I can't thank you enough for this video. I am reform, and I've been told I'm not Jewish or Jewish enough by some members of the Orthodox community who feel they need to gate keep and shame those who don't fit their mold. You are a breath of fresh air, and I look forward to watching all of your videos🙏
I'm in the process of conversion through conservative. In terms of belief I feel like I am closer to Orthodox. But, I like that the Conservative allows room for personal growth in terms of practice. For example. I would like to keep Shabbat. But lets say at my job I get off late on Friday, after shabbat has commenced. I would not be eligible for conversion through Orthodox. Let's say I had the perfect job where I came home from work before sunset on Friday and I was able to convert. But lets say due to economic reasons I had to accept a job where I come home late on Friday. Now, my conversion is invalidated? Not even born Jews can live up to this standard. If I could realistically live up to those unrealistic standards I would choose Orthodox. But I live in the real world and I believe in Judaism. Liked and Subscribed
I def agree with you. I also follow the tenents of Orthodoxy but there are drawbacks. For me, the personal growth and being forced to moved to isolated communities is a big issue. I dont mind living in a community but God has bigger plans for me that I don't have the pleasure of isolation from the world.
Man, thanks so much for your thoughts. I’m a Jew, I’d be considered observant I daven, wrap tefillin, attend shul, study, observe Shabbat etc. I’m not orthodox but read, listen and appreciate orthodox and chasidus wisdom. I also appreciate and interact with liberal Judaism and its innovations. Hesitantly, I would call myself a conservative Jew, but I have to say I feel disappointed by all streams of Judaism at the moment. It feels like all of these movements have so much to offer but also have so many things that they are doing wrong. I think we’re at a point in history where we are struggling with religious identity as Jews and I hope we have an increase in unity and some way of joining all these disparate opinions and practices into something much more cohesive and whole. I think many of us fall somewhere in the middle but are much less organized/loud when compared to the liberal Jewish voices and orthodox Jewish voices. I don’t know 🤷♂️ but so glad to hear you speak on this. Torah Judaism is the only Judaism but there is a reason the Talmud leaves many things open-ended. There is a reason the sages of the post 2nd temple era were so hesitant to commit the oral tradition to writing. Hopefully in the end this is all working toward the perfection of the world and our closeness to HaShem and Torah. Shalom u’mevorach
I'm in the process of converting I'm at the end of my conversion after the high holidays I will meet with the bet din and hit up the mikvah conservative Judaism has been amazing to me I absolutely love it and all are welcome and I can be super observent in the manor that I can and that's accepted and its about striving to be better and do better not be perfect
Brilliant! Thank you so much for this video. Although I have been involved with Judaism for some time, I am only at the beginning of the real conversion process. There is a liberal-egalitarian Shul near my hometown where I have been visiting the services regularly, and I also take part in the community life. When I decided to convert on the liberal path, first thing I heard from an Orthodox friend was, "some Orthodox Jews won´t accept your way of being Jewish". Since then, I have heard and read that quite often. (Perhaps I should mention, that in our times and after the Shoah, liberal Judaism is still a minority in Germany´s Jewry. The Conservative movement even exists only in one single synagogue, what a pity!) So, even in "my" liberal shul it was mentioned, just to prepare me for such moments that are very likely to happen. Your video helps me to deal with it. Some of your points were thoughts I had before watching, but you gave me a lot more to think about. Thanks again!
All of this was so good but what stood out to me most was your statement about “How can we be a light to the world if we only stay in our own communities, closed off from the world?” Jews that live completely isolated from the world around them, and some are even antagonistic towards non-Jews they have to interact with in public, are a light to *no one*. They are so quick to say who is following the Torah but choose to ignore that part. They would do well to be reminded of that when they exalt their own Torah observance over others.
Amazing video! Love your story and the genuineness with which you share it. Completely agree on so many points but I don’t want to explode all over your comment section so I’ll let the video stand for itself. Well done Blade! Thank you for sharing your point of view and your story do eloquently.
