Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends
by Anita Diamant
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Description
In the same knowledgeable, reassuring, and respectful style that has made her one of the most admired writers of guides to Jewish practices and rituals, Anita Diamant provides advice and information that can transform the act of conversion into an extraordinary journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth. Married to a convert herself, Diamant anticipates all the questions, doubts, and concerns, provides a comprehensive explanation of the rules and rituals of conversion, and offers show more practical guidance toward creating a Jewish identity. Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends is the definitive guide to the conversion process-for a new generation of Jews-by-choice. Here you will learn how to choose a rabbi, a synagogue, a denomination, and a Hebrew name; how to handle the difficulty of putting aside Christmas; what happens at the mikvah (the ritual bath) or at a hatafat dam brit (circumcision ritual for those already circumcised); how to find your footing in a new spiritual family that is not always well prepared to receive you; and how not to lose your bonds to your family of origin. Sensitive, sympathetic, and insightful, Choosing a Jewish Life provides everything necessary to make conversion a joyful and spiritually meaningful experience. This audiobook is masterfully read by Barrie Kreinik, and includes the song Hineni: Here I Am by Sue Horowitz. ©1997, 2016 Anita Diamant. Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
This book was recommended on the first day of my conversion class, but it is not appropriate for someone who is still deciding whether or not to convert (i.e. someone who is choosing a Jewish life). This book might be useful at the end of your conversion process, as you prepare for your beit din and mikveh, because it focuses mainly the ritual of conversion itself.
This book is not about the things you need to know before choosing to convert to Judaism. By reading this book, I did not learn any of the things I needed to know before my rabbi and community declared me suitable for conversion. It also does not discuss the halakhah which you need to know in order to live a Jewish life; but these are things I wanted to consider while choosing show more to live a Jewish life. You can't choose to be Jewish unless you know what it is like to be Jewish, and those topics are not discussed in this book. (Possibly they are discussed in Diamant's sequel: Living a Jewish Life).
However, once you have chosen to be Jewish, and are ready to undergo the ritual of conversion, this book does provide some peace of mind by explaining what to expect during the appearance before a beit din, circumcision, and mikveh. show less
This book is not about the things you need to know before choosing to convert to Judaism. By reading this book, I did not learn any of the things I needed to know before my rabbi and community declared me suitable for conversion. It also does not discuss the halakhah which you need to know in order to live a Jewish life; but these are things I wanted to consider while choosing show more to live a Jewish life. You can't choose to be Jewish unless you know what it is like to be Jewish, and those topics are not discussed in this book. (Possibly they are discussed in Diamant's sequel: Living a Jewish Life).
However, once you have chosen to be Jewish, and are ready to undergo the ritual of conversion, this book does provide some peace of mind by explaining what to expect during the appearance before a beit din, circumcision, and mikveh. show less
From a decidedly Reform standpoint, a very cogent and helpful book about considering a Jewish life.
One of the best books about why you might consider Judaism. Even a good read for non-converts.
[Loaned to Matt/Jaime]
[Loaned to Matt/Jaime]
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Author Information
27+ Works 26,380 Members
Anita Diamant is the author of Saying Kaddish, Choosing a Jewish Life, The New Jewish Wedding, Living a Jewish Life, The New Jewish Baby Book, Bible Baby Names, and the bestselling novel, The Red Tent. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts. Anita Diamant is the author of the bestselling novel "The Red Tent" & several books on Judaism, including show more "Living a Jewish Life", "Choosing a Jewish Life", & "The New Jewish Baby Book". A journalist who has written for "Redbook", the "Boston Globe", the "Boston Phoenix", & other publications, she lives in Newtonville, Massachusetts. (Publisher Provided) Anita Diamant was born in Newark, New Jersey on June 27, 1951. She received a bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from Washington University in 1973 and a master's Degree in English from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1975. She worked as a freelance journalist for numerous years and wrote for such magazines and newspapers as the Boston Globe, New England Monthly, Self, Parenting, Parents, McCalls, and Ms. She also wrote about Jewish practice and the Jewish community for Reform Judaism magazine, Hadassah magazine, and jewishfamily.com. She eventually started writing guidebooks to Jewish life including The New Jewish Wedding; The New Jewish Baby Book; Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs and Values for Today's Families; and Saying Kaddish: How to Comfort the Dying, Bury the Dead and Mourn as a Jew. She also writes novels including The Red Tent; Good Harbor; The Last Days of Dogtown, Day after Night and The Boston Girl. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1997
- Epigraph
- A young man studying for conversion turned to his teacher and said, "But, Rabbi Kushner, Kitzpatrick isn't a Jewish name."
To which Kushner replied, "It will be." - Dedication
- For my father,
MAURICE DIAMANT,
an eternal optimist
whose memory is a blessing,
and
for my teacher,
RABBI LAWRENCE KUSHNER - First words
- It was a beautiful June morning. (Preface)
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)To put out the welcome mat and open the door. (Afterword)
- Blurbers
- Greenwood, Dru ; Woznica, David ; Strassfeld, Michael
Classifications
- Genres
- Religion & Spirituality, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 296.71 — Religion Other religions Judaism Jewish life and customs Experience and Psychology of Judaism
- LCC
- BM729 .P7 .D53 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Judaism Judaism Practical Judaism Jewish way of life. Spiritual life. Mysticism. Personal
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 489
- Popularity
- 61,894
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.87)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 2
