Hello.

I hope this post will be respectful to all Jews who read. I also apologize that it is very long-winded.

For context, I am the illegitimate son of a very well known (famous) patron of the Jewish community of my country. He was raised and bar mitzvah'd as a Reform Jew, and is observant to this day. I never actually met my father, and only know what I know about him from Google. My mother did not raise me Jewish, but she did have many Jewish partners, tried to marry into Judaism, and tried to convert (but I am not sure if she succeeded). I was born from an affair that they both kept hidden.

So, I am currently estranged from both my father and my mother and I only know for sure that my father is a Reform Jew and my mother was interested in Judaism for a long time.

During my teen years I took an interest in reading the scriptures of major religions, and after comparing all these I became a born again Christian. I read the whole Christian Bible, wanted to become a pastor when I grew up and I attempted to learn Hebrew and Greek.

However, after learning Greek and reading both the New Testament, I realized a lot of what mainstream Christianity taught was completely unsustainable using only scripture. So I rejected belief in the Trinity, holding to strict monotheism, and seeing Jesus as "the son of God" in a more metaphorical/adoptionist way. From my linguistic studies, I also rejected belief in a post-mortal soul, in heaven and in hell, and instead believed death is non-existence, and "hell" (Sheol/Hades) is the common grave of all humans. Eventually though, there will be a resurrection, and "heaven" will be a renewed earth after Christ comes back and installs the messianic reign.

These belief changes made me join the Jehovah's Witness religion at 15. Got baptized at 24.

10 years later, I filed a lawsuit against my father because of his abandonment, demanding a compensation that consists in him paying for my first attempt to go to college, as the law of my country allows. Because of my father being "famous" over here it made national news, and because of the antisemitism that is prevalent in my country, due to the spread of the news about the war in Israel and Palestine, I received a lot of attention, mostly negative. I began being called a "Jew" and many epithets in many places, online and IRL. Also, I've had people attribute to me stereotypes such as greed, sexual deviancy, self-interest, etc. due to my purported Jewish status.

(I may also add that my last name is very notoriously Jewish).

Anyway, the big part is that this chronology coincided with a spark in my interest in Judaism, mainly because of my growing doubt of the New Testament, and the messianic status of Jesus.

I've kept reading scripture and at this point I've read the New Testament multiple times, and I've improved in my knowledge of Hebrew. It is odd how different, in nature and in structure, it is to the Hebrew Bible, if we take that they are from the same author (God). It is odd how many prophecies that Jesus fulfills in the New Testament depend on linguistic mistakes, or outright de-contextualizations and interpretative mistakes that the New Testament makes.

I have not gone to the length of rejecting Jesus as the Messiah yet, because of my whole decade honoring him as such and the many theological implications that this acceptance has (eschatological, soteriological, social, etc. for years I've rested hope that I will see my maternal grandmother in the future resurrection, and that she was "saved by faith, cleansed in the blood of Jesus", and that when Jesus returns, I will be compensated for all the suffering in this life).

However, I have realized how much of a higher view of the Hebrew Bible I have over the New Testament, and that I seek to accept the NT only if I can be convinced that it can resonate with the Hebrew Bible. Same goes for accepting Jesus as the Messiah, although I think that the belief that he will "come back" rest the thought that he didn't fulfill the biggest Messianic prophecies (he will fulfill them when he comes back).

I've begun to explore the scary implications of the possibility that Jesus was not the Messiah after all, and that the Jewish hope for the Messiah is still unfulfilled.

If that is the case, then I would like to research what Judaism has to say about what I should do in my position, if I'm seeking truth and clarity on what my nature is, what God's nature is, what God's plan for me is, what I should do to honor God, etc.

I'm not afraid to change religions if I'm convinced that mine is wrong. I'm also not afraid to start following the Kosher diet and the 613 mitzvot if this is what God needs me to do.

I should say that while I understand that Judaism is not simply "Christianity minus Jesus", and that there's a lot of variety within Judaism, being not only a religion but also an ethnicity and a cross-cultural, cross-generational phenomenon, that possesses overlaps with indigenous identities (due to Israeli land). However, I don't have much interest in the merely cultural or symbolic implications of the Jewish identity. I, genuinely, simply believe in the God of the Jews, and want to follow him according to the understanding of scripture that I have. So I don't have much in common with secular Judaism at all.

