The great conversion

What do Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Isla Fisher and Elizabeth Banks have in common? Yes, they have all made a career on the silver screen but also have converted to Judaism. In most of these cases it was because of love.

I'm Lutheran, just as I was baptised 20+ years ago. I see my family over Christmas for dinner and to spend some time together, but that's pretty much it. I don't go to church, read the Bible or light candles at home. At my college job, I used to fight for Sunday shifts to get double pay. So you could call me a typical habitual Christian in Finland, just like roughly 77% of the population.

Would I ever consider converting to Judaism then, like the leading Hollywood ladies mentioned before? The thought crossed my mind, sure, even though my Jewish boyfriend isn't a religious fanatic. He has never asked me to convert, which means he accepts me the way I am and doesn't want to change me. That's nice to know. So if I did ever convert, it would be out of my own free will to do so.

Taking it to a deeper level, converting to Judaism isn't a just a picnic. I believe if you consider joining a religion, out of respect you should go all the way. Not to be a ”fair-weather Jew”. I should abandon things I take for granted (like doing household chores on Saturdays or having a cheeseburger every now and then). Abandoning my ”former” life and Christian habits would mean that another door for new holidays and way of life would open up. However, since I'm not religious now, I don't see myself being respectfully religious if converting. Sorry, but following all the 613 commandments would be too hard for me, I'm too human for that.

One could argue back that not all Jews themselves keep kosher or Shabbat. Different movements in Judaism or different individuals observe the rules and laws differently. This leaves me wondering if it is alright for a convert to have their cake and eat it too? After all, if religion is something private and personal between you and G-d - why not do it your own way? The way I've learnt to understand it, though, is that if you're not born a Jew, you need to go a really long extra mile to become one and to be considered as one. :)

(toptenz.net)

 Elizabeth Taylor, or Elisheba Rachel, wasn't allowed to enter Egypt in 1962 to finish filming "Cleopatra". The reason given was because she had adopted the Jewish faith and supported the Israeli causes.