This book is a practical and inspirational
companion to the conversion process for Jews-by-Choice and
their families. Written primarily for the person considering
the choice of Judaism, it provides highly personal insights
from over 50 people who have made this life-changing decision.
But it also will speak to their
families—the non-Jewish family that provided his or her
spiritual beginnings and the Jewish "family" which
receives the convert—and help them understand why the
decision was made.
"Passionate, thoughtful and
deeply-felt personal stories....A wonderful resource, sure to
light the way for many who choose to follow the same
path."
—Dru
Greenwood, MSW, Director, UAHC-CCAR
Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach
Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach
Rabbi Allan L. Berkowitz and Patti Moskovitz have worked with converts for a combined total
of more than 30 years. To the editors of Embracing the Covenant, converts
are “an inspiration” to the Jewish people.
“Converts bring a purity of yearning and a strong
spiritual dimension to Judaism that we badly need,” say
Berkowitz and Moskovitz. “The Jewish people are
strengthened by the mere presence of Jews-by-Choice.”
Berkowitz was a congregational rabbi for
fourteen years and now works as an educator and executive
director in the nonprofit sector. He was ordained at the Jewish
Theological Seminary of America. He also received an M.A. from
Columbia University/Teacher’s College and a B.A. from
Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His interest in social action
led to his founding San Jose’s Tikkun Bayit, the
“Community Peace Corps,” which links volunteers
with projects in ethnically diverse neighborhoods. He and his
wife, Mindy, live in San Jose with their four children.
Patti Moskovitz has been a Jewish educator
for more than 45 years. For almost 20 years, she has been
instructing non-Jews planning to convert. An Outreach Fellow
for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, she organizes
and leads workshops and support groups for interfaith couples.
She also lectures in the United States and Canada on a variety
of Jewish topics for many Jewish organizations. Moskovitz is
also author of The Complete Bar/Bat
Mitzvah Book and Minyan: A Tapestry of Jewish Life. She and her husband, Larry, reside in Foster
City, California. They have three married children and three
grandchildren.
