Tuesday, March 10, 2009

To join or not to join…

… That is the question. I've been wondering if it's time for me to become a member of the synagogue.

This weekend at the Purim party, the head of the membership committee gave his usual recruiting talk. "The synagogue needs the money, and while we welcome our guests, we encourage everyone to join, even those who are here just for multicultural enrichment." Thing is, every time he gives that speech he looks right at me.

Have I mentioned that I'm not Jewish?

I'm really having internal issues with whether I should join the synagogue or not. It's only $350, so I can certainly afford it, and they really do need every dollar they can get. But joining a synagogue makes a certain statement, a sort of commitment, that I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to make.

At a lot of synagogues they require prospective members to be a Jewish, or at least firmly into the conversion process. I don't think they're that fussy on that issue here. But I'm still in the process of exploring Judaism, and have not yet decided if this is the path that I will take.

I do enjoy attending the functions, I try to follow along with the services, and I'm even taking Hebrew lessons. The members of the congregation couldn't be more welcoming, even though I do have a hard time socializing with 'normal' people. And I feel a little disingenuous using a portion of the heat and lights without paying my fair share. (To assuage my guilt I've made a small donation to the general fund.)

The question, however, remains… Should an undecided, insecure, unattached, and slightly eccentric gentile join a synagogue?

Comments are encouraged. Thank you.

1 comment:

  1. If you're undecided, where else could your path lead? What other roads could be calling you? There aren't that many other mainstream/widely accepted religions.

    I'm a leap before you look type of gal so I vote to just join and be a jew but not everyone is like that. Especially if you're converting alone.

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