Really belated comment, but I found this to be a really compelling point of view. I've considered conversion to Judaism for years and years, debating back and forth between Orthodox and Conservative, but I think Conservative would suit me more given all the facts you put forward.
I know that it can feel frustrating to not be accepted by all jewish movements after a conversion. But you can't ever please everybody. It's important that you find the place in your community with your friends and what others may or may not think is really not important to you. The state of Israel accepts other conversions for inmigration too and you can live even there in your reform or conservative community. If you can stand the fact, that not everybody must like you and your way of living, the only power the chief rabbinate has over you will be marriage and burrial IN ISRAEL, not anywhere else. If you can't live with that, better try to learn not to care to much about everybodies opinion, then trying to fit in with the orthodox "standard". You will find out, that you will never be enough for everybody. Enjoy YOUR process and YOUR life.
We have to adapt in many ways. And we have to love all members of the tribe. However, we have to change our lives to fit Judaism, not change Judaism to fit us. We may not like it, and it may be a challenge for us all, but the Law was given at Sinai and never has or will change. We can’t change the Torah. It is a clear roadmap of what Hashem demands of us. We either say like our fathers, “We will do it”, or we reject it. We each answer ultimately to Hashem for our mitzvot or lack thereof. Torah study and love of Hashem is paramount to the Jew.
Just discovered your channel an subscribed. I'm on a path to convert to Judaism, and attend a Conservative Synagogue. It will take some time to view all your videos. Thank you. Shalom
I converted through the Conservative movement. I picked Conservative because I thought it was a happy medium between Reform and Orthodox. I've been told that I'm not actually Jewish by those who are Orthodox because I didn't convert through the Orthodox movement - they say that there's only one way to practice Judaism. Currently, I'm considering converting through the Orthodox movement, but the fact that they've been invalidating people's conversions makes me wary about going that route.
The requirements for a halachically valid conversion are set out in the Shulchan Aruch. Assuming that you were converted by a Beit Din of 3 male Jews, you might ask on what grounds they say your conversion is invalid. In my experience, Haredi Jews at least tend to assume that Conservative Jews do not accept Halacha, which is of course incorrect. The confusing responsa concerning driving on Shabbat in particular have given the false impression that Conservative halachic interpretation holds driving to shul to be permissible, which is not so.
I watched a few vids so far and I do think the conversion should be orthodox and from then one can move to whatever movement fits… I say this because I saw other vid of people went to conservative place and didn’t know what Shabbat was even after “having converted”… I mean part of being Jewish is knowing many of the Jewish laws and deciding whether you want to fallowed them or not… If you don’t feel like fallow them, then I don’t see the reason to convert in the first place… Sorry I’m all over the place.
I agree, I read a statement in my devotional that said, "you don't know you are obedient until your obedience is tested." How do you further develop your obedience if you don't test it?
According to the Tanakh it's both You're jewish either way via father or mother e examples: Jewish via his father: 1 Kings 14:29-31 The Message (MSG) The rest of Rehoboam’s life, what he said and did, is all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam the whole time. Rehoboam died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His mother was Naamah, an Ammonite =(a non jew). His son Abijah ruled after him. Jewish via mother: 1 Chronicles 2:34-35 Sheshan had no sons, though he did have daughters. He also had an Egyptian servant (non-Jew) named Jarha. Sheshan gave one of his daughters (a Jew) to be the wife of Jarha, and they had a son named Attai (born jewish).
