Do You Want to Stand at Sinai With Us?

One of the many customs associated with Shavuot is that congregations formally welcome all those who have studied for a year in order to join the Jewish people. They have taken a course called “JIC” – Jewish Information course, sometimes called Introduction to Judaism. The participants need to have a sponsoring Rabbi, need to attend services regularly and need to attend 2-hour classes weekly for 30 weeks, as well as tutorials spent on basic Hebrew reading.

At the end of the course, the candidates are interviewed at the Beit Din by the instructing Rabbis and the course teacher, and the discussion is focused on some very particular questions … Why? Why do you want to join the Jewish people? Why now, at this time, when antisemitism is so prevalent? How have you, during the course, begun to live a Jewish life? What do you see as your next steps in this Jewish journey? What Jewish name have you chosen and why?

After the Beit Din, a time is selected for the students to go to the mikvah (ritual immersion) and males who, if their health allows, will go through Brit milah (full circumcision) or Hatafat Dam (if they are already circumcised.) Sometimes, some candidates take the course but do not choose to formally convert but become strong and knowledgeable supporters of their partners and of the Jewish community.

This past year some 20 candidates have joined the Jewish communities west of Toronto and there are 4 more that will be joining when Rabbi Pollack returns. And the Toronto classes are significantly larger.

Each year, as I teach this course, with Nicole Hansen assisting, I am in awe of these individuals who enrich and support our Jewish world. They are dedicated, passionate learners. They ask questions, challenge concepts, struggle with “isms”, and what they have a super abundance of is the hope, the desire to be considered “Jewish” They go on to become leaders in our community, presidents of our congregations, teachers in our religious and Hebrew schools, Rabbis and Cantors.

They ask to stand with us at Sinai. They speak up and proudly affirm the Jewish neshama (soul). Many often discover that they have Jewish roots through DNA testing. My mother would have said that they had a “pintela Yid” a little Jewish spark that had been dormant for too long and now was lighting up their whole being. And, as we heard from the most recent 20, almost all referred back to Oct 7, 2023, as the catalyst that set the spark glowing. Some will be having a Jewish wedding in the near future. A few are already planning trips to Israel. Many have already taken on leadership roles in their shuls.

We need to be thankful that we are blessed with our “new Jews”. Our future needs their enthusiasm, their love and their talents. I truly believe that they and we were all at Sinai together some 3000 years ago, when we said to God, as we received the mitzvot “Na’aseh v’neeshma” We will do and we will hear…… Do you remember seeing them there……

A safe and enjoyable summer to all!

Filed under: Educator's Message

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