My Conversion Story Journal

August 27, 2023

When I toured the shul with my American Rabbi, he said that there were children everywhere, and he was not joking. There are literally children everywhere. They are in shul, they are downstairs, they are in the parking lot, they are on the playground, they are in their parents' arms, they are giggling in the hallways. They are everywhere and they are all happy.

One of the children, a six year-old girl, helped me with what after meal prayer I needed to pray. I had met her last week and she sat next to me at the table while I was talking with another lady that I had met last week. I bet the little girl knew the prayer by heart as well as which prayer to pray. I was truly amazed. I don't think my parents ever taught me anything about praying growing up.

There is one problem that i realized I had yesterday during the luncheon. Normally, when I go to a place with new people, I watch the people and see who is a good person to sit by and get to know. I can't do that strategy at shul. Everyone is wonderful and fits into the, "I'd love to talk to you" category. I know I could go up to anyone with an empty seat and ask to sit and they would let me. Then they would talk to me and be friendly. It's weird for me to have that issue. I've never encountered an enviornment with so many good people. It's a good problem to have.

After shul this weekend, I was exhausted from the long drive and overstimulation of the service and meeting new people. I had a two hour nap. When I awoke, I realized that it had been over a week since I had read from my books. I opened the one by my bed and read about family purity rules between husband and wife, the mikvah and expectations for women, and family purity between parents and children. If there are things that make Jewish families unique, family purity is one of those things. The rules for family purity make complete sense. Sex during a woman's period is disgusting. The extra length of time and the immersion into the mikvah make it Jewish and a very spiritual act with much meaning. Family purity is just another reason to love Judaism.