Any non-Jewish person of sound mind who feels a personal draw to Judaism can become Jewish. People commonly convert to Judaism out of personal spiritual conviction, marriage to a Jewish partner, or a desire to raise a family within the Jewish community. Recent academic research into modern conversion patterns highlights that modern American converts are significantly more ethnically and socially diverse. For instance, a notable percentage of modern Reform and Conservative converts openly identify as LGBTQ or come from diverse Latinx and African American backgrounds.

Many Synagogues have reported a distinct wave of modern seekers initiating conversion because a commercial DNA test unexpectedly revealed a lost Jewish heritage, Recent conversion stories highlight a deep spiritual pulling toward community, an embrace of a “difficult freedom,” and a desire to stand with the Jewish people during times of global trial. Rather than being deterred by rising global antisemitism, many recent converts describe feeling that their “Jewish souls” have finally come home.

In Utah, Luis Guerrero Muñoz and his wife Fabiola, were originally a Catholic couple from Venezuela. Then Luis discovered that his ancestors were actually Sephardic Jews who fled Spain centuries ago to escape forced conversion. Over generations in South America, their Jewish identity slowly faded. Hearing the hidden call of his ancestry, Luis undertook a study process. His recent immersion in the mikvah (ritual bath) was an intentional “act of memory” to officially bring his family’s lineage back into the Jewish community.

Millions of Spanish and Portuguese speakers are descendants of Jews who were forcibly baptized during the 15th century. Many of these people have Jewish souls and are now returning to the Jewish people. How would you know if you could be one of them?

Signs of a Jewish soul.

1- You like to ask questions? But when you asked them as a child, you were told faith is a gift from God and you shouldn’t question it. This never satisfied you, although others didn’t seem to have a problem with this view.

2- The trinity never made any sense to you even as a young child. You prayed to God the father more........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)