Choosing a Jewish Life

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View books by Anita Diamant.

Excellent for people with religious families - Rated
This is an excellent guide for anyone converting, and as I don't want to repeat the other reviews here I'll get straight to the point:

This book is excellent if your family is religious and your in-laws are jewish. Yet I am from a non-religious background and one of those rare single converts (no jewish boyfriend/fiance/husband). So pretty much half of the book is completely wasted on me, because even though the advice on how to tell your family, and how to get your jewish in-laws to accept you is great, it simply doesn't apply to singles like me.

So I was a little disappointed that I wasted money on just about 50% of the book, but it is a nice introductory guide. Just not for singles with no religious upbringing. I would highly recommend "Judaism for Dummies" here, which is brilliant (except for the daft title).

Caveat Emptor: only suitable for non-orthodox - Rated
A somewhat 'lay' view of what religion is all about but an invaluable guide to the process all the same.

Buyers be aware, the book is only appropriate for what the author calls "liberal" (i.e. non-orthodox) Judaism. For a guide to the Orthodox process the author recommends Rabbi Maurice Lamm's "Becoming a Jew".

A great introduction for converts - Rated
This was the first book that I read to seek guidance on the essential points involved in conversion. It was a great read and will continue to stand as a point of reference for me.

I recommend this book to anyone considering conversion or as a gift for the convert's family / friends.

A great step-by-step explaination of conversion - Rated
Ths book dealt with a wide range of topics, trying to answer the "universal" questions of the Jew by Choice, such as how to cope with Christmas, how to tell one's parents, etc. However, by far the greatest strength of this book, and the reason I highly recomend it to anyone considering conversion, is the step-by-step explaination of what kinds of questions the rabbi will ask, what happens at the mikva, and what the bet din is like. This book got me really excited about conversion.

Extraordinarily helpful. - Rated
As one who is new to the conversion process, I found this book to be extremely helpful. Not only does it describe in user-friendly terms the actual procedures involved in conversion, Ms. Dimante discusses areas involving psychological discomfort, i.e., how one's birth family might feel rejected, giving up the trappings of Christmas whether or not one believes in the concept. I read this book in two sittings, and I didn't want to put it down. I know I'll read parts of it again.