Anita Diamant--author of The Red Tent--takes a warming, welcoming approach in her guide for those of us considering converting to Judaism. She covers a wide range of topics: beginning with her husband's conversion experience, she discusses the process of converting itself; selecting a Rabbi; families' and friends'reactions; choosing a Hebrew name; celebrating the event; and so on. While there are books that may go into far more detail, Diamant's book is a wonderful place to start reading about conversion. If nothing else, she has a knack for understanding and discussing honestly the worries and obstacles a potential convert might face. Personally, I found it inspiring--like having a close and trusted friend supporting you through your first forays into conversion. It's an excellent basic introduction to the subject.

This is a great book. It explained a lot of things for me when I was contemplating conversion. After making my decision, I actually gave the book to my mom to help her understand my decision.
I highly recommend this book for anyone thinking about converting.

This book reads well and eases fears about conversion. However, I think it is a better choice for those converting due to marriage.

This book has a lot of useful information for conversion. The only drawback was that it was written for people converting for a partner who is Jewish. Not all people convert for this reason so it is not a one size fits all conversion book.

This book has a lot of useful information for conversion. The only drawback was that it was written for people converting for a partner who is Jewish. Not all people convert for this reason so it is not a one size fits all conversion book.

This is the first book on the "conversion process" I read. I know some people take issue with Diamant, but this book was a great introduction to the subject. It made the whole thing seem approachable and possible. It really helped me.

This is the first book on the "conversion process" I read. I know some people take issue with Diamant, but this book was a great introduction to the subject. It made the whole thing seem approachable and possible. It really helped me.

I give this book five stars but I want to say that it cannot be the only book a potential convert reads. The reason I give it such a high rating is because it is a nice primer for the process and how to deal with Christmas. Most people on their way to Jewry are told "okay, by the way, no more Christmas" but this book deals with how psychologically hard it can be to forfeit up something so engrained in the American psyche as Christmas.
The potential Jew must also get themselves an introduction to Hebrew, a good Tanakh, an introduction to Talmud (Everyman's Talmud is very good) and a good book on how to live an observant Jewish life (To be a Jew is good for this). Converts must also ask their rabbi if there is any other books the rabbi would like them to read.
This book is indespinsable because of how it clearly describes what a hafat dam brit or mikvah are like and also the importance of a convert's Hebrew name. Many converts have no idea what a real mikvah will be like and I LOVE the way this book goes into it.
Overall I definately believe everyone going into Reform, Conservative or Reconstructionist Judaism should read this. It does have a very evident slant towards Reform but I find it WONDERFUL and I am most likely going to go through a conservative conversion.

I purchased this book because I find the writer to be fine author and, at first blush the book was directed towards Jews-by-choice and the complexities of conversion.

The book is an interesting and informative read but is written from the perspective of individuals who convert as a result of their relationships to Jews-by-Birth. Much of the information can be extrapolated to conversion for other reasons however, my thoughts and desires regarding conversion do not have any basis in my husband's beliefs. Quite the contrary - as life's mysteries would have it, I introduced him to Christianity. My exploration of Judaism is based on my own spiritual journey and from that perspective, the book is interesting and informative but does not address the complex questions of the individual who seeks a spiritual connection sans a partner who is similarily motivated.

This is a good general guidebook to begin with; it's informative and valuable without being too brief or too long. However, one shouldn't feel that one should only ever read this one conversion book, since there are so many other good ones out there, as well as ones that go into more in-depth and detailed territory than this one. It's not meant to be the be-all and end-all on this subject. There's a lot of valuable information in here, such as choosing a Hebrew name, adapting to a whole new personal history and outlook on life, the types of conversion ceremonies, which denomination you'd like to convert through, the wedding ceremony, and how to tell your family and friends about your decision. And yes, this book is written from a Progressive standpoint, but as Ms. Diamant points out in the introduction, that's not meant as an insult to the Orthodox world, but rather because, not only is it not her territory, but also because there is such a large gulf between the Orthodox and Progressive circles of Judaism when it comes to "who is a Jew." If someone were interested in an Orthodox conversion, s/he would have gone to a book like Maurice Lamm's 'Becoming a Jew,' not a conversion guidebook specifically geared towards those of more Progressive persuasions.

However, I do agree that this books really seems to work from the assumption that the reader is converting because of a romantic relationship. I was 18 years old and single when I had my first (Reform) conversion, and was 24 and still single when I completed my second (Conservative) conversion some years later. I respect that there are a number of people out there who come to want to convert for their own reasons even though the initial catalyst was a romantic relationship, but a growing number of people who convert are indeed single, and always have been. While Ms. Diamant does address that fact that not everyone converts because of a relationship, most of the book really seems biased towards people who are converting for marriage. I just wish there had been more material addressing those of us who are single and who converted for spiritual, not romantic, reasons.

This book was written from an almost first hand persepective as the author experienced the conversion process her future husband was going through. The book explains this is about a reform conversion, but as such there is a lot here to be learned by anyone considering - or even just curious about - conversion to Judaism, whether reform, orthodox or in between.

This book is well written and an easy read. It gives a clear to understand explanation of what to expect as you begin conversion, and outlines exactly what is required of you in a way others haven't. If you are considering conversion, know someone who is or just curious about what conversion would involve, then this is an excellent introduction to that process.

Highly recommended.