Reading List?

[chaiya]

After celticfreefall's post, it seems to me like a post of reading suggestions might be helpful! During the conversion process, most rabbis will have you read lots of books.

I found the following books helpful during my path: Choosing a Jewish Life by Anita Diamant, To Life! A celebration of Jewish being and thinking by Harold S. Kushner, The Nine Questions

Comments

[rootbeerkegger]

Jewish Literacy by Joseph Telushkin is really awesome. It covers much of the nerdier aspects of Judaism (what means what, when this or that happened and why, et cetera). I'm leaning towards grabbing up his Biblical Literacy as well, if it's anywhere near as informative.

[sailrox]

I second Jewish Literacy. It was great. I still use it as a reference sometimes.

[rochelle]

I third! Best book ever, seriously. I really debated if I should buy it or not because it was rather expensive, but now I realize it was worth it a thousand times over.

[twindouble]

I found "Becoming a jew" by Maurice Lamm very helpful.

[sierra]

I found that helpful as well.

[alice_curiouser]

See also: http://community.livejournal.com/jbcs/4943.html and http://community.livejournal.com/jbcs/82007.html - many good ones there, too. :)

[lavendersparkle]

I think that Choosing a Jewish Life by Anita Diamant is very orientated towards converts who are in a relationship with a Jew or who have Jewish family. (There's even a chapter on the wedding.) It tends to assume that you have Jewish in-laws to go to for family events and so doesn't cover any of the issues specific to single converts who don't have Jewish relatives.

I would recommend Not by Birth Alone which is an anthology of essays about conversion to Judaism from a variety of perspectives looking at the history of conversion, current issues and converts' own experiences and journeys.

I'm currently enjoying On being a Jewish Feminist although some of the essays are a bit hit and miss. There's a wonderful essay by a Charedi woman about the importance to her of saying kaddish for her mother.

[sailrox]

I found the same thing about Choosing a Jewish Life. Not really that useful.

For fiction, I love almost anything by Edeet Ravel, especially one called Ten Thousand Lovers She's a Canadian-Israeli and writes excellent books. In more political fiction (although in any book about Israel, I think it's hard to avoid the political situation), I recommend The Attack by Yasmina Khadra- it's about a fully-assimilated Arab Israeli doctor whose wife commits a suicide bombing.

[twindouble]

Almost all of the books I've read (not many, for they are expensive to get here) speak most of the converts who are in a relationship with a Jew. We are a whole family (4 persons) wanting to convert, and that is never mentioned in any of the books.

[chaiya]

It's less common, is the perception I get. My husband and I have gotten many surprised looks when folks find out that we both converted.

You may not find a book that perfectly describes your personal situation, but that doesn't mean that others haven't done it. Check out the web resources, and talk with lots of rabbis. :)

[malkaesther]

I found "To Pray as a Jew" to be difficult, other people like it, I'd advice getting it through an inter-library loan before buying to be sure you like it (actually that is a good idea with all books).

Choosing a Jewish Life by Anita Diamant is a bit anti-orthodox. I loved it when I first read it but have liked it less each time I've read it.

[ichzusein]

I have "To Pray As A Jew". It was the first "jewish" book I bought, and though it's not bad, I'd recommend it not be your first. It confused be so mcuh that I needed a Jew to "translate." Although, I suppose ti's a conversation starter ;)