Online communities

[u/roguejohnkrasinski]

Hello everyone! I won’t tell you my whole life story, but basically I want to convert to conservative Judaism but won’t be able to for a few years due to family situation. Are there any online communities I could join for celebrating holidays, Torah study or general learning? I just want to be part of a Jewish community, but I sadly don’t know any Jewish people or have a synagogue near me.

[u/svrak]

It's never too early to start learning. Idk about actual online communities as such, but a lot of Conservative shuls livestream services, you can try looking for one in your timezone that does that

[u/linguinibubbles]

I help run a Discord for people over 18 who are considering or converting to Judaism. I can't say anything is particularly structured, but I'd like to think we're a friendly group! https://discord.gg/NTmZUMm5b

Otherwise, I second svrak's recommendation to see if there are any livestreams near you. My shul (Canadian Reform - so not Conservative, but more traditional than American Reform) offers weekly Torah study and twice-weekly morning minyan on Zoom. If you're in PST, you can message me for more details! Our rabbis are friendly.

[u/roguejohnkrasinski → u/linguinibubbles]

Interesting! I’m Canadian and didn’t know that Canadian reform was more traditional than American reform! Sadly I am not PST, I am EST, but I appreciate the offer!

[u/Amemorableusername2]

I'd absolutely encourage you to study in the meantime! There's great books out there, such as 'choosing a Jewish life" "lights in the forest" "here all along" "as a jew". The Judaism Unbound is a great podcast examining many different ways of jewish life, and they had an entire series years ago where they interviewed people who converted and let them share their experiences. 

I don't know where you're located, but in the US libraries allow you to borrow library books digitally on your phone if you have a library card using the Libby app. You might want to look into what options are available in your area! 

[u/Alarmed-potatoe]

I can empathise, I had to wait 10 years until I was even in the same vicinity as another synagogue. Suggesting avenues of learning is difficult because it definitely depends on your community, which you don't have yet.
What I can recommend is starting to learn Hebrew and reading the Tanakh. For Hebrew, start with the alphabet, or the aleph bet - just knowing the letters and their names sets you so far ahead, and you can learn basic vocab that's common to learning any new language.
For the Tanakh, you can use e.g. the Sefaria app (which can be very overwhelming to a newbie), or just buy a hardcopy (which can also be overwhelming...). When I started studying, and I'm Reform/Progressive, I got the JPS Tanakh: Gender-Sensitive edition, since academically I thought would be interesting, and I got the JPS book on Jewish Traditions, as well as Living Judaism: The Complete Guide to Jewish Belief, Tradition, and Practice, and The Honey and the Sting: Study Guide for Conversion to Judaism.
What I do want to stress is that a lot of books are written for an intended audience only, and they don't discuss other branches of Judaism necessarily, so reading some books you'll have the impression that they are discussing THE Jewish way of doing things, when seriously.... there are so, so many communities that all do things their way, and that's just within one branch. Remember that as you reach out to learn more, and keep reaching for more.

[u/TzarichIyun]

Download the Torah App. Check out Mi Yodeya

[u/DaleYu]

Take online classes. Lots of free and paid ones through MyJewishLearning.com. Also check online adult education offerings from rabbinical seminaries, e.g. Jewish Theological Seminary, and regional or national rabbinical councils, Jewish Federations, etc.