This is the Forward’s coverage of conversion, the process by which those of other faiths adopt Judaism. Most streams of Judaism, unlike many other religions, do not evangelize.
Conversion
The Latest
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Fast Forward Orthodox Rabbis Plan Conversion Reform After Barry Freundel Scandal
(JTA) — After facing criticism for its handling of inappropriate behavior by a convert-supervising rabbi who turned out to be a mikvah-peeping voyeur, the country’s main centrist Orthodox rabbinical group has released key guidelines aimed at preventing abuses during the conversion process. The Rabbinical Council of America is recommending that would-be converts be given a…
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Fast Forward Rabbinical Council of America Conversion Panel Issues Recommendations
A committee established by the Rabbinical Council of America to review its conversion processes has submitted its report featuring recommendations in nine areas of the process. The review was put in place nine months ago after one of the RCA’s leading conversion rabbis, Barry Freundel, was arrested on voyeurism charges. Freundel was sentenced to 6…
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Fast Forward Jewish Agency To Create ‘Conversion Courts’ for Immigrants
The Jewish Agency for Israel plans to establish special overseas courts for people wishing to convert to Judaism. The group’s board of governors overwhelmingly voted in favor of the plan at a meeting in Tel Aviv Wednesday. Under the plan, the agency will send rabbis to work with the courts and help local rabbis ensure…
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The Schmooze 7 Jews Who Made It Big In Porn
Last week, the news surfaced that “Queen of Porn” Jenna Jameson . Jameson, who has been married twice before, is engaged to Israeli Lior Bitton (who works in L.A.’s diamond business and has been charged with stealing merchandise from his stores). Jameson’s Instagram page is filled with photos of challah and other kosher dishes she’s…
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The Schmooze Is Porn Queen Jenna Jameson Joining the Tribe?
Jenna Jameson may soon go from ‘The Queen of Porn’ to the queen of Shabbat. The twice-divorced entrepreneur and (mostly retired) adult film star has been cooking up a kosher storm on social media. Could she be joining the Tribe? When a Twitter follower asked her when she started cooking Kosher, she wrote: I started…
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Fast Forward Court Upholds Ban on Gay ‘Conversion’ Therapy
(Reuters) — A federal appeals court on Monday rejected a fresh challenge to New Jersey’s ban on so-called gay conversion therapy for minors, saying the prohibition does not violate the rights of either children or their parents. By a 3-0 vote, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the ban did not infringe the…
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News Marry a Jew and You’re One of Us
Millennia ago, before rabbis existed or conversion was invented, thousands who were not born Jewish became part of the Jewish community through a very simple act: They married a Jew. Sarah was the first, followed in turn by Rebecca, Leah and Rachel. Thousands more followed — both biblical characters and many more whose lives as…
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Opinion The ‘Stranger’ at Your Passover Seder? That’s Me.
Illustration by Lior Zaltzman A week before my first Passover Seder, a friend took me to her local Chabad, where the rabbi outlined the ritual for us, from washing our hands to reading the Haggadah to eating the little sandwich. “You’ll do fine,” the rabbi said to me as I was leaving, which confused me…
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