The worst part of doing the passover meal is eating the Gefilte Fish.

It's a longstanding joke at a friend's family's seder that "Wolf will have the Goyische portion" (i.e., none). For years I was a good sport and would manage to choke down a morsel of this horrible stuff, until I found out that his new wife (and convert to Judaism) was refusing to even try it.

And no, she won't like you, even if you DO convert. It's a rule. There's always someone who would have been better. Usually one or two girlfriends prior to you.

Ok--so far I am NOT doing the "thank God I am not a woman" thing or the Gefilte Fish thing. Anything else this Shiksa should know???

He's not been exactly forthcoming with all this shit... :mad:

Latkes are really, really yummy. :) ESPECIALLY with the sour cream and applesauce, though it may sound counterintuitive.

At the risk of sounding like I am a fat-ass (see "how much do you weigh?" thread)
Potato Pancakes are totally do-able. :yum:

And blintzes. Especially the blintzes. And Kugle (casserole). Yummy!

I guess it all depends upon how observant your sweetie is -- he might not be telling you about all this other stuff because he isn't aware of it himself, or it isn't important to him. The biggie to look out for, though, is, will he want/need to raise the kids as Jews? If you agreed, this wouldn't necessarily require your conversion, but some branches would then require the children to convert (orthodox and some conservative congregations).

If you don't convert, but you raise the kids Jewish, the hardest part will be if they have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony (not required, but customary, at least in the US) -- and you are not allowed to be up there with them at the Torah because you are not Jewish. (Many congregations in the US allow this, but in some modified way.)

I belong to a congregation with a high percentage of mixed marriages, not to mention a fair sampling of non-traditional households. In most of the US, you can find a congregation that is willing to meet your family as it comes. Good luck!

I am not wanting children and neither is he ( he is 61 and has 2 daughters) and he does not belong to an Orthodox congregation. I have no problem with conversion, though. He has never asked me and I don't think he cares. He's a little more "Kurt Vonnegut" than anything else!

Ah, the Jewish intellectual. Actually, I know a few people who fit the 'Jewish agnostic intellectual' label. Everyone has their own beliefs. Judaism has many large labels like Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, ultra-Orthodox, etc. The reality is that since destruction of the second temple (Aug 10, 0070), Judaism has been much more decentralized. Individual Rabbis and their congregations are financially autonomous, and outside of Israel it is difficult to enforce any religious rulings.

As a result, it is possible to find a synagogue that more closely matches ones personal beliefs. I remember the Rabbi at the Reform congregation we went to talking about why she ate chicken cheesesteaks, a position I had no problem with. You might have to Jewish to appreciate the shocking nature of this.

Anyway, a good site to check out, and one I use to cross check information I am 'almost positive' is correct, is Judaism 101 . You might want to check out the chapter on sex. Since your boyfriend is not Orthodox, you won't be obligated to know or follow the 613! commandments, some of which have been made obsolete by the fact that the US and Israel are democracies (or republics) and that the Temple has been destroyed.

BTW, my sister is getting remarried to a Jewish accountant who is very nice to his mother, polite and respectful to my parents, and good with her children. In other words, a mensch.

I hope your boyfriend is a mensch. May you find great happiness together. Mazel Tov.

Thanks, Richlevy! Yes, he is, above all else, a mensch. :biggrin:

You don't, he may. :)

I don't want to open up a hornet's nest here...BUT which prophet said that, "thank God I'm not a woman" crap? I wanna know where Yahweh said that. Jesus certainly never said it. He liked women. I think God likes women, too. I think a lot of MEN don't like women. :ivy:

*pssstt* the jews don't put a lot of creedance in what Jesus likes or dislikes.

TOTALLY. That's why I might stay with him (Jesus)--he was sooooo cool. Plus, he was Jewish. :)

i have no desire to start a cellar religion argument, but i think sticking with Jesus is always a good plan.

If more people stuck with Jesus there'd be more room for the rest of us.