Learn at your own pace and schedule  and/or Sunday morning classes in Skokie. We provide all the resources for self study, including our incredible series of short educational videos covering the 16 sessions.You meet with the Rabbi regularly, at your convenience,  but can do the bulk of studyingat your schedule and at home or the office.We have been instructing converts for 28 years and have students all over the world. We  have created this unique program to be able to offer a very high quality of instruction, and at the same time, make it convenient for today's busy people. Details follow .  Call 847-331-3584 for the initial appointment

1. Complete application form. and email it back 

 Long Distance Learning for Conversion

Application Form (rev. 9/09)

Today’s Date:

Name:                                                              Date of Birth:

Gender Male or Female? 

If male, are you circumcised?

Phone:                                                              Email:

Street Address:

City:                                                     State/Region:

Country:                                                Zip/Postal Code:

Name of Spouse (if applicable):

Is e/she converting also?

Names(s) and ages of Children:

Are they converting? If so, ages and genders? If male, are they circumcised?

Occupation                                                       Employer

Educational History (names of schools, majors, degrees earned):

Present/Past Religious Affiliation:

How did you learn about the program? 

Please explain your interest in converting to Judaism:

Describe any prior Jewish learning. If you have previously worked with a rabbi, include name and contact info:

How to Purchase books and pay tuition for the course

Total course and materials expenses shipped for an individual. Add $150 for Skokie class and $250 for a family of any size for online course.

Skokie class $300 plus books $125 for an individual

Online course:

$650 (+ optional $40 dvd set of all videos) within USA for a individual

$675 (+ optional $40 dvd set of all videos)outside USA

 I do or do not want the dvds too. (please circle one)

PAYMENT INFORMATION: We accept Mastercard/Visa or PayPal,  or money order to Esynagogue

For credit card billing please send the following info:

 Card number/ expiration date/security code on back of card

For PayPal let us know the correct email address to use for billing.

___I/we understand this conversion, done under Conservative Rabbinic auspices, may not be acceptable to Orthodox Rabbis and the Israeli Orthodox Rabbinic establishment.

We wills end a box of books and a cd, and email the entire program of study.

Also:

1. We’ll send a digital Shabbat mornig  learner’s prayer book and the videos you need to learn the prayers if you desire. This is related to session 5 of the course but is optional.
2. We’ll send a digital series of Passover songs and the video links to learn the songs
3. We’ll send video links for the Hebrew alphabet, and some vocabulary to get you started in Hebrew.

2 Complete all 16 Sessions

ATTEND CLASSES and (if you can't attend class you can also fulfill the requirements with our online program)

•    Do all assigned readings-we send the books by mail
•    Watch videos-we'll send the list of the videos to watch by session
. You can also order the dvds.

•    Complete memory work-there is a cd and videos to help
•    Send terms with completed definitions for each session to rabbi@convertjudaism.org

there are videos to help
•    Study values for each session
•    Be able to demonstrate familiarity with all assigned materials

With each set of terms returned and defined, please cut and paste this form and send it back once you have completed each step:

  I have completed all the readings for this session, read over the values, worked on memorization of the requested items, watched all the videos (except for session 5 which are optional except for set a.) Here are the terms defined for the session:

3. Return completed answers to “100 Questions.”-there are videos to help. The questions will be sent as part of the course curriculum

4. Each week during your process, find on the Jewish calendar and try and read the weekly Torah reading (Parsha) and commentary in the provided Chumash. Watch Rabbi Ginsburg's D’var Torah video for the week’s reading, which you can find at: http://weeklyvideodvartorah.blogspot.com/  (It will be the first one there that week). OPTIONAL-Write a brief explanation of 3 weekly portions and email them in.

5. Have conversations with our Rabbis as needed, by phone or email 847-331-3584.

Introduction to Judaism

Chicago based

Program for conversion to Judaism

A 16-sessions Course for Potential Converts

God, Holy Books, Holidays, Life Cycle, Values, History, Kashrut,

Enroll anytime!

Students are accepted on an ongoing basis. 

We were told that we have the nation's largest synagogue based conversion program. You can just take the course and convert with another Bet Din or use our Bet din to convert.

It is a standard Conservative program of 16 sessions and includes

1. Books to read

2. Items to memorize from a cd and videos

3. Values to learn

4. Videos created by our teachers to watch; unique-500 brief videos on dvds and onlin

5. Individual tutoring sessions by our Rabbi instructor arranged to suit your schedule

6. Terms to define and send back with videos to assist

7. 100 question exam with the answers on videos

8. Essay to write

9. Bet Din of Conservative or Orthodox ordained Rabbis, (though this conversion, like all done by non-Orthodox Rabbis, will probably not be recognized by  the Orthodox.)

10. Syllabus for each session outlining the work for each session

11. Meet with Bet Din,sign Declaration of faith

Cost

$500 tuition, plus  $125 books and materials,

payable by check, credit card or paypal

not including final conversion fees at the end of:

Mikveh $150 person/$350 family cap

Males require ritual circumcision $75

Honorarium to 2 guest Rabbi on bet Din $100 each

Contact Information

847-331-3584

Website: www.jewishconversionchicago.com

New Jewish family plus the Bet Din

Conversion to Judaism Program

Looking for a Jewish Conversion program in the Chicago area?

Centrally located in Chicago metro, we are just minutes off Edens/I-94 or twenty minutes east of I-294 on Dempster Street in Skokie.   Enrollment is ongoing.

Study with us in our conversion institute.   The program combines ONLINE Learning and tutorials at the synagogue

Rabbi,
Thank you so much! I can hardly express my excitement. Last night I
could not sleep. I was up reading about how the messiah is to come from
the line of King David and trying to make sure I remembered dates. I was
so nervous. The kids were nervous too. We did not need to be, but I
think it was natural to be so. Meeting you and the other Rabbi's was a
gift. All three of you are wonderful men. We have so much yet to learn,
but we have gotten a great start with your online course.

I just could not possibly articulate my thanks in words. Just know that
in my heart this feels right to me. I feel that I am home in Judaism.
You and your course have helped me find my way home. Rabbi Jonathan, thank you so much for your time and efforts. I know that you
are both busy people. I just want you to know that your work is
wonderful and a gift to anyone exploring this path.

and a great deal financially.

 Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg, a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative Judaism), a member of the Rabbinical Assembly of America (Conservative Judaism) and an associate member of the Reconstructionist Rabbbinic Association, directs the conversion Bet Din and conversion rituals.

OUR CONVERSION BLOG

www.jewishconversionchicago.com/blog.html

Rabbi Gail Ginsburg, a college professor, directs the program. Gail is  a Jew-by-Choice and former Lutheran Minister, co-teaches the class and does the spiritual counseling. This is a unique opportunity to be guided in the process by a Jew-by-choice.

The synagogue website is www.ehnt.org

Esynagogue.org is a not-for-profit corporation, incorporated in the State of Illinois

Rabbi Ginsburg is Rabbi of the Congregation and co-teaches the class. His website is www.jonathanginsburg.net

Read his daily blog at www.rabbireflects.blogspot.com

© Copyright 2008, Esynagogue.org

Unless otherwise stated on a page, the contents of this material, including but not limited to the text, graphics, sounds and scripts contained herein, were created by and are the sole property of Esynagogue.org, Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg and Rabbi Gail Ginsburg. The contents of this site may not be reproduced.