Discovering Judaism & Conversion

Are you interested in learning more about Judaism or considering conversion to Judaism? At Temple Emanu-El, we embrace individuals from all backgrounds who would like to discover more about Judaism or who are interested in reaffirming or choosing Judaism as their faith.

The Process

Conversion to Judaism is a deeply personal as well as communal experience – both adopting a new faith and becoming a member of the Jewish people and embracing its rich history, traditions and culture.

The conversion process at Temple Emanu-El involves several key steps that span approximately 12-18 months. Our approach emphasizes education, spiritual guidance and self-reflection – enabling you to explore Jewish traditions, values and beliefs while finding your place in our community.

  1. Initial Meeting with Rabbi Sara Sapadin: In this initial meeting, Rabbi Sapadin will ask you to introduce yourself and share what is bringing you to your exploration of Judaism at this time. This is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the process or Judaism in general.
  2. Enrollment and full participation in our Introduction to Judaism class: Participation in the Introduction to Judaism class is a requirement of conversion at Temple Emanu-El.  As a participant in the Introduction to Judaism class, you will embark on an enriching learning journey.  In this 18-session course you will delve into Jewish history, holidays, our sacred Jewish texts, rituals and ethics. These sessions will provide a solid foundation of Jewish knowledge and foster engaging discussions to deepen your understanding. The February class is full and the May registration is now open.
  3. One-on-one meetings with clergy mentor: All of our conversion students are assigned a clergy sponsor to help guide them through the process. Each student meets with their sponsor on a monthly basis. These one-on-one meetings provide spiritual direction, mentorship and learning, to help our students forge an enriching, meaningful path towards a Jewish life. 
  4. Ongoing reflection, study and participation in communal life: Living Jewishly is an integral part of the conversion process. We encourage you to immerse yourself in Jewish life by attending Shabbat services, participating in our vibrant community events and engaging with our various social justice initiatives; once you have begun the conversion process with your clergy mentor, we invite you to join Temple Emanu-El with a special Discovering Judaism Introductory Pre-Membership. Living Jewishly allows you to connect with fellow congregants, experience Jewish customs firsthand and develop a sense of belonging within our community. We encourage all of our students to embrace the path of Jewish learning and living, even after the course has concluded.
  5. Beit Din and Mikvah: When the student and their sponsor have determined they are ready to formalize their conversion journey, a Beit Din (rabbinic court) will be assembled, followed by immersion in the mikvah, the ritual bath.

Begin Your Journey

Before contacting our rabbi to begin your journey, we recommend reading Choosing a Jewish Life, Revised and Updated: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends by Anita Diamant as well as learning more about Reform Judaism on ReformJudaism.org.

If you’re interested in pursuing conversion or learning more about the process, please email with your name, contact information and a brief explanation of why you are interested in exploring conversion to Judaism.

You may also choose to explore some additional resources to familiarize yourself with the basics of Judaism and conversion. 

Discovering Judaism Contact Form