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A program of
support, instruction, and guidance at Congregation Shaarey Zedek
for those
considering joining the Jewish people.
To learn more
about this program, select from the following options:
>
Why Do People Choose Judaism?
>
What is Involved in Choosing Judaism?
>
What is the Choosing Judaism Program?
>
What is the Course Content?
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View a Schedule of Meeting Dates
>
Learn how to Register (Pre-registration is mandatory
to attend)
Why Do People Choose Judaism?
People consider conversion to Judaism for a variety of reasons. Some have
been searching for a spiritual and religious home for years and have decided
that Judaism offers a unique and meaningful way of life. Some have
discovered Jewish ancestors and wish to reclaim a lost heritage. Some are
marrying Jews and want their future relationship founded on shared vision
and values regarding marriage, home and family. Some have lived or worked
with Jews and have been inspired to explore the possibility of becoming part of
the Jewish people.
There are also people who are simply curious about Judaism and want to
explore what being a Jew means in a way that is not possible in an academic
setting. They want to understand how one of earth’s oldest continuing
civilizations has not only contributed some of our most profound ideas about
humanity and its relationship to God, but also worked to defend and improve
human life for nearly four thousand years.
Whatever the reason for your decision to learn about Judaism and about the
possibility of becoming a Jew, we at Congregation Shaarey Zedek will
welcome, instruct, support, and guide you. Becoming a Jew is an invitation
to a lifetime of Jewish learning and practice, and you will find that
Shaarey Zedek is a place where you can apply the lessons of Torah: study as
an act of worship, prayerful connection to God, and devotion to deeds that
increase goodness in the world.
In the case of non-Jews who have a Jewish partner, we encourage you both to
enroll in our program. We think this is important because Judaism has three
centres—the home, synagogue-community, and the world at large—and we want
partners in a relationship to have a shared starting point in terms of
religious identity and practice. We want you to develop the habit of
cultivating mutual understanding and mutually-supportive practice so that
you both participate in Jewish life.
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What is Involved in Choosing Judaism?
Choosing to become a Jew requires
time and considerable thought. Our program is organized so that candidates
for conversion will:
Learn the basics of how Jews
live, think, and conduct their lives—both in terms of idealized practice
and in terms of real life situations -
Explore the diversity within
Judaism and the Jewish people
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Discuss the consequences and
implications of conversion
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Reflect repeatedly and
seriously on the act of choosing to become a Jew so that if or when the
choice is made to complete the conversion process, it will be with
wholeness of heart and sincerity.
We want to prepare conversion
candidates to be real Jews in the real world—to practice Judaism, not just
be equipped to talk about it. After all, the purpose of someone converting
is to become a Jew good enough to be part of a living tradition, rather than
to become an encyclopedia of Jewish trivia. We believe everyone who is
serious and completes our program will have the knowledge, tools, and
motivation to be welcomed into the Jewish community.
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What is the Choosing Judaism Program?
Becoming a Jew involves study and
also the application of what you learn to your daily life. The process may
start in your head, but eventually it becomes what you do in the world as
part of the course of life. Because Judaism is defined not only by a set of
faith statements, but also by ritual, cultural activities, and ethics, we
want you to see how Judaism is practiced.
We also want you to learn how to be a Jew through your senses—through
seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. You will be invited to
Sabbath and festival dinners, holy day celebrations, and encounters with the
social, political, and cultural concerns of the Jewish community of
Winnipeg. Quite likely you will be astonished by the richness and diversity
of Jewish experience and creative expression. The main thing is not to be
overwhelmed. We hope you will take this as an invitation to fashion your
future life as a Jew so that it is a work of art and an expression of the
human spirit as we Jews conceive it.
The class itself is a miniature version of the Jewish community and a group
rich in resources, knowledge, and experience. We hope every participant will
discover that the class itself offers support for learning and for facing
the challenges and changes that are inevitable in the process of conversion.
We also welcome past participants in the program as mentors to new students.
The guides to your studies and to the conversion process include the Rabbis,
Cantor (musical leader), and the officers and staff of Congregation Shaarey
Zedek. We will provide you with a curriculum and other resources to aid you
in making your decision and in fulfilling it. The instructor for the program
is our Associate Rabbi, Lawrence M. Pinsker.
At the end of the study component of the class, you will be asked whether
you are ready to complete the conversion process. This decision is separate
from the year-long classroom preparation for making the choice. The details
of this final stage are discussed during an initial interview as well as in
early classes.
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What is the Course Content?
The class meets on Tuesday nights
from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm to study and discuss specific topics. The list of
topics, activities, and reading list will be provided at the beginning of
the course. The first hour is devoted to the basics of learning Hebrew.
Students must read assigned materials either from the class textbooks or
from materials that are copied and distributed in advance.
Classes include lecture, discussion, a coffee break, web-related materials
for review, journal-keeping, and topics for home discussion as well. You
will be asked to write short essays and prepare a special learning project
for presentation to the class.
In addition, you will attend enrichment activities such as Sabbath and
festival dinners, holy day celebrations, and selected social, political, and
cultural programs in the general Jewish community of Winnipeg.
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Schedule
ORIENTATION
Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 7:00 PM at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue.
Everyone is welcome to attend this orientation.
Program Registration Forms
should be submitted to Clare Whiteman in the synagogue office no later than Monday, September 12, 2011.
A class schedule will be provided to you the night of the orientation.
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Registration
All Choosing Judaism course materials and related fees will be administered
through the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue office. Program fee is $350 per person
or $600 per couple. Couples are encouraged to attend together. A completed
registration form must be submitted with full payment. We accept cash,
cheque, Visa or MasterCard. Please make cheques payable to Congregation
Shaarey Zedek.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not
hesitate to call Rabbi Lawrence Pinsker or Clare Whiteman
at 452 3711.
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To register contact:
Clare Whiteman
204 452 3711 x452
cwhiteman@shaareyzedek.mb.ca
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
561 Wellington Crescent
Winnipeg MB R3M 0A6
fax 204 474 1184
web www.shaareyzedek.mb.ca
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