5. HAVE A CONVERSION CEREMONY

OK, it's one year later, and the rabbi thinks that you are ready to officially convert. There are four main parts of a conversion ceremony:
  1. Facing a religious court
  2. Immersion
  3. Circumcision
  4. Picking a new name

All of the parts of the ceremony do not occur at the same time, or even necessarily in the same month. It depends on your time schedule, and what the rabbi wants. But all four steps are part of the official procedure of Jewish conversion.

Facing a religious court

It's time to face Judge Jew-dy. (Get it? Judy? Jew-dy? Shut up.) The first part of the conversion ceremony is to face the religious court (in Hebrew, it's called a Bet Din). The court consists of 3 people, of whom at least one must be a rabbi. (Often all three will be.) The court will ask you questions about Judaism, to make sure that you studied well. It's not a graded test, and the rabbis are not trying to trick you. This is not the SATs, where there are little traps for people who confuse easily. The rabbis are just making sure that you still want to convert, and that you're ready. Think of the whole thing like getting a really easy word in a spelling bee: everybody knows that you know the answer, but to win, you still have to stand up there and give the right answer. Sample questions might be about Jewish beliefs in one God, or the significance of the Sabbath, or the reasons that Jews celebrate Yom Kippur.

Immersion

You've passed the court! Now it?s time to immerse of the candidate into a mikveh, or the ritual bath. The mikveh is a special religious pool made specifically for converting to Judaism. You go into the pool, the rabbi says some prayers, and you come out Jewish. Yes, we know it sounds a little bit like a baptism, but it's not. It's a mikveh. You're Jewish now, so act it.

Circumcision

No more joking. Now we get really serious. Men who were not circumcised at birth now must play haircut and "get a little bit trimmed off the top." Furthermore, you can't get circumcised by just anyone, but only by a surgeon or doctor who has been deemed circumcision-worthy by a temple (this special kind of doctor is called a "mohel," pronounced "MOY-yell"). Don't get too panicky, though; Reform and Reconstructionist rabbis usually do not require a circumcision. If you were already circumcised and you want to convert to Orthodox or Conservative Judaism, then you still must give a drop of your blood as a symbolic circumcision. In case you weren't sure, let us be specific: circumcision only applies to MALE candidates. And here's one last important tip: don't get circumcised before facing the religious court. What if they don't pass you? Then you would've gotten snipped for nothing!

Picking a new name

Have you always hated your name? Thought that Millicent was too prudish sounding, or Percival was too prissy? Well, after getting past the Bet Din, you will get the chance to pick a new Hebrew name. Talk to the rabbi about picking a name that you like, but you probably passed by some nice names during your days of study. Many choose a name based on a biblical figure that they admired in their Judaic studies. Popular names include Abraham, Samuel, Sarah, and Ruth. This Hebrew name will not replace your old one, but will rather be added as a second middle name, referred to at important religious events, such as your wedding or your funeral (though some would argue that those are not mutually exclusive). Once you pick your name, a prayer will be said, and bam! A new identity.

And that's all there is to it! While the process differs, depending on the rabbi and religiousness of the sect that you'd like to enter, this is the bare bones guide of what to expect when converting to Judaism. And here's a last bit of good news: once you convert, you're just as Jewish as anyone who was born into the religion. There's no "half-citizenship" or anything, so revel in your newfound Jewish-ness.

We wish you the best in your spiritual decision-making.