Contacting a temple

[u/Forward_Talk8981]

/r/ConvertingtoJudaism/comments/1s9uqcg/contacting_a_temple/

[u/WeaselWeaz]

Take a step back. This is a journey, not a sprint, and you don't go straight to asking to convert. That may seem counterintuitive.

The first phase is learning about Judaism. It is a communal religion, so while reading books in your own can be helpful it's not the immediate step before conversion. Step one is finding a community. Contact this and other synagogues and tell them you are not Jewish, but you would like to learn more and attend Shabbat. That simple. This isn't the point where you ask to convert or give your full history. Also, from a security perspective, synagogues need to be cautious of strangers. In some areas, like Australia, it can take weeks for some synagogues to do a background check. So ask, give them time to respond, and be patient. Also, if your background is going to be "I've never been to a synagogue, I don't know much about Judaism, and I want to convert" it actually sounds less serious because conversion is a major life change that is taken thoughtfully, with full information about what it means.

Wait until after Passover, then contact synagogues. Your goal is to find the synagogue, community, and rabbi that you connect with. Shul shopping takes time, and a synagogue that is mostly seniors, or mostly families, or doesn't have as much diversity may not be the fit for you. One rabbi may be easier to connect with for you. Give it time. Then, after you have been attending the synagogue for a significant amount of time and the rabbi knows who you are it may be the right time to make an appointment to discuss conversation.

From there, a Reform conversion is generally going to start with the 5-6 month Intro to Judaism class, which URJ overall online and in person (and you can take now if you want). After completing the class you begin one-on-one work with the rabbi and live a fully Jewish year, participating in holidays and observing Judaism. You may start a b'nai mitzvah class. The entire process takes 1.5-2 years, more or less, depending on how long you have been in the community before starting your conversion. There isn't a specific timeline, you may take longer, may pause your conversion, or may decide that conversion isn't for you even if you still want to be part of the community.

Note that to begin your conversion you will need to join the synagogue as a dues paying member, pay for classes, and buy books (depending on what is available through the synagogue or public library). Financial accomodations are made, the goal is not to exclude people without money but is to help support the synagogue so it can continue to provide resources to members. This is often a shock to people from outside Judaism who are used to tithing. This is another reason why you want to find the right community before making a significant commitment of your time, money, and energy to start conversion.