I would love to know what you think about the Netflix documentary about Cleopatra that is going to be released on the 10th of the month where Cleopatra is presented as a sub-Saharan African (This is of course the same documentary that outraged the Egyptian public and that a lawyer in Egypt decided to sue)
The outrage is justified and only woke politically correct NPCs who want to disregard history for political agendas have a problem with regular people being outraged
The Rabbi that worked with King was Rabbi Abraham Herschel he was a conservative rabbi. Im reading a book of his called heavenly Torah it's an amazing book about the Torah through the ages. Talking about how through the generations mitzvah are interpreted. And with new knowledge of creation we interpret the Torah. Very good jewish theological book :) you should read it. Im a gay man thats converting conservative leaning more orthodox but also liberal theologically lol and that Rabbi really relates to me 😅
@@brooks3376 u must be new. He was born into an Orthodox community and converted to the conservative movement. He explains why he left Orthodoxy. He was born jewish
I tried to convert orthodox, and failed and am now living as a ben noach. I value the stringency and im sorry brother but i feel you should not call yourself a jew. The torah has a place for righteous gentiles, perhaps you should have spent more time studying that before converting.
Kinda racist for you to look at him and think he for sure is a born non-Jew. Also presumptuous to say that all conservative conversions are invalid. Conservative rabbis follow the law, too.
Wow! Thank you for speaking on those that want to be jewish but doesn't want to live an orthodox lifestyle! I love this channel
I can't thank you enough for this video. I am reform, and I've been told I'm not Jewish or Jewish enough by some members of the Orthodox community who feel they need to gate keep and shame those who don't fit their mold. You are a breath of fresh air, and I look forward to watching all of your videos🙏
Reform Judaism is not Torah Judaism
@eliedecastro5716 shaming other jews goes against the torah. I wish you the best for the new year
@@soilswithsorrell reformists = changes that goes against Torah.
I'm Reform too and you are totally correct! We ARE Jews!
@@NEGAN310 your level of religiosity does not determine if you are a Jew or not.
I'm in the process of conversion through conservative. In terms of belief I feel like I am closer to Orthodox. But, I like that the Conservative allows room for personal growth in terms of practice. For example. I would like to keep Shabbat. But lets say at my job I get off late on Friday, after shabbat has commenced. I would not be eligible for conversion through Orthodox. Let's say I had the perfect job where I came home from work before sunset on Friday and I was able to convert. But lets say due to economic reasons I had to accept a job where I come home late on Friday. Now, my conversion is invalidated? Not even born Jews can live up to this standard. If I could realistically live up to those unrealistic standards I would choose Orthodox. But I live in the real world and I believe in Judaism. Liked and Subscribed
I def agree with you. I also follow the tenents of Orthodoxy but there are drawbacks. For me, the personal growth and being forced to moved to isolated communities is a big issue. I dont mind living in a community but God has bigger plans for me that I don't have the pleasure of isolation from the world.
Conservative interpretations of Halacha also do not allow you to work on Shabbat
Man, thanks so much for your thoughts. I’m a Jew, I’d be considered observant I daven, wrap tefillin, attend shul, study, observe Shabbat etc. I’m not orthodox but read, listen and appreciate orthodox and chasidus wisdom. I also appreciate and interact with liberal Judaism and its innovations. Hesitantly, I would call myself a conservative Jew, but I have to say I feel disappointed by all streams of Judaism at the moment. It feels like all of these movements have so much to offer but also have so many things that they are doing wrong. I think we’re at a point in history where we are struggling with religious identity as Jews and I hope we have an increase in unity and some way of joining all these disparate opinions and practices into something much more cohesive and whole. I think many of us fall somewhere in the middle but are much less organized/loud when compared to the liberal Jewish voices and orthodox Jewish voices. I don’t know 🤷♂️ but so glad to hear you speak on this. Torah Judaism is the only Judaism but there is a reason the Talmud leaves many things open-ended. There is a reason the sages of the post 2nd temple era were so hesitant to commit the oral tradition to writing. Hopefully in the end this is all working toward the perfection of the world and our closeness to HaShem and Torah. Shalom u’mevorach
I'm in the process of converting I'm at the end of my conversion after the high holidays I will meet with the bet din and hit up the mikvah conservative Judaism has been amazing to me I absolutely love it and all are welcome and I can be super observent in the manor that I can and that's accepted and its about striving to be better and do better not be perfect
You convert to Judaism not to reform not to conservative not to orthodox
I agree that’s why most Jews like myself are conservative or reform.
