringing and religious Christian holidays, this is not the book to read. It only served to make me feel the pain of what I would lose rather than the joy of what I would gain. I highly recommend Anita Diamant's book on the same subject, Choosing a Jewish Life. I found it much more positive and full of much more useful information.

Rating:
Summary: Not the book to read on the subject
Review: This was the very first book I read on the subject, when my (now) husband and I were just beginning to discuss marriage. We had been learning about our religious traditions to see if we could create a family together. I read this book as the very first step toward the consideration of conversion. What a mistake. This book, though it does its best to try to make you feel one with Jewish people (which of course is very important), also served to make me feel that the decision to do so would pretty much alienate me from my spiritual past and my own family. And the book does not attempt to deal with this alienation, except for a few suggestions about how to incorporate your parents into life cycle ceremonies. For anyone who has mainly positive memories about their own family, their own religious upbringing and religious Christian holidays, this is not the book to read. It only served to make me feel the pain of what I would lose rather than the joy of what I would gain. I highly recommend Anita Diamant's book on the same subject, Choosing a Jewish Life. I found it much more positive and full of much more useful information.