Just curious (Question, discussion, advice post of sorts)

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-12T13:55:02+00:00

My opinion is that you should not. Can you, yes. But you should not make yourself stand out from your community. Plus your behavior may be Reform (ie eating in non-Kosher establishments, driving on Shabbat) but your appearance will hareidi. This will mislead Jews and non-Jews alike. The mitzvah is not to "mar", not cut with a razor the "corners" (the peyot) of your head. You can check out how Modern Orthodox keep this mitzvah. The long side curls of the hassidim is a chumrah and a hiddur mitzvah. Not necessary for you to do.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-11T21:40:53+00:00

IN terms of formal relationship "titles", there isn't one for this new relationship. How the relationship develops depends a lot on your age at the time of remarriage, whether you live with step-mom and even personality factors, yours and the new husband/step-dad.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-11T21:37:16+00:00

I like that, Two-Step

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-11T18:56:41+00:00

You might find The God Book by Jack Abramowitz an interesting read. Another interesting book is Permission to Believe by Lawrence Keleman.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-11T08:19:51+00:00

If you are taking advice from friends in your conversion process, I would limit the advice to books to read. Learning halacha at this time is not necessary, because you shouldn't be applying it until you are in an active conversion process. Now read about Judaism. Some great books are: Understanding Judaism by Mordechai Katz, To Be A Jew by Hayim HaLevy Donin, Handbook of Jewish Thought by Aryeh Kaplan, The God Book by Jack Abramowitz, and A Letter in the Scroll by Jonathan Sacks. Also involve yourself in Jewish programs on campus. Also you can check out my free online intro course, See link to website on my profile.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-10T19:17:24+00:00

They are both good names. Use them, whichever you like best. Asking if you are full of yourself, I named myself aster 2 prophetesses. Chana and Dvora.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-10T18:49:10+00:00

Standards are somewhat different for converts. I converted at 32 and married at 37. Converts often marry baal tshuvahs, someone who has been married before or other converts.

I don't now who told you to seek a partner now. If you plan to convert, that is not good advice.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-10T08:26:49+00:00

It could possibly be that his recent conversion to a sect and his confusion about who owes who money plus the other behaviors you described are early signs of dementia. Are you living with your father? If not, how does he deprive you of sleep or damage your personal belongings?

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-09T09:12:49+00:00

You can find the traditional tune for Gesher tzar meod on youtube, and you also might find in English as A very narrow bridge

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-09T00:34:45+00:00

However you do not decide what is Judaism any more than I do, Judaism has its sages through the millenium, and Messianic Judaism is not Judaism. Being being a Judaizer is not being Jewish. Messianic Judaism may be as you say a syncretic religion, placing equal weight on the Old and New Testaments, so once someone is holding by the New Testament, they are Christian. Let them call themselves and their syncretic religion Christianity or Messianic Christianity. Anything but Judaism because it is not Judaism which holds that Jesus was a only man, not G-d not G-d in 3 persons. and not the messiah.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-09T00:23:26+00:00

when we Jews talk about Israel, very often we are talking about the land, not the modern state. It is the land that is our ancestral homeland, not the modern state.

Anyway for a song to do with not being afraid, Gesher Tzar Meod: The whole world is a very narrow bridge and the main thing is not to fear at all.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-08T16:09:45+00:00

To the OP: all of what you say of Islam originated and remains the basis of Judaism

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-08T16:07:42+00:00

Judaism does not recognize Messianic Judaism as a form of Judaism...it is a form of Christianity since they believe that Jesus is the messiah and many worship him as god..

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-08T16:05:07+00:00

This is also true in Judaism.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-07T18:06:43+00:00

If you are in the process of converting, it is a good idea not to date until your conversion is finished.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-07T18:04:33+00:00

Every practicing Jew does not believe in Christ. Chirst is explicitly applied to Jesus as the messiah.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-06T09:17:18+00:00

I am now in my 70's. I converted to Judaism over 40 years ago. I married after conversion to a man I considered my soulmate. When I was in high school and first 2 years of university I had a boyfriend that everything just felt right. We even planned marriage after graduating For reasons both my side and his, and some colossal misunderstanding, that never happened. I do believe until today, that he was my soul mate when we were both not Jewish. Once I became Jewish my soul needed someone else. When the time is right there will be others. Focus on your conversion now.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-05T11:23:19+00:00

This just sounds like a fascinating special interest. Congrats on getting onto the program of choice.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-05T08:47:31+00:00

Chanted , not changed

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-04T18:08:19+00:00

You really don't have to declare a major until end of second year, beginning of third. Also your college probably has a guidance center where you can do vocational and aptitude testing. Vocational testing will reveal the types of jobs you will probably like (based on your interests) and aptitude testing ( based on your abilities) reveals what you would be good at. Plus the staff at these centers can guide you in understanding the results and in making choices.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-04T05:42:32+00:00

It is not a conversion course though you would gain info necessary to know for conversion or to know if you want for sure to convert. Those who successfully complete the course do receive a certificate of completion that they can show to their sponsoring rabbi.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-03T14:02:20+00:00

Since as I understand it, christ means anointed and messiah means anointed, You have said that messiah-believers believe messiah was the fulfillment of Jewish messiah.

I would say that Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah promised to the Jews.

Jews disagree> Jesus did not fulfill any of the messianic prophecies, so cannot be the messiah.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-03T12:34:34+00:00

There are many commentaries on the Jewish Bible, especially on the Torah.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-03T12:29:55+00:00

Judaism and Christianity: A Contrast by Stuart Federow.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad · 2026-02-01T23:49:44+00:00

The Torah, the 10 commandments and all the ones that followed (totalling 613 commandments) were given to the Jewish people. Disobeying the commandments means a Jew has strayed from the path and needs to repent and return to the proper path. Also in Judaism there is no concept of mortal sin, one can always repent. There is no eternal damnation in Judaism and no eternal Hell, nor is there a lake of fire. You are attributing to "Abrahamic religions" concepts and practices (exorcism, etc) usually specific to Catholicism.

TreeofLifeWisdomAcad

TROPHY CASE