If You Must Know

I am often asked: "Why did you convert to Judaism? Glutton for punishment?" It breaks down like this -

Rebellious by nature, I became a real pain-in-the-ass toward the end of my teenage years. Politics (anti-choice) and policies (no female priests) in my parents' Church of Choice rubbed me the wrong way. Then I was asked to sign a petition denouncing The Last Temptation of Christ, a movie best avoided because it sucked not banned because it challenged church doctrine. Freedom of speech and all... So I rebelled. And questioned. And then rebelled some more.

I looked into other Christian denominations. A Jehovah's Witness used to visit me every weekend and I read all her material. Fascinating, but too conservative for my free-loving and, according to her, "doomed" soul. A co-worker turned me on to Latter-Day Saints. I liked The Book of Mormon, good people, but couldn't get behind their hard-core stance against homosexuality and women's rights. Most Protestant faiths left me drained and wanting to never again see the inside of a church.

I figured I was without a home. When I wrote a paper titled "The Historicity of Jesus Christ" for a Humanities class, I learned about the Messianic Principle and early Christians - especially Saul...err...Paul and the ways he broke with Judaism to found a new religion.

Good stuff. I was a hit at parties.

Hippie friends turned me on to Eastern philosophies and faith took another turn. I read the Bhagavad Gita and incorporated other practices into my daily routine: meditation, Tai Chi, natural healing, yoga, vegetarianism, and a desire to graduate Samsara. Still. I'm a monotheist at heart and couldn't get on board with any idol-worshiping. Much love, though.

Then my friend Julie asked me to visit her synagogue. No, she did not recognize a kindred spirit and hope to awaken the sleeping Jew inside me. Instead, she had the hots for her new rabbi and wanted me to meet him.

He was way hot. His wife, too. And that was the end of Julie and The Rabbi. However, I felt right at home. For the next few years, I studied and learned about this ancient yet modern religion. So many things felt like a good fit. For example, Israel means "to struggle" with God.

Score!

I also learned the major difference between Jews and Christians has nothing to do with Jesus. Oh, sure, some Jews are waiting for the Messiah. However, many of us take the Messianic Principle to mean that one person makes a difference and, with God's help, we can save ourselves.

SIDE NOTE: Don't even get me started on Messianic Jews. One cannot be both Christian and Jewish - no matter what Madonna says. Jews for Jesus are evangelical Christians out to save your soul. Run don't walk in the opposite direction. They're as bad as Scientologists. Ooops - intolerant moment. Sorry.

The main difference between Jews and Gentiles is a question of emphasis. Christians emphasize prayer while Jews stress the importance of study. Christians focus on belief; Jews - behavior. Simple as that. Or not. What do I know?

During my two-year conversion (no quickie dip in the lake and you're saved, thankyouverymuch), I also gained more of an appreciation for my Catholic heritage, the Pope, and all that Christianity has accomplished. They brought monotheism to the world, after all. Good job, peeps.

In the end, I picked a Hebrew name (Bruriah), got naked and jumped in the mikvah to come out an adopted daughter of Abraham and Sarah. Then I made my Jewish boyfriend-soon-to-be-husband put down his ham sandwich, pick up a yarmulke and get with the program. While I feel at home among Conservative, Reform, and Orthodox Jews, we picked a Reform Congregation and have been davening ever since.

I realize, for many, I am now your token Jew. So feel free to ask more questions as if I really know what I'm talking about.