Conversion

an image of a family with baby sitting at a table with a menorah lite in from of them
Hanukkah

Hanukkah Baby Names

Ellie Rudee
In Judaism, words are powerful; names are perhaps even more powerful. In the Torah, naming is an important theme related to identity and essence. If you find yourself looking for a name this Hanukkah, we hope this list inspired by the themes of the season will help.
an image of a man sitting on a rock looking out into the desert

Funny, You Don’t Look...

Miguel L. Salazar
"What are you?" was a question I was often asked in New York City. At first, I did not understand. Having grown up in San Antonio, Texas during the Jim Crow era, there was no doubt in my mind. During Jim Crow, Americans were defined by their skin color. I was not Black, but neither was I white. Therefore, I reasoned, I must be Mexican.
an image of a boy standing in front of four Torah scrolls while holding one and wearing a yamuka and tallit

Spicing up my Hispanic Heritage and Embracing Sephardic Traditions

Josh Rodriguez
Even before I finalized my conversion to Judaism, I was preparing to celebrate my adult bar mitzvah. In a sense, my conversion preparation became a precursor to bigger plans: for a bar mitzvah and a Jewish vow renewal ceremony with my wife Laurie later this year.