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[quote=Anonymous]In my experience, there are as many different requirements for converting as there are converts to Judaism. Each of us had to do it a little bit differently, depending on the rabbi we converted with, the movement we converted in, and our own interests.

Most conversions in any movement will require:
A period of study with a rabbi
Mikveh
Brit/Hatafat Dam Brit/Circumcision (for males)

I converted in the Reform movement, but have been Conservative basically since stepping out of the mikveh. When I started the conversion process, I had been attending a Reform synagogue with my fiancé for two years already and had been studying independently online and through books. My fiancé and his parents never pressed me to convert, but were happy to answer my questions about Judaism. They were all surprised when I started dragging my fiancé with me to services, because he hadn't been that observant up til then. I approached the Reform rabbi at our synagogue and started learning with her. In terms of requirements while I was in the conversion process, the synagogue had an intro to Judaism course that I had to take, a recommended reading list for converts, and monthly individual meetings with the rabbi. I also had to do volunteer work (part of learning tikkun olam), keep a personal journal, and attend services regularly ("regularly" was not defined, but I'd say at least twice a month was probably the expectation; I went every week). Learning more about Judaism made me more interested in Conservative Judaism, but I completed my conversion within the Reform movement (it met all the Conservative requirements and is accepted in that movement as well). If I ever decide I want to be Orthodox for some reason, I would need to undergo another conversion with an Orthodox rabbi.

Most of the time, the entire process will take at least a year, and that's so they can make sure you've experienced the entire Jewish year. Because I had been attending services for two years and studying on my own, my official process with my rabbi took 10 months.

For my beit din, I wrote a short essay (1 page) about why I wanted to convert and another short essay about my chosen Hebrew name and why I chose it. At the beit din, they asked me why I wanted to convert, asked me if I was prepared to deal with antisemitism, and I think they also asked me what my favorite holiday was. I didn't have to recite the alef-bet or prove I knew any prayers. In fact, they made a point of saying that this was just the beginning of my Jewish learning, not the end of it, and that's 100% true. Judaism is a religion of lifelong learning and growth and you shouldn't be expected to know it all at your beit din.

Your sponsoring rabbi shouldn't let you move forward to the beit din if you're not going to be "approved," so I wouldn't worry about being rejected by the beit din at the last minute.[/quote]

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