Question: Does the baby of a Reform convert to Judaism need an Orthodox conversion?
Dear Rabbi,
I converted to Judaism a few years ago through a reform conversion, and my husband and I are expecting a baby. My father was Jewish through his mother, but my mother was not Jewish. I have heard that we should convert our baby through an orthodox conversion as an infant so that she may be free to marry an orthodox Jew if that is in her future. Is that true and could you please let me know who to contact in order to do that.
Respectfully,
Agnes
Answer: Dear Agnes,
Thank you for your question. You say that you are expecting a child soon. Let me wish you b'sha'ah tovah -- may your child arrive at the best possible moment in health and blessing.
You are concerned because you converted to Judaism a few years ago under the authority of the Reform movement and you have been told that you ought to have an orthodox conversion for the baby after she is born so that she would be able to marry an orthodox Jew in the future. This advice is based on the knowledge that orthodox rabbis do not accept the validity of any non-orthodox conversion. No orthodox rabbi would officiate at the wedding of a person he considers to be a non-Jew.
I disagree with the advice to seek an orthodox conversion for your child for several reasons:
First, there is nothing that would prevent your child from going through an orthodox conversion as an adult if she will so choose -- whether in order to marry an orthodox Jew or for any other reason. There is no imperative for orthodox conversion for the purposes you state at this time.
Second, in order for an orthodox rabbi to agree to authorize such a conversion, he would insist that the baby be brought up according to orthodox standards of kashrut and shabbat observance. If you did not adhere to those standards after the conversion, orthodox authorities likely would declare the conversion invalid. Unless you are considering an orthodox conversion yourself, you probably would be dissuaded by such conditions.
Third, your child will be Jewish at birth because you are Jewish. It is true that some in the Jewish community will disagree with that statement, but that is only because they reject the form of Judaism that you have embraced. I suggest that you allow this to be their problem; it does not have to be yours. Allow your child to grow up filled with the joy of knowing that she is one hundred percent Jewish from birth.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser
Thank you for your question. You say that you are expecting a child soon. Let me wish you b'sha'ah tovah -- may your child arrive at the best possible moment in health and blessing.
You are concerned because you converted to Judaism a few years ago under the authority of the Reform movement and you have been told that you ought to have an orthodox conversion for the baby after she is born so that she would be able to marry an orthodox Jew in the future. This advice is based on the knowledge that orthodox rabbis do not accept the validity of any non-orthodox conversion. No orthodox rabbi would officiate at the wedding of a person he considers to be a non-Jew.
I disagree with the advice to seek an orthodox conversion for your child for several reasons:
First, there is nothing that would prevent your child from going through an orthodox conversion as an adult if she will so choose -- whether in order to marry an orthodox Jew or for any other reason. There is no imperative for orthodox conversion for the purposes you state at this time.
Second, in order for an orthodox rabbi to agree to authorize such a conversion, he would insist that the baby be brought up according to orthodox standards of kashrut and shabbat observance. If you did not adhere to those standards after the conversion, orthodox authorities likely would declare the conversion invalid. Unless you are considering an orthodox conversion yourself, you probably would be dissuaded by such conditions.
Third, your child will be Jewish at birth because you are Jewish. It is true that some in the Jewish community will disagree with that statement, but that is only because they reject the form of Judaism that you have embraced. I suggest that you allow this to be their problem; it does not have to be yours. Allow your child to grow up filled with the joy of knowing that she is one hundred percent Jewish from birth.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser
