Yesterday, I went before my beit din on the shore of lake Michigan along with my dear friend, who was also completing his conversion. My beit din was my Rabbi, another dear friend, and a Rabbi from a shul I've been involved with throughout the process. The whole thing came together SUPER last minute - this summer has been chaotic for all of us. I was beginning to question if I would have to wait until next year for my conversion -- I was bedbound with illness for weeks, and shortly before that I was not in the headspace for conversion, as my beloved Uncle passed away very suddenly, blessed be his memory. However, my Rabbi really rallied for me and made it happen last minute ! Someday I'd like to write more formally about the experience, but right now it feels too fresh. I feel like I'm floating, but not in a dissociative way.
The most nerve wracking part of the process was the immersion process. I've been dreading the public nudity aspect of this since conversion was just a pipedream for me. Because we are reconstructionist, my shul is not welcome at my city's mikveh house, so we opt for using the lake instead. Of course, nobody could even tell that I was nude - I was so far from everyone else. However being so vulnerable in front of my Rabbi was very difficult! The water was freezing cold, and it was raining, and I was so choked up that I could barely get the blessings out. The whole thing went extremely fast. when I finished the Shema, I asked my Rabbi if I was done, and...I was! I was Jewish!
It's thrilling to know I went through this process alongside my friend. He and I have had parallel experiences in many regards with our conversion, and he and his spouse are a huge reason why I didn't give conversion up altogether when things got rough last October. His dedication throughout the process has been an inspiration, and I am SO proud. Even more, I'm so excited to see what happens next.
I am so grateful for this experience. I am so grateful for my Jewish community which has welcomed me with open arms, for my close friends who have been there through the good and the bad, to my Beit Din for spending their Thursday making this a reality, and to my Rabbi. I haven't been a model student, but she's supported me through it all. Through illness, grief, and political disagreement she stuck by and steered me on the right path. This is a transitional period for both of us, and I am so excited to see what lies ahead for her as well!
Baruch Hashem!
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