Can I just convert to Judaism tomorrow and get a free vacation to Israel?
Can I just convert to Judaism tomorrow and get a free vacation to Israel?
I know Jewish people are granted some special right to visit the state of Israel, and some companies organize free tours for Jewish born or living outside.
But does that apply only for people ethnically Jewish that come from Jewish families? Or also applies to new converts to Judaism?
Like, not literally converting tomorrow and demand a free vacation to Israel, but like, converting and in a few years wait and see if they offer me a free vacation to the country to visit the most iconic places of Judaism?
How does that works?
edit: I'm a hispanic atheist with no Jewish family that I know of, and I'm not interested on joining any religion, this is just a hypothetical case.
Converting to Judaism isn't as simple as it is to convert to Christianity.
It will take years of study and effort.
That aside, the govt of Israel will not "offer" you a chance for a Birthright trip. You have to apply for it and demonstrate you meet the requirements. I don't see why you wouldn't qualify, but the Israeli govt is rather close minded about these things. (EDIT: Someone else in the thread has said Birthright Israel accepts converts explicitly, so you should be good here)
THAT aside, don't go to Israel, don't give them any money. What they're doing right now is absolutely monstrous and it's morally inexcusable to support them.
People aren't machines, if your conversion was genuine and you built up relationships in your local community you'd probably get a chance - but if you show up saying "LOL, I'm technically Jewish. Where's my free vacation" you'll probably not.
There's a surprising amount of freeish stuff out there if you're willing to work for it.
It aint free if you work for it.
You don’t have to be a full Jew, just Jew ish
Birthright Israel offers trips to converts too, as long as you are in the age limits.
The law of return also allows converts to obtain citizenship.
In both cases you would have to be a practicing member of the community and do all of the necessary steps to officially become a member.
If Sienfeld, King of the Hill and Family Guy are accurate about this (sure they're just TV shows and two are cartoons, but for 3 different things to show the same specific shit there must be some truth), you can't just convert to Judaism overnight. There are things you have to actually do and they require study. Often years of it. It's not like Christianity where you can just say "I believe this now" and have them welcome you as one of their own faith.
So even if getting a trip was as easy as becoming Jewish, becoming Jewish isn't that easy.
Are you saying you can’t just declare Judaism the way you declare bankruptcy?
"No Micheal, you can't just say Judaism and be Jewish."
"I didn't say it. I declared it."
Christianity has study and shit too , bud
Which church asks people to study? You can simply start going to a church and no one will bat an eye. I've met Christians who couldn't even read, and even the ones that can have a very limited interest in reading what they consider to be the most important book there is. As a general rule just as a casual reader I've read more of the bible than the average Christian, I definitely can't say the same about Jews since they point out that I didn't read it in Hebraic and usually know it better than I do.
Conversion is a long process, made considerably easier since Israel came into existence but still not overnight. So no, not tomorrow. But yes, you could probably do it if you were determined enough, or had the right help: How 90 Peruvians became the latest Jewish settlers
No, they don’t mean Jews religiously. They mean Jewish through heritage, similar to the way many countries do citizenship by birthright rather than birthplace (like the US does). In Hebrew law(?) the birthright is passed down by the mother as prior to genealogy that was a surefire way of proving your parent is who they say they are.
My information is secondhand and any corrections are welcome.
Edit: read below for more accurate information.
No, it’s for all Jews.
In Judaism, there’s no proselytizing - they’re not actively seeking converts. A rabbi is supposed to reject a request for conversion three times before beginning the process. There’s a bit involved - you can find it online - but it involves time and effort and depending on your genitalia a bit of pain (basically just a pinprick even if you’re already good to go, as it were, because a medical circumcision isn’t considered to count as a religious one). Orthodox Jews don’t tend to recognize converts unless they’re also orthodox, but that doesn’t affect the Law of Return.
It’s just a lot of work for a “free” vacation. It’d be easier in the end to just travel over there, unless you’re looking for citizenship.
There are of course many Jewish atheists, but they’re definitely going to push back on that point for a convert.
Honestly, for the level of effort and given OP’s atheism, I’d just save up for a trip to Costa Rica and do jungle zip lines and hang out with sloths. The candles and the hats are nice, but there’s easier ways to tour the Middle East - and I’d include joining the Marines in that.
there’s easier ways to tour the Middle East - and I’d include joining the Marines in that.
That gave me a nice chuckle, thanks.
Ancestry yes, but converts are also eligible.
birthright rather than birthplace like the US
I thought place was a criteria for the US, which is what was being claimed during the fake "birther" thing with Obama?
It's either or. But the Obama thing was mostly just racism.
His dad isn't an American citizen (Kenyan) and he has a couple of half brothers who aren't citizens (different mother, born in Kenya).
Obama was double fine, both because he had a US Citizen mother and because he was born in Hawaii.
The conspiracy theory at the time was that he was actually born in Kenya like his half brothers. The conspiracy mostly just ignored that his mom existed, since she died back in 1995, so she wasn't there to defend the point.
The law of return does allow for converts to move to Israel. They do look into your conversion though and if it is a sham they'll decline.
It's not free though.
So like George Santos?
Nope. Whenever you try to convert, this thread WILL pop up which will undoubtedly make your conversion harder (not impossible) but this thread will undoubtedly exclude you from a paid trip.
For the next four decades they'll be asking everyone if they made this post
/s?