Chabad is a cult OP Not the right place for you and your family Reform would be a better fit Yes Chabad is welcoming it’s all a facade. Jew here am me how I know. |
You need to stick with a reformed congregation. Conservative, orthodox or Hasidic will not be welcoming. They will tolerate you but it's not going to be comfortable. There are some less formal groups that would be better. |
Ok since your husband is Jewish (even if he's athiest/non practicing) I think you could actually try Chabad. If you had zero connection to Judiasm I think it would be weird. |
This. Judaism doesn't get a lot of converts so it throws people off. You should explained that your husband is Jewish and you are considering formal conversion for yourself and your children and want to start with hebrew school. |
I posted above about doing things with Chabad but sticking with my Reform synagogue for services.
You may want to call the rabbi back. Since Jews don’t actively recruit other Jews, I’ve heard that rabbis initially seem disinterested (this is about conversion specifically) and respond after the person continues to ask to prove they are serious. The rabbi has a good point about starting Hebrew school in the middle of the year. Maybe your kids could get tutored on what they missed and then join the class. I’m honestly, though, not sure why you are trying so hard for Chabad when you will find many families like yourself at a Reform congregation. You will be welcomed whether or not you convert and your kids will be considered Jewish. My brother’s wife did not convert but has been raising my nieces Jewish and they each had a bat mitzvah with a Reform rabbi. |
Ignore this bigoted troll. Chabad is an Orthodox Jewish sect. They are open about what they do, and provide some of the best Judaica resources available , for free. Like any group of people, some members are crazy or bad. There are some large insular groups in some cities. You don't have to live like them, but they aren't trying to trick, coerce, or rob anyone. |
You're overreacting. They aren't proselytizing. They are practicing their religion seriously. You asked for information, and they gave you information. Also, it was Hanukah week recently. |
It would at least be professional courtesy for him to follow up with you, as he indicated he would. You got the feeling that you and your family weren’t good enough to be accepted or included, and that is supported by the fact the guy couldn’t even call you back and let you know what his wife said. Do you really want to be a member of an organization that treats people like that? Find someplace that cares about you and your family. |
My dad was brought up Orthodox and didn't want that for his family. My parents raised us reform and at one point we went to a reconstructionist temple. I felt most welcome there.
Now my kids are at a Chabad. The program they attend is more like a Jewish kids club. That's fine with me but I was surprised to find that at Chabad. My kids love it and I love how it gets them around other Jewish children since there are not many at their school. The program feeds them dinner and they make Jewish based crafts. It is very affordable. That being said, I don't think I would feel comfortable going to service there and while I have attended a few other events, I don't feel super welcome and don't really know many of the congregation. When my kids get older, we will probably enroll them in Hebrew School somewhere else. I have previously looked at joining a reformed synogage but it was pretty pricey. I think there are some places where you can just attend for the school. |
People who practice their religion seriously, that’s a good way to put it. People who take their religion seriously and practice their religion seriously should be treated with respect and supported in their beliefs and practices. They have every right and entitlement to follow the rules and teachings of their religion. If others don’t like or agree with those beliefs and rules and practices, that’s of no consequence, because as Americans, we have a responsibility to protect and defend the right of religious people to practice their religion seriously. Well said. I am glad to see someone who believes that religious people are not supposed to change their beliefs or actions because it makes others uncomfortable or feel like they don’t belong. Religion is serious, and strict adherence to the rules and traditions of the religion is necessary and should be respected. |
I think the Chabad is the greatest organization for helping displaced Jews take their religion back
I am half I and half out but if anything the reform amd conservative are the worst amd least welcoming groups |
This is stereotyping bigotry. Do you have actual concrete anecdotes? |
We've moved a lot so we have been/belonged to all sorts of congregations over the years. My experience with Chabad in two states was very positive. I converted, but a conservative conversion. I went to Chabad for dinners in grad school with dh (pre-conversion) and they were very kind. Years later after a move our kids both went to Chabad for Hebrew School for about 4 years and it was fantastic: great teachers, enthusiastic, made learning fun. We did switch at 11 or so both because of the B'nai Mitzvah situation and a localish move. I think Chabad is great when it comes to offering people affordable education and a Jewish home especially in locations with no synagogue, but religiously when it comes to services the men/women being separated, and generally the rigid gender roles, is not something we especially like, for us. It's really up to your personal comfort level and what you are looking for, but I have nothing bad to say about them when it comes to my experience. |
I have no problem with Chabad for adults. Adults are old enough to understand how to use Chabad for the good that they do and to think critically about some of the theology. I don't understand people who aren't Chabadniks, but send their kids to Chabad. There's a lot of mixed messaging you're giving your kid by sending them to Chabad without living that life at home. And Chabad is very good at indoctrination of that age group. So if you want your kid to be a Chabadnik, and are ok with having conversations about why you don't keep kosher or about egalitarianism or tzniut, then fine. |
This, mostly. Chabad is all about helping Jewish people know how to participate in Jewish life and re-learn traditions their families lost. Chabad is all about trying to get Jews to do just a few more Jewish things than they would know to do on their own. I have tremendous respect for them and appreciate what they do. For the record, I don't know anyone involved with Chabad who is "crazy or bad". Bigoted PP has watched too much Netflix and spends a whole bunch of time congratulating herself for being a Jew who knows not to be too Jewy so gentiles will like her (and is apparently uncomfortable with Jews who affiliate more openly). |