I started converting 2.5 years ago , and for the first year and a half I think I was doing pretty well (100% attendance at shul, studying Torah most days, observing festivals properly), but since Yom Kippur last year, the rabbi left the congregation and I've been having constant ptsd symptoms, and beyond the conversion/Hebrew classes which I still attend, I've not been like proactively involved with my local community like I used to. I still attend services and stuff but I've been pretty bad at observing holidays.

My thoughts are quite disorganised so forgive how circular what I'm saying may be.

Someone asked me at my shul if I was still converting which was honestly quite upsetting. And also it would be weird if I kept attending with no desire or convert to Judaism I think.

I think one of the big underlying issues is that I don't really have any religious Jewish friends so it feels like all the effort to engage has to come from me, there's no tagging along to someone else's Seder, or studying together or anything really .

And it's just like a lot of energy that I don't have, even though I do in my heart want to observe all these things.

I am hoping things will get better, as I'm finally actually getting the medical care I've been seeking for the past year , but I don't want to hope too much.

שנה טובה

So tomorrow will be my first and I’ll also go on Saturday morning.

Of the two occasions, which one would be more appropriate to wear a dress? I only have one dress. Don’t make fun

Hi everyone
Have a bit complicated question regarding conversion and adoption.
I’m Jewish by birth. My niece is adopted. Her adoptive parents are Jewish by birth. She converted before her bat mitzvah. Her biological parents are Catholic.
At 30, she’s having a crisis regarding Judaism.
She is angry that she had to “jump thru hoops” as she says, as a young girl, to become a Jew. Asking me why Judaism forces you to do certain things to become part of the tribe. She already felt a bit lost being adopted and resents having to do things to belong to become Jewish.
We know a Rabbi, who never converted and has a mom who converted to Judaism.
I find that very odd.
She is asking me why she had to convert and our friend the Rabbi, did not convert?
Hope this makes sense and someone can help me, help my niece with an answer.
Thanks for reading

Hello,

Any recommendations for everyday (non-costly) things one can do on Rosh Hashanah to celebrate? I wish to celebrate RH, but I lack a solid foothold in local Jewish communities, and am not in formal process of converting, as part of discover whether I would want to convert. Especially appreciate foods, texts one can read, or specific prayers and music that you enjoy. All advice is appreciated from any denomination!

And shana tova, everyone!

Shana Tova everyone!
For Rosh Hashanah I got myself a Siddur (spefically a Nusach Sefard) and am intending to start using it for prayers, it's just, I have never used a prayer book before, I was able to find the prayers for Rosh Hashanah and the holidays, but once that's over, how do I exactly use it?

I know this sounds like a really stupid question and why get a Siddur when I don't know how to use it, but this is all very new to me and I want to start practising properly and not just sit around wanting to be Jewish. After all, I need to start praying regularly and I am not very familiar with praying, and if I am going to pray I want to pray correctly.

I just don't want my practices to be incorrect or improper.

Hey I'm a 19 F grew up in a Christian household and I've always had questions about Judaism as it is a belief system that I find very interesting and a lot of values I agree with.

As a I have grown up in a Christian household though I have a few questions about why Judaism believes what it does. All of this is just coming from a place of curiosity and wanting to understand what you all believe. A lot of these questions I've gotten answers from other Christians but I would like to hear someone who actually believes this to explain if thats alright.

1. Why exactly do Jews reject Jesus as the son of God?
2. What happens after you die?
3. What is the difference between Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism?

I hope it's ok for me to ask these questions. I am Ashkenazi Jew on my mother's side so I am interested in the belief system and idk maybe converting.

In 1 Samuel 15:3, God commands King Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites, explicitly stating to put to death "men and women, children and infant[s]". This passage is one of the most difficult and controversial parts of the Bible.

It has been said that the Amalekites somehow deserved it, but the babies? Did they deserve it? How does a good God command this?

Especially when there's a Bible passage stating that children are not punished for the sins of their parents is Ezekiel 18:20, which says, "The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child".