The Talmud, in Yevamot 47a,13-47b,3, teaches that converts do not need to know Jewish law thoroughly. They should be informed of the hardships of the Jewish people, and then informed of some of the easy and difficult mitzvot.

For our conversion program, we require the book called To Be a Jew by Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin - The classic guide to the ageless heritage of Judaism. It has been embraced over many decades by hundreds of thousands of readers, To Be a Jew offers a clear and comprehensive introduction to traditional Jewish laws and customs as they apply to daily life in the contemporary world.

In simple and powerful language, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin presents the fundamentals of Judaism, including the laws and observances for the Sabbath, the dietary laws, family life, prayer at home and in the synagogue, the major and minor holidays, and the guiding principles and observances of life, such as birth, naming, circumcision, adoption and conversion, Bar-mitzvah, marriage, divorce, death, and mourning.

It is ideal for reference, reflection, and inspiration. It is valuable to anyone who feels that knowing, understanding, and observing the laws and traditions of Judaism in daily life is the essence of what it means to be a Jew.

To Be a Jew can be purchased on Amazon.com, and it is also available in Spanish.

As you read, do the best you can at trying to apply what you learn.

Also, please write a short summary on each chapter about what stood out to you most, just 4-5 sentences or so. You can also send us any questions you may have about the material as well.

Make sure you’ve watched all our lessons on conversion, which you can access at: https://beneiavraham.com/conversion

It is a beautiful and wonderful thing to enter into the covenant of Torah, which is what it means to become a Jew. We pray that you will be strengthened to make that commitment to Hashem by entering into His covenant and becoming one with Israel.

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