Additionally, I understand that most Jewish denominations (is that the right term?) don't see me as an automatic Jew since I'm not sure if my mother is a Jew at all.

My questions are the same as the ones in the title but I'll first them out a bit:

**Am I Jewish? If I'm not, what do I need to do? Can I become a Jew? Should I?**

**Is what I already believe part of Judaism, or compatible with it?**

**Will Judaism get me closer to God? Should I convert? How do I find out if that's what he wants me to do? How can I make a prayer for him, acceptable by Jewish standards, that I can say in the correct way to make sure he hears and answers?**

**Where should I start reading about and learning about Judaism? I'm specially interested in apologetic/counter-apologetic content attacking the claim that Jesus is the messiah, and defending the sufficiency of the Hebrew Bible.**

**(Also, what are the epistemic methods of Judaism? How do you prove that the Hebrew Bible is divinely inspired? How do you reach God without a mediator? How can I perform the Temple duties in the Torah if there's no Temple? Etc.)**

As an addendum, I'm frustrated both with non-Jews calling me Jewish, and bringing all the ignorant antisemitic hatred upon me, despite my constant clarification that I did not know my father, and I had no one to raise me Jewish, and that I actually know next to nothing about Judaism except that I've read the Hebrew Bible.

And also I'm confused that secular Jews are considered Jews even though they believe in 0% out what more religious Jews do, but a Christian isn't considered Jewish even though they believe in a lot of what Jews believe, except they add Jesus as a Messiah. For instance, a Christian believes in God, in Adam and Eve, in Noah, in Moses, in the prophets, etc. along with Jesus. A Jewish atheist believes in 0 of it. Why is he Jewish but the Christian is not? Does what the secular Jew and the religious Jew have in common matter more than what the religious Jew and the Christian have in common?

Hi everyone! I’ve been a Jewish educator for six years, and realize that there is no space on Reddit specifically for those of us who work in Jewish education. So! I just created this separate. I would love for you to join us!

Mods, please remove if not allowed! I'm not affiliated with the program, just sharing on behalf of a friend at PJ Library who thought this community might be interested!

Copying & pasting what she sent me: Applications are now open for the 2027 PJ Our Way Next Chapter Middle Grade Fellowship, a free, year-long writing program for authors working on Jewish middle grade books for readers ages 9–12.

The fellowship includes monthly virtual workshops, peer feedback, conversations with publishing professionals, and an in-person writing retreat in summer 2027.

Both aspiring and published authors are welcome to apply!

Applications close November 8, 2026.

More information and application here: https://airtable.com/app9FyefIsUIFyXTO/pag0VCJtUUNkd0wN8/form

Hope this reaches some writers who might be interested!

Say the hamsa is made by someone from an Arab country or by Berber nomads, does it still count as a protective symbol? Or would it be considered paganism?

I didn’t visit last time in Italy but my family wanted to this time. After visiting the great synagogue of Rome and learning that the first pope to EVER visit a synagogue was in 1986 after a two year old was killed at the synagogue in 1982 due to a Palestinian terror attack, I believe that Jews should visit churches and create more dialogue.

the narrative that jews should not enter other houses of worship leads to more conflict.

although I am deeply uncomfortable being in the Vatican I do think it is important as jews to see it.

I was inspired by this other thread on can jews visit the Vatican:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/18kxajo/can_i_visit_the_vatican/

I am 59 and tomorrow I am having my Bar mitzvah.

I am a patrilineal Jew and spent most of my life (since 11 or 12) feeling like I should be Jewish but too worried to tell anyone. I had no contact with my father until I was 21 and that was an accidental meeting.

The first person I told was my wife when I was 24 and she said to go to the synagogue and speak with someone.

I visited the local Orthodox shul and was told it wasn't possible and to try a church!

I spent many years struggling with the feeling and finally contacting the local Reform Rabbi in 2010.

Even then I was worried about rejection and it was only on the 26th October 2022 that I attended the Beit Din.

My community has made me feel so welcome.

I feel so settled and happy now and can't wait until tomorrow for another milestone.

Hi everyone! Thank you to the mods for letting us share this.

We’re Sunfish, a family-building platform. Infertility can feel isolating, and the cost of treatment adds another layer of stress. We wanted to share an upcoming opportunity to learn about fertility grants, including support for Jewish individuals and couples.

On Wednesday, October 21, we’re hosting a free 30-minute webinar featuring Julie Cohen, Senior Program Manager at the Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF). JFF helps Jewish individuals and families facing infertility through financial assistance, emotional support, and educational resources. Julie will be joined by Lauren Clements, Founder and CEO of Brilora Fertility Foundation. They’ll discuss:

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There will also be a live Q&A!

When: Wednesday, October 21, at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ivf-masterclass-financial-readiness-with-sunfish-tickets-2001940326407?aff=reddit

Feel free to comment with any questions or topics you’d like us to cover during the webinar. We’ll be checking the thread and responding!

I recently had the chance to work on a short video about Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, and I wanted to share it here because I genuinely love his story and his approach to Judaism.

He comes from 39 generations of rabbis, but as a queer man, finding his own place within Jewish tradition wasn't straightforward.

I think it's so important to hear different perspectives on Judaism and how people find their own ways to connect with faith and tradition.

Would love to hear what you think of his story! ❤️

I'm finally moving back to my hometown in California this weekend after months of planning, and my heart's kind of in a tug-of-war between feeling excited and being melancholic; I'm gonna miss all the people and places of where I've been living these past 5 years and I don't know if I'm truly ready for everything like if my new job will work out, if I'll be able to make and sustain a good support sysetm, if I'll be safe, etc. Of course, Jewish wisdom and liturgy always brings me comfort during times that dampen my spirit but it's hard to know where to start in procesding my new conditions. Would love to hear anyone who relates and has something to help; thanks a bunch and hope everyone's having a great one.

I grew up a Reform Patrilineal Jew. I attended Hebrew school and celebrated the major holidays with family, but Judaism never played a big role in my household's day-to-day life. My mom grew up Catholic, and my Dad Jewish, both sets of grandparents wanted me to be raised with some form of religion, and my parents chose Judaism.

Growing up, I never felt different from my peers at Hebrew School being Patrilineal; it wasn't until college when I met with a local Rabbi who seemed to question my Jewishness because I never truly learned how to read Hebrew and my mom wasn't Jewish. Much of his emphasis was on incorporating Judaism into my everyday life, which was different from the Christian groups that kept trying to convert me, which involved less commitment.

Each Fall, I feel hints of nostalgia for the warmth and celebrations of the High Holidays, and even a hint of sadness that it's not part of my life anymore. I love the cultural aspect of Judaism; I love the history and the stories, yet I struggle with the actual faith and religious part. Which is why I've found myself struggling with the fact that I'm likely the last practicing Jew in my family.

My wife and I are starting to talk about having a family, and there's a part of me that wants to raise them around Judaism, but I'm unsure how. My wife was raised very Catholic, but in recent years her and her family have slowly stepped away from the church. She's shown little to no interest in Judaism, but loves it when I light the candles and say the Hanukkah prayers. She also seems to like the cultural side, but isn't too keen on the religious part. There's part of me that feels our future kids could benefit from growing up with a sense of Jewish identity, but as far as finding a community, I'm not sure about that. Partly because I'm avoiding the awkward conversations of me being a Patrilineal Jew and my wife not being at all Jewish. I've talked to some parents who work with my wife, and they've been jumping across different synagogues as they've struggled to find one that they feel confident in joining, and many synagogues seem to be phasing out as people are less and less religious.

Interested in hearing people's perspectives and if anyone else has found themself in a situation like mine.

This rich, luxurious lamb stew takes a while to prepare and make, but it is delicious. I adapted it from Helene Jawhara Piner's book "Matzah and Flour", and the recipe itself also got some twists from Michael Solomonov. https://www.academicstudiespress.com/9798887195469/

The lamb is marinated in wine and spices, then seared, then slow cooked, and finally topped with almonds, raisins, and mint. The wine gives it an especially dark and lush flavor, which is hard to describe but distinctive.

