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beccabenfrad's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I got what I wanted out of this book--an overview of what it means to be Jewish with explanations of cultural and theological concepts. It was very much a sampler, but it was a great place to get started.
thekeziamartins's review
4.0
I love how passionate Diamant is when she talks about Judaism, the writing makes each lesson more real and accurate.
akallabeth's review
i liked this one, particularly the positivity and enthusiasm with which the author talks about conversion and converts. i probably would have gotten more out of it in terms of new information if i'd read it sooner; the way i went about it, i'd already done a lot of reading on this particular subject and most of the stuff here was already familiar to me. as a result i often found myself wishing the author would go in a little deeper on a certain topic, and some stuff felt repetitive that probably wasn't really. in any case, it's a chipper, encouraging little book with a lot of good information presented in a clear and accessible way; if the subject matter interests you it's worth a read for sure. it's a ~classic~ of sorts for a reason! definitely a great intro read.
(holding off on rating this one due to the stuff i mentioned; it feels like a three star read for me, but i don't know that that's necessarily fair, so.)
(holding off on rating this one due to the stuff i mentioned; it feels like a three star read for me, but i don't know that that's necessarily fair, so.)
mordshunger's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
A fascinating look into the challenges and rituals surrounding conversion. Sadly no mention of the situation anywhere outside the US or Israel. Would have preferred a small look over the pond to other hotspots of rabbinical schools and reform communities.
tmrouse's review
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Short book, wish it went into more depth at times. A lot of the book discusses conversion due to marriage and the different challenges that may come from that, which isn’t very applicable for myself, as I’m planning to convert by myself.
oreganneo's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book! As someone who has never felt a true connection with the Christian faith I was raised in, I always felt like I was doing something wrong, or there was just something wrong with me. However, I've always felt much more connected and fascinated with Judaism, and I've recently been doing research to start the conversion process. Diamant does a fantastic job of making the book feel readable--something you don't have to think too hard about. Some of the Jewish literature I've been reading can seem a little daunting because of the old language it's written in. But Diamant's writing feels more like an informed and educated conversation--you feel comfortable reading it. Diamant lays out the entire conversion process start to finish. She describes things in great detail without droning on and answers any question a person considering conversion could possibly have. I haven't even started the process, but I feel prepared because I know what it entails. My favorite part of this book, though, is how Diamant reminds the reader that if they have their doubts, or are worried about what their family and friends may think, it's normal. Every person in the world has had doubts about their decisions or a big change coming in the future, and that's okay! It's just in our nature as humans. And as for the support of family and friends, I liked that Diamant mentioned that if your loved ones aren't supportive right off the bat, you just need to give them time and hopefully, they'll come around. Normally, when people get upset about big decisions like this, while it could be rooted in unchecked biases or ignorance, a lot of the time it's because it comes as a shock and it's hard for them to place themselves in your shoes.
This is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone thinking about conversion to Judaism, and if you have a family member or a friend that is interested in learning more about the decision you're making, this would be an excellent read for them too.
This is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone thinking about conversion to Judaism, and if you have a family member or a friend that is interested in learning more about the decision you're making, this would be an excellent read for them too.
aimeemarie's review
4.0
This is a lovely book for those who are converting, or are interested in converting. Diamant presents a variety of stories, antidotes, and information for those who are interested in the conversation process-for every step of the conversion process-and tries to answer a variety of questions that would commonly arise. This book does assume that the reader has some level of knowledge regarding Judaism already; so it’s not so much a ‘are you loosely toying with the idea of conversion?’ book but more of a ‘you have already done some research and forethought’ book. Though if you are the former, please don’t let this discourage you from picking up the book-it could certainly be a handy tool for your research.
lindsaysofia_25's review
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.25
I really enjoyed how informative this book is. On all matters of Judaism and conversion it reassured me and provided me with information to help me decide if it's right for me. I do take issue with the way adoption is presented but seeing as this was published in 1997 I'll let it slide. I definitely plan to buy a copy (this was from the library) to start my personal Jewish library as I move towards conversion!