In 1913, Sir Ernest Shackleton was putting together a potentially dangerous expedition to the Antarctic and there’s an apocryphal story about an ad he is said to have put in a London newspaper.
It read: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.”
According to legend, more than 5,000 men (and “three sporty girls”) applied.
Perhaps in the light of what that story says about human nature it’s not necessarily surprising that in the wake of the devastating antisemitic attacks in this country which began after October 7 2023, some Australian rabbis are reporting an unexpected trend – an increase in the number of people seeking to convert to Judaism!
The attacks, which have included physical assaults, vandalism of Jewish institutions, and a torrent of hate speech online, left the Jewish community reeling.
Some might have expected a further rise in antisemitism, making the already challenging process of conversion even more daunting.
However, Rabbis across both Orthodox and Progressive congregations spoken to by the AJN say nothing of the kind has happened, quite the reverse if anything.
“I think that the events of October 7 have acted as a catalyst for people who were on the fence and thinking about it beforehand anyway,” said Rabbi Yaakov Glasman of St Kilda Shule, an Orthodox synagogue in Melbourne known for being conversion friendly.
“When something so cataclysmic happens, I think it just jolted people to make that first approach, make that first call, to reach out and officially get the ball rolling”.
Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann of Melbourne’s Ark Centre has seen the usual number of potential converts more than double.
Rather than being deterred by the attacks or the commitment required, Rabbi Kaltmann says “If anything, people want to stand with the Jewish community. They see how beautiful Judaism is. Monotheism resonates with them, they connect to the Torah. And they see how tough it can be to be a Jew, with the rise of antisemitism, and regardless, they still are embracing it.”
He’s noticed a shift in attitudes to converts from some people who were born Jewish as well.
“Previously, there would have been [some] eyebrow raising because of an … old stigma, which is not in line with Halacha, where the Torah mentions over and over again to take care of the stranger, the convert. Now they look at them with a newfound respect. There is a deeper embrace of somebody that is converting now, post October 7 that I’ve [ever] witnessed as a Rabbi.”
While the attacks have understandably shaken the Jewish community, they seem to have strengthened the resolve of those already on the journey towards becoming Jewish.
“They realise that there’s this light that’s been lit within them that’s been dimmed, and they can’t deny it anymore,” explained Rabbi Allison Conyer of Temple Beth Israel, a Progressive shule in Melbourne.
“The outside world, the wider community, is forcing a ‘You’re either with us or against us’ [attitude], and it’s forcing them to realise where they’ve been, where they are and who they are.”
Jack O’Shea, a conversion candidate at Melbourne’s St Kilda Shule, has felt embraced by the Jewish community as he navigates the Orthodox process with his Israeli partner, Tair.
“Going into a different environment … can be hard sometimes, but … people would tap you on the shoulder and pull you under their wing, and help and guide you along the way,” he said.
“Little things like telling you which page of the book you were up to or explaining something simple at a Shabbat dinner or something like that”, he said.
“I want to put in twice as much. And you can see every person’s been brought closer in some way. I know a lot of people that are Jewish and not so religious, who have after the event have become religious, in a sense”.
O’Shea and his partner have channelled their experience into an Instagram account called “Jack’s Jewish Journey”, featuring videos about Judaism and Israel that have resonated with many.
“It started off small. I was making a couple of videos here and there, just my experience along the way, what I’m learning at Shabbat, or my experience when I went to Israel and it grew from there”.
Rabbi Moshe Kahn of the Orthodox Da Minyan shule in Melbourne says anyone who converts is “one million per cent Jewish” and he’s been very impressed by the calibre of converts since the attacks.
While he personally hasn’t noticed an uptick in numbers, conversations reveal how much potential converts have been affected by recent events.
“I’ve had quite a few chats with a few of them since October 7, the impact of it and how they’re feeling,” he said.
“What’s absolutely been consistent and true has been that they’ve been surprised [at] the impact of how they’ve felt, and it’s actually allowed them to understand what antisemitism [is]. Because until this moment, they actually didn’t even fathom and understand what it means. And then all of a sudden, they are feeling and it’s real for them, and it hasn’t scared them”.
Even as it welcomes sincere converts, Rabbi Kahn notes that Judaism is a non-proselytising faith, though there were historical eras of mass conversions.
“There were definitely times when there was mass conversion, [such as the] Roman era. People don’t realize that, but there was actually incredible amount of conversion,” he explained.