Brilliant! Thank you so much for this video. Although I have been involved with Judaism for some time, I am only at the beginning of the real conversion process. There is a liberal-egalitarian Shul near my hometown where I have been visiting the services regularly, and I also take part in the community life. When I decided to convert on the liberal path, first thing I heard from an Orthodox friend was, "some Orthodox Jews won´t accept your way of being Jewish". Since then, I have heard and read that quite often. (Perhaps I should mention, that in our times and after the Shoah, liberal Judaism is still a minority in Germany´s Jewry. The Conservative movement even exists only in one single synagogue, what a pity!) So, even in "my" liberal shul it was mentioned, just to prepare me for such moments that are very likely to happen. Your video helps me to deal with it. Some of your points were thoughts I had before watching, but you gave me a lot more to think about. Thanks again!
All of this was so good but what stood out to me most was your statement about “How can we be a light to the world if we only stay in our own communities, closed off from the world?”
Jews that live completely isolated from the world around them, and some are even antagonistic towards non-Jews they have to interact with in public, are a light to *no one*. They are so quick to say who is following the Torah but choose to ignore that part. They would do well to be reminded of that when they exalt their own Torah observance over others.
Amazing video! Love your story and the genuineness with which you share it. Completely agree on so many points but I don’t want to explode all over your comment section so I’ll let the video stand for itself. Well done Blade! Thank you for sharing your point of view and your story do eloquently.
Thank you so much for this! There aren't many channels about non orthodox jews that will speak on orthodox judaism.
Until the late 1800s in the Ashkenazi world there was only one Judaism Torah Judaism
I am not Jewish but want to convert. Thank you for explaining and sharing your experiences. I have learned so much and appreciate this.
come to nazarene judaism
look up nazarene sect of judaism@@gabrielleangelica1977
Thank you for this! It was incredibly enlightening. I am sold on the Conservative moment now.
Really belated comment, but I found this to be a really compelling point of view. I've considered conversion to Judaism for years and years, debating back and forth between Orthodox and Conservative, but I think Conservative would suit me more given all the facts you put forward.
I know that it can feel frustrating to not be accepted by all jewish movements after a conversion. But you can't ever please everybody. It's important that you find the place in your community with your friends and what others may or may not think is really not important to you. The state of Israel accepts other conversions for inmigration too and you can live even there in your reform or conservative community. If you can stand the fact, that not everybody must like you and your way of living, the only power the chief rabbinate has over you will be marriage and burrial IN ISRAEL, not anywhere else. If you can't live with that, better try to learn not to care to much about everybodies opinion, then trying to fit in with the orthodox "standard". You will find out, that you will never be enough for everybody. Enjoy YOUR process and YOUR life.
We have to adapt in many ways. And we have to love all members of the tribe. However, we have to change our lives to fit Judaism, not change Judaism to fit us. We may not like it, and it may be a challenge for us all, but the Law was given at Sinai and never has or will change. We can’t change the Torah. It is a clear roadmap of what Hashem demands of us. We either say like our fathers, “We will do it”, or we reject it. We each answer ultimately to Hashem for our mitzvot or lack thereof. Torah study and love of Hashem is paramount to the Jew.
Thank you, Blade. You make valid points.
Just discovered your channel an subscribed. I'm on a path to convert to Judaism, and attend a Conservative Synagogue. It will take some time to view all your videos. Thank you. Shalom
Yea my great grandparents were from Odessa and there was no such thing as orthodox etc.
Really enjoyed your thoughts, thank you.
Very valuable percpective. I hope to watch many more of your videos.
Thanks for your information.
Thank you for this video!
I converted through the Conservative movement. I picked Conservative because I thought it was a happy medium between Reform and Orthodox. I've been told that I'm not actually Jewish by those who are Orthodox because I didn't convert through the Orthodox movement - they say that there's only one way to practice Judaism. Currently, I'm considering converting through the Orthodox movement, but the fact that they've been invalidating people's conversions makes me wary about going that route.
