Conversion for Spirituality or Aliyah to Israel?

 First of all thank you Dena for your question from before that brought to mind yet another burning issue... Orthodox conversion.

There are about as many facets to this as a Rubik's cube (picture yourself in the middle of this room).

* First of all I am committed to being a Jew for spiritual reasons.  If I go to Israel, that would be great, but I will freely admit thus far I like my life in the Diaspora.

* Second of all there are kinds of rules and regs involved in moving to Israel, unless you can prove you are an Eastern European Jew from only one generation ago-this is my understanding.  Here is a link to Israel and Conversion http://www.gov.il/FirstGov/TopNavEng/EngSituations/ESConversion/ESCProcess/ .  They pretty much insist on Orthodox Conversion.

Interesting, I think Hitler went back 3 generations and if G-d forbid there ever is another Shoa, my gut says no one will ask me where my Jewishness came from (from my geneology or my heart).  This is probably why my Grandmother Klein would not think this conversion is a good idea even though I think she lived a life a faux Christianity, because of her father's conversion.  On the other hand, I think she would be fine with my love of Judaism.

*  Orthodoxy is great, but I am not a literalist in regard to Torah.  Yes, maybe it happened, but maybe these stories are meant to be studied and interpreted and not read like a history book.

This leads me to being more of a Conservative or Reform Jew.  I don't mind the laws a kashrut or having two sets of dishes.  I do think they need work on Women's rights.  Check out the movie "Kadosh" sometime.  You can rent it on Amazon sometime and watch it online:

It is radical, but I think there is some truth to it as well.  Incidentally Amazon is a good way to watch films on many different Jewish subjects, documentaries and Isreali film.  I am always looking for a good way to watch movies on Judaism and culture.  I utilize Shalom TV, too.  Sounds silly, but they do have some good info on there if you are fortunate enough to have a cable provider that offers it.

* Then I will back track and say I am a Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis fan and she is about as Orthodox as one can get, just don't sign me up for wearing of head covering outside of schul yet-he'd have to be one special Orthodox guy.

Back to the studies.....

Kathy

3rd of Tevet, 5770 / ג׳ בטבת תש״ע