The easiest time to become Jewish may already be behind us.

Becoming Jewish has never been simple. History shows that people often choose Judaism at moments when it carries real risk. This episode explores why conversion happens across centuries, how antisemitism shapes who feels drawn toward Jewish life, and why recent events have reignited identity questions for people standing just outside the Jewish world.

Through historical examples and modern reflections, the conversation traces conversion from medieval Europe to post-October 7 America, revealing how belief, love, danger, and belonging intersect. Along the way, it challenges the idea that Judaism thrives only in comfort, suggesting instead that difficulty itself has always been part of the draw.

The discussion features insights from a leading historian of Jewish conversion, a former professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Conversion in the “Key Words in Jewish Studies” series, who also co-curated a major exhibition on conversion through the centuries at the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Key Takeaways

1. Learn how conversion to Judaism has never been about comfort — and history proves that people often choose it precisely when it’s hardest.
2. See how antisemitism, identity, and belonging are deeply connected to who feels pulled toward Judaism in different eras.
3. Understand that modern conversion stories can’t be separated from October 7th and the emotional reckoning it triggered.

Timestamps

• [00:00:00] The post-war “golden age” of American Jewry and why it may be ending
• [00:01:30] How antisemitism historically affects conversion rates
• [00:02:10] Introducing Professor Miriam Bodian and the focus on conversion
• [00:03:20] Personal background: discovering antisemitism and finding Judaism
• [00:05:10] Conversos, forced conversion, and why identity doesn’t switch overnight
• [00:09:50] Warder Cresson: the most radical American Jewish convert
• [00:14:20] Conversion in early America vs. medieval Europe
• [00:18:10] Why medieval converts risked everything to become Jewish
• [00:27:40] October 7th and its impact on modern Jewish identity and conversion
• [00:44:30] Is the golden age of Jewish comfort and conversion over?

Links

• Miriam Bodian in the Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women
• Miriam Bodian’s books on Amazon
• Project Ruth Website
• Rabbi Adam Mintz
• Meredith Berkman’s LinkedIn

This episode is about choosing Judaism when it would be easier not to.

Choosing Judaism today is not a passive decision. It is a conscious step toward identity, community, and responsibility in a world that often misunderstands Jewish life. This episode explores what happens when curiosity becomes commitment and when learning turns into belonging, especially during a time of rising antisemitism and cultural fear.

Through an honest conversation about faith, family, and visibility, this episode examines why Orthodox Jewish life can feel both intimidating and deeply grounding. It offers insight into how Jewish practice creates clarity, connection, and a framework for raising children with intention, without glossing over the real risks and emotional weight of the choice.

The episode features cultural storyteller and author, Kaitlin Kehler, whose work explores identity, aesthetics, and meaning. Her journey into Orthodox Judaism brings a rare outsider perspective that challenges stereotypes while highlighting the warmth, rigor, and humanity of Jewish religious life.

Key Takeaways

1. Learning that Judaism is not about blind belief but about living inside questions and debate. That intellectual honesty is what made it feel real to me.
2. Discovering that Orthodox Jewish life is far more human and welcoming than people assume. Fear often comes from distance, not reality.
3. Realizing that building a Jewish family is about values, continuity, and courage, especially in uncertain times.

Timestamps

• [00:00] Introduction and the purpose of sharing this story
• [03:10] Growing up with little Jewish exposure and early curiosity
• [06:05] First encounters with Judaism and reform learning
• [09:20] Why reform did not feel like enough
• [12:40] Discovering Orthodox thought and unexpected peace
• [16:00] First synagogue experiences and feeling out of place
• [19:10] Antisemitism, fear, and choosing visibility
• [23:30] Sharing the journey publicly on social media
• [27:45] Creating a Jewish family and raising children
• [33:50] Why proud Jewish life matters now more than ever

Links

• Kaitlin Kehler’s Instagram
• Kaitlin Kehler’s Substack
• Project Ruth Website
• Rabbi Adam Mintz
• Meredith Berkman’s LinkedIn

This is the rare story of a family who became more Jewish not through tradition, but through reinvention.

In this conversation, Jacob Gersen opens up about his family history, upbringing, marriage, his childrens journeys and what it meant to support Jeannie Suk Gersen through an Orthodox conversion. He speaks honestly about feeling like an outsider, the vulnerability of joining an Orthodox community later in life, the shift toward public Jewish identity after October 7 and how Jeannie’s boldness reshaped his own relationship to Judaism. A rich, thoughtful and moving portrait of modern American Jewish life.

Key Takeaways

1. Identity and belonging are rarely linear.
2. Conversion can transform more than one person.
3. In a post–October 7 world, choosing to be visibly Jewish carries new meaning.

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Learning to live publicly as a Jew

[00:05:00] Deep cultural Judaism and inherited ambivalence

[00:09:00] Turning to Eastern religions at Brown instead of Judaism

[00:11:00] Early interfaith marriage and unexpected rejection

[00:14:00] Raising children with two religious identities

[00:17:00] Feeling inadequate next to a non-Jew who practiced more Judaism

[00:19:00] Finding Rabbi Minz and beginning Jeannie’s Orthodox conversion

[00:23:00] Outsider feelings in Orthodox spaces

[00:33:00] Building belonging: the need for support systems in shul

[00:45:00] Rejecting the instinct to “keep your head down” after October 7

Links

• ⁠Jacob Gersen - Harvard Law School⁠
• ⁠Project Ruth Website⁠
• ⁠Rabbi Adam Mintz⁠
• ⁠Meredith Berkman’s LinkedIn⁠