A full year of learning, at a steady pace
Introduction to Jewish Life runs for 30 weeks, designed so that someone with no background can finish the year with a real understanding of Jewish belief, practice, history, and the basics of reading Hebrew prayer.
Why we offer it
The Reform Rabbis of Greater Toronto created this course so that anyone drawn to Judaism has a clear and supported path, rather than a pile of book recommendations and good luck. Conversion is a serious step, and it deserves serious teaching. Just as important, it deserves a warm welcome. People arrive with very different stories, and the course is built to make room for that.
What a week looks like
The group meets once a week for a single class. Sessions are held online so students across the region can take part, and every class is recorded. If you miss a week for work or family, you watch the recording and stay with the group. Along the way you read short sources, ask questions, and get to know the rabbis who teach.
You also begin visiting a community. Studying is one half of the year. Spending Shabbat and holidays with a congregation is the other, and it is often where the learning becomes real.
The path toward conversion
Finishing the course is not the same as conversion. For those who choose to continue, the course is the first milestone on a longer path. Every journey is personal, and the rabbis and the Bet Din make the final decisions, but the path usually includes these steps.
1
The course
Complete the 30 weeks of Introduction to Jewish Life. This is the shared foundation, and it is where most people begin.
2
A sponsoring rabbi
Build a relationship with a rabbi who knows you and supports your journey. Your rabbi guides you and speaks for you when the time comes.
3
A Hebrew name
Choose a Hebrew name that you will carry in Jewish life, often connected to family or to a value you hold.
4
The Bet Din
Meet with a rabbinical court of three. It is a conversation, not an exam. The rabbis want to understand your path and your intentions.
5
Mikveh
Immerse in a mikveh, the ritual bath that marks the moment of becoming Jewish. For some, brit milah or hatafat dam brit is also part of the path.
6
Certificate
Receive a certificate that records your completion and your entry into the Jewish people.
Cost
There is a tuition fee for the year, set by the program. Fees keep the course running and are kept as modest as we can. Money should not be the reason someone cannot study, so support is available in cases of need. If cost is a concern, please raise it with us early and in confidence.
Coordinated by Rabbi Bill S. Tepper.
צדק צדק תרדף
“Justice, justice shall you pursue.”
Deuteronomy 16:20