r/JewsOfConscience • u/HomeboyCraig Reform • 10d ago
Discussion - Flaired Users Only Converting to Judaism while not believing in Zionism
Hi all, I’m sorry if this isn’t the right place to ask - but is it possible to convert to Judaism if you don’t support Israel? I was in the process of converting in October 2023, but I stopped attending the temple I originally went to when they said that Israeli lives were worth more than Palestinian lives. Since then, I haven’t actually been able to find a temple or shul in my area that works with converts and isn’t pro-Israel (I live in Portland, OR)
I asked this question on another Jewish subreddit and was called a Hamas supporter and the overwhelming majority of responses said that I can’t convert if I don’t support Israel, but I figured I’d ask here as well.
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u/CarelessMembership10 Jew of Color 10d ago
Adding my comment again b/c my previous comment was locked w/out a flair:
Yes I think it is. The simplest (but probably not the easiest) is to talk to your sponsoring Rabbi or find a Rabbi that works for you.
I say this as a recent convert (as of this summer) that was also in the middle of converting in Fall 2023. It was such a trying time for me. I was tempted to step back and not go through with it because the broader local Jewish community was so deeply Zionist. I realized I had a conflict of community but not a conflict of faith. But I was able to talk to my Rabbi through it. Happy to talk more about this ( live in a similar city to Portland)— but I truly feel that Judaism is about liberation and justice and I that’s why I gravitated toward it. And at some point I just refused to have Zionist beliefs be barriers to my faith.
Also the Beit din portion of conversion that I participated in (or heard about) didn’t ask specific questions about Israel. My Rabbi brought it up only to encourage me to explain my views and as a way to talk questioning as the practice of being Jewish. Anyway, I’m happy to talk more!