#and my talit and kippot

[whoreishghost]

i made date charoset and bought kiddush wine bc i couldnt find maneschweitz for my flatmates family and i keep wondering if they have matzah and if the meal will be kosher or have any chametz and what the seder will be like bc theyre not religious and neither am i really but they dont really do anything and my flatmate doesnt even know the names of the holidays and i had to send my haggadah so that they had one at all and i brought my kippot but my flatmate said their sister would be weirded out if anyone but me wore them idk its going to be different from what im used to

[date-a-jew-suggestions]

Kinda wanna make little kippot and talit for my cats now. Matzoh Ball would wear hers for long enough to take a few photos, if she’s in a good mood. Mittschtickendrinnen would probably just try to eat his

[girafeduvexin]

If I could draw, I would draw all my fav characters wearing kippot and/or talit but i guess Hashem thought it would have made me too powerful.

[progressivejudaism]

Hi PJ, I have always felt drawn to Judaism and I am finding out recently that more and more of my ancestors are of Eastern European Jewish heritage and this has cemented my desire to formally convert. However I am very poor, and I have heard a lot of mention of waiting to convert until you can financially commit to it. Does conversion cost money? I'm just a bit confused, if it does cost money are there options for prospective converts with very limited financial resources? Thank you!

Hiya!

Thank you so much for asking such an important question.

Unfortunately, there are some costs associated with the conversion process although the actual conversion itself does not cost any money.

It is a mitzvah for a rabbi or cantor to work with a prospective convert and therefore, you should not have to pay clergy or a synagogue to physically convert.  But there are several costs that often go along with the process- many of which that one might find when converting via the Reform, Reconstructionist, and/or Conservative Movement are listed below:

*  Tuition for an “Introduction to Judaism” type course. 

*  Books books books!  (Most likely THIS incredible and important book) Conversion students are most often expected to begin building their Jewish library.  Your teachers will help guide your purchases here.  There is a chance that you could borrow certain books from the synagogue as well- just be transparent with your clergyperson.

*  Converts will be expected to buy/gain Judaica as well!  Shabbat/Chag candlesticks, challah cover(s), Havdalah materials, mezuzot for your home, a Kiddush cup, a Hanukkah Menorah… etc are all fair game.  You might want to purchase kippot, possibly a talit for when you are first called to the Torah, and maybe even Tefilin!  [And yes, all genders can choose these three practices at their will- just work with your clergyperson to do what feels right at the right time.]  It is also worth noting that it is entirely possible that people in your Synagogue might choose to donate certain items to you.  If purchasing certain items is a financial struggle, talk to your rabbi or cantor- you never know when they can work some magic.

*   Sometimes there will be costs associated with attending the Synagogue itself– although I have noticed that most often community’s will purposely wave this fee.

*   Mikveh fees  (Assuming that your conversion will include this ritual inside an actual mikveh.)

*  Fees to a mohel / mohelet  for one’s Brit Milah / Hatafat Dam Brit  (if applicable)

*  Often converts will make a donation in the name of their rabbi or cantor to an important Jewish cause, to the Synagogue itself, or will donate directly to their clergyperson’s discretionary fund. 

What can you do if you have limited financial resources?   Either you can choose to take some time to gain some additional finances (there is no harm in waiting a few years), or you can just be very transparent with your cantor or rabbi.  Sometimes, the clergy is able to find money and find donations in certain places.  You never know!   Just be as transparent as possible.

If you would like any further guidance or support on this matter, please send me a private message.  I would be more than happy to chat with you privately, friend!

Good luck!

PJ

[dianaraven]

Nowhere To Be Seen

Tykocin:

We are leaving Tykocin and I am wearing my white sweatshirt. It is only allowed to be worn during tekeses such as the one we will have tonight at Treblinka, but we are wearing it now because we are leaving to go to a forest nearby. In that forest is the Jewish community, who arrived in the 1500s.

They have a shul here, it is old and was used as a fortress during invasions of Poland. It looks like those from Tzfat because they were in contact at the time. They have writing on the wall, prayers because siddurim were too expensive to make. A man sits outside the shul, he makes kippot and carves wooden Jews. They have violins, drums, talit, megillot, torah scrolls, staffs. Some are painted, some are not. He sells them there.

I do not know why but he makes me uncomfortable. I will not buy his products.

They are playing music now, it’s strong and mournful, I guess that makes sense as that is where we are going.

We are not allowed to talk or eat.

People live here. They have houses and stores and go about their daily business. Some even remember the Jewish community from that time, those who are old enough.

There is no Jewish community here anymore, I don’t even think there is a single Jew.

The police have followed us, and somewhere within me I am scared.