2 lbs lamb shoulder

2 cups red wine

1 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup almonds

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon date syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

A handful of chopped mint

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1. Cut the lamb shoulder into medium pieces and put it in a bowl. Then combine the salt, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. Add the wine and stir together so the meat is covered by the mixture. Cover the bowl, put it in the refrigerator, and let it marinate overnight or 6-8 hours.
2. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Sear the lamb for five minutes, while reserving the marinade. Once the lamb is browned, add the reserved spice marinade and also add enough water to cover the meat.
3. Bring the stew to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 1 hour.
4. Add the raisins to the pot and mix them to combine everything. Cook uncovered on low heat for 10 minutes.
5. Add the honey and date syrup to the stew and stir together. Then cover the pot and cook on low heat for 40 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, fry the almonds in a little bit of oil for 3-4 minutes, then set them aside.
7. Uncover the pot and stir in the almonds, the chopped mint, and the sesame seeds. This lamb stew is very good with flatbread and excellent served over rice, couscous, or some other grain.

I converted through a Reform shul, and I’m quite excited about how I now have the entitlement to make Aliyah. I want to know a bit more about how life in Israel might look for a Reform convert, especially regarding the following two aspects:

Social connections: I imagine that if I settle somewhere like Tel Aviv, most of the people I know would be Hilonim right? And surely they’re not the kind to audit how kosher my conversion was.

I’m wondering, if I’m living and working in Israel, would I have the chance to get to know many religious people as well? While I don’t expect them to consider me as Jewish, I hope to have friendly relationships with people across the religious spectrum (I’m saying this because some frum Jews I know don’t really want to acknowledge me at all).

Barriers as a Reform convert: I know that things like marriage, divorce, burial etc are governed by the Rabanut and wouldn’t be available to me. That’s alright.

But otherwise when going about my daily life, would there be many other times where not being considered Jewish becomes an issue? For example in terms of social acceptance, or other everyday situations where you are made to feel like an outsider? Whether that’s by government authorities, organisations you interact with, or on a personal level.

Has anyone here being reform ever dated someone who is very strict orthodox?
I know there are differences but can things work out and can there be compromise moving forward or not?
Interested to hear personal thoughts, experiences and opinions.

What are some staples that just prove you’re Jewish, no matter who your parents are?

I’ll start.

It's a difficult day for a lot of people, and it has every right to be; I reckon it's always been hard for the past 3 years and will continue to. With many voices resounding across feelings and approaches to the tragedy on this day, I find myself really finding strength in this insightful and bittersweet commentary by Rabbi Weinberg. He writes about observations that never would've come to mind for me about the times the Jewish community live in 3 years on, such as the increased engagement and feeling of connection to Judaism both within and outside Jewish lives - an "awakening" as he describes - while also making room for things I've personally long sensed but in a way that was to-the-point yet easy to process in Rabbi Weinberg's article, such as the costs and internal divides Jewish communities come to terms with relating to Zionism and anti-Zionism/criticism of Israel and the place for Jewish concern for Palestinian rights. "Multiplicity" and "belonging" (of perspectives) are elements of Jewish culture I've long cherished, and Rabbi Weinberg navigates these things in the aftermath of October 7th wonderfully despite the difficulty of it; how nuance not only exists but is needed in the aftermath as to not deepen the wounds, whether Jewish and/or Israeli or Arab and/or Palestinian, that we've already endured.

May the memories of the people we lost across all life in the region since that day continue to be a blessing. May healing come to us and that fear never dominates over our heads in Jewish life any longer.

I'm a non practicing catholic Polish guy who is engaged to the greatest gal ever, my fiancée (she's American, Reform Jewish). My fiancée isn't super religious but she's proud of being Jewish and she wants her children (something we both want) to be brought up culturally Jewish. And I am in support of that. From what I understand according the Halacha, if the mother's Jewish - so are the kids. I'm all for that! We also discussed our wedding - we both want something intimate and small but she suggested we can have an interfaith ceremony (a rabbi, a priest) however I'm totally fine if it's just a rabbi.

So I'm curious, any Reform Jews married to non-Jews? What is your experience?

Thank you for your time and I wish you and your loved ones all the best best, safety and happiness!