The requirements for a halachically valid conversion are set out in the Shulchan Aruch. Assuming that you were converted by a Beit Din of 3 male Jews, you might ask on what grounds they say your conversion is invalid.
In my experience, Haredi Jews at least tend to assume that Conservative Jews do not accept Halacha, which is of course incorrect. The confusing responsa concerning driving on Shabbat in particular have given the false impression that Conservative halachic interpretation holds driving to shul to be permissible, which is not so.
Excellent explanation.
My conversation date is 5/28 I am converting Conservative.
Did you know that during the first temple period men and women were together and not segregated as the segregation existed during the second temple?
I watched a few vids so far and I do think the conversion should be orthodox and from then one can move to whatever movement fits… I say this because I saw other vid of people went to conservative place and didn’t know what Shabbat was even after “having converted”…
I mean part of being Jewish is knowing many of the Jewish laws and deciding whether you want to fallowed them or not…
If you don’t feel like fallow them, then I don’t see the reason to convert in the first place…
Sorry I’m all over the place.
There is only one Judaism and that is Torah Judaism now called orthodoxy
I agree, I read a statement in my devotional that said, "you don't know you are obedient until your obedience is tested." How do you further develop your obedience if you don't test it?
Cool bro, you should do an interview with rabbi asher meza
It is not how or what you feel What matter is what the Torah says
שבוע טוב
And think the kicker is patrilineal vs matrilineal. There’s nothing in the Tanakh that says it’s matrilineal. In fact I’m convinced it’s patrilineal.
According to the Tanakh it's both You're jewish either way via father or mother e examples:
Jewish via his father: 1 Kings 14:29-31 The Message (MSG)
The rest of Rehoboam’s life, what he said and did, is all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam the whole time. Rehoboam died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His mother was Naamah, an Ammonite =(a non jew). His son Abijah ruled after him.
Jewish via mother: 1 Chronicles 2:34-35
Sheshan had no sons, though he did have daughters. He also had an Egyptian servant (non-Jew) named Jarha. Sheshan gave one of his daughters (a Jew) to be the wife of Jarha, and they had a son named Attai (born jewish).
I would love to know what you think about the Netflix documentary about Cleopatra that is going to be released on the 10th of the month where Cleopatra is presented as a sub-Saharan African
(This is of course the same documentary that outraged the Egyptian public and that a lawyer in Egypt decided to sue)
The outrage is justified and only woke politically correct NPCs who want to disregard history for political agendas have a problem with regular people being outraged
The Rabbi that worked with King was Rabbi Abraham Herschel he was a conservative rabbi. Im reading a book of his called heavenly Torah it's an amazing book about the Torah through the ages. Talking about how through the generations mitzvah are interpreted. And with new knowledge of creation we interpret the Torah. Very good jewish theological book :) you should read it. Im a gay man thats converting conservative leaning more orthodox but also liberal theologically lol and that Rabbi really relates to me 😅
So, the Orthodox movement are the Amish of Judaism. Who knew?
Bro how you gonna convert and THEN start asking questions? 🤷🏻
What jew stops asking questions?? Have you read the Talmud?? Lmao
@@Sparks6351 of course, I meant basic questions. Obviously.
@@brooks3376 u must be new. He was born into an Orthodox community and converted to the conservative movement. He explains why he left Orthodoxy. He was born jewish
You left cause those ppl are not real Jews.
I tried to convert orthodox, and failed and am now living as a ben noach. I value the stringency and im sorry brother but i feel you should not call yourself a jew. The torah has a place for righteous gentiles, perhaps you should have spent more time studying that before converting.
His mom is Jewish. Why would he not call himself a Jew? Under Jewish law, he is Jewish.
Kinda racist for you to look at him and think he for sure is a born non-Jew. Also presumptuous to say that all conservative conversions are invalid. Conservative rabbis follow the law, too.
God. Ch