Students who wish to pursue conversion under progressive auspices can do so here at Beit Shalom under the supervision of Rabbi Kaminsky. Candidates for conversion should expect to commit a minimum of fifteen months to the study process, which includes immersion in Jewish religious, cultural, and communal life. The rabbi will guide students through an online Introduction to Judaism course and also teaches a Hebrew reading course annually. She facilitates regular meetings with individual conversion candidates and also with the whole group as appropriate. Conversion students are also assigned a mentor from the congregation–someone who has passed through the process him/herself and can give guidance for the journey.
The Beit Shalom conversion program follows standards approved by the Council of Progressive Rabbis for use in congregations in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Following a year of supervised study, students complete a take-home assignment as well as a short closed-book quiz. In the final step of the process, students appear before a beit din–a panel of three including at least two rabbis–who ask about the student’s journey. The process concludes with a full immersion in a natural body of water, followed by a formal welcome into the community.
The first step in the process is a one-on-one meeting with Rabbi Kaminsky. Please contact her directly to arrange an appointment.
