My frustration on this subject is almost never ending. I have had it shoved in my face by at least 2 people-one whose name was Randy(?) sorry I don't get this guy's point at all.
So folks, here it is, I sadly do not have a Jewish name yet. My great grandfather Heinrich Klein (whose brother's were Jakob and Salmon) was still my great-grandfather. I am immersing myself in a mikvah as soon as I can and I am studying like a maniac, but those people who think being Jewish is some sort of private country club have hassled me about this. Wasn't it religious intolerance that killed 6 million in the first place? Nice job guys...
All I can say is outside of Orthodoxy in the laws of Reform, if born to a Jewish father you are Jewish. If I go through an Orthodox conversion it won't matter. I am studying under 4 different Rabbi's: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist. More about pro's and con's and what I think about that later.
If I choose a Jewish name it will be Esther, after a wonderful woman named Rebbitzin Esther Jungreis, who would probably love this blog as she calls assimilation the next Holocaust.
(Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis (left) with US Ambassador to Hungary, April Foley)
My closest friend is named Jill, but I don't go around calling her Joheved (which is her Jewish name) unless we are doing it jokingly.
So if people choose to hassle me, because my name is Kathy....my mother was Italian for goodness sakes, give my parents a break.
Okay, I am returning to my Hebrew study now, it is a lot more productive thing.
Kathy
27th of Kislev, 5770 / כ״ז בכסלו תש״ע
May I ask how you go about studying under all the Rabbi's at once? Do they not mind? Are you considering an Orthodox conversion? Don't you hate when people ask a million questions? Hehe...
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the questions...after all I am writing a blog. We have a unique program here with 4 different synagogues. I started as Reform, but I like Conservative too. I am planning on talking to our Orthodox Rabbi, only because of the Israel issue and I would like to have a conversion that no one will ever question. We meet with him in February and I am considering asking to meet with him personally. This is an excellent blog topic which I plan to cover.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a program like that. It sounds very interesting. I have only met with one Rabbi and he was Orthodox (Lubavitch to be exact)but that was to discuss living as a Non-Jew. They of course don't deal with conversions anyway.
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