“Judaism is definitely not a religion that goes out and tries to encourage people to convert, and we want each one to be a genuine convert”.
the Sydney Beth Din, and is aimed at streamlining the process of converting to
Orthodox Judaism. Photo: AJN
On the Progressive side, Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio of Emanuel Synagogue in Sydney says “People are coming to convert to Judaism who’ve been connected with the Jewish community for a very long time, but October 7 has pushed them or made them feel that they want to be officially part of the Jewish people, rather than a friend or a connected person or a person who’s in the community. They want to formalise what they feel inside, and to really stand with the Jewish people not as a friend, but as a member of the community”
“There seems to be a resolve to take this path that I’ve not seen before,” Rabbi Ninio added.
“I honestly thought, with the antisemitism and the difficult challenges of being a Jew in Australia at the moment, that we would see a drop in conversions. And that has definitely not happened”.
She says there’s a positive reaction from people who were born Jewish to converts.
“It’s not easy to convert to Judaism. It’s a long process. It involves study and connection with community and learning to read Hebrew. You don’t just walk in and convert. So I think there’s a real admiration for people and a gratitude also that they’re joining our people at a time when we are feeling in many ways under attack”.
Yan Ying Lu, a Chinese-born conversion candidate at the Ark Centre, was drawn to Jewish family values and their parallels in Chinese culture.
When she first told her Jewish partner John that she wanted to convert, he jokingly told her to see a psychiatrist – but inspired by her journey, he now attends lessons with the Rabbi himself to relearn aspects of Judaism he’d forgotten.
Yan notes the shared importance of education between the two cultures.
“There’s nothing more that Chinese parents or Jewish parents care more about than kids’ education, and it’s all about being intellectually independent and being able to achieve the best.”
As a Chinese woman, Yan has already experienced racism in Australia, so she and John are dedicated to preparing their son Gabriel.
“We are teaching there will always be some people who are not going to like who you are because of your background, because of your family, but you just have to stand up for yourself and fight, be it Chinese or Jewish, or anything”.
Traditionally, Rabbis warn would-be converts of the risks and challenges of being Jewish.
After October 7, Rabbi Conyer says, that warning carries extra weight.
“Usually by the time I see someone, they’ve already experienced multiple times the cost of what it means to be Jewish. Whether or not they’re married to someone who’s Jewish, or they’re dating someone who’s Jewish, they’ve experienced it and have felt defensive,” she explained.
“So, they’re coming with their eyes wide open, and maybe that’s why that sense of commitment is stronger”.
She’s seen a marked shift in motivation as well.
“One of the biggest differences that I’ve noticed is that now people are coming because it’s not just about themselves, it’s not just about their partner’s family or their partner. It’s actually about peoplehood. It’s about community, which I think usually takes a much longer time for people to grasp and understand. But they’re feeling it. They’re feeling the fate of the larger people, and they’re getting it, and that’s what’s motivating them, which is incredible”.
Alison Shamir, who recently completed her conversion at Emanuel Synagogue after over many years of living a Jewish life with her wife who she married 10 years ago, says October 7 flipped an internal switch.
“Literally, I feel like, something reached into my body and just changed forever,” she said.
“October 7 showed me just how easily that antisemitic and Jew hatred switch can be flipped. I immediately felt that we were under attack, that all of us were under attack, and I wanted to stand up, because I am a proud Jew and represent our people and represent our culture” she said.
“It’s a shift in identity. It’s an experience. And I knew it would be, but it has had a real profound impact on me, and it has changed me. I’m simply not the same person I was before October 7”.
Rather than running from the threat, Alison says, “We’re under attack. And it’s not the first time, unfortunately, and it won’t be the last time, given what we’re seeing across the world. It had the effect on me where I was ready to grab my metaphorical shield and essentially hit the front line. It propelled me forward. It didn’t make me want to run away.”
Charlotte Roland, a new mother who is converting under the supervision of Rabbi Ben Elton at the Orthodox Great Synagogue in Sydney, has found the post October 7 atmosphere challenging, has found support in her community and Rabbi.
“There were many conversations held around the dinner table about how we navigate these times. I think a place I like to always go to for reference and better strength is Rabbi Elton’s sermons at the Shabbat service every Saturday. So that’s been a great source of strength for me and my family”, she said.
Roland has found the events of October 7 heightened her sense of community at the Great Synagogue, witnessing firsthand the resilience and strength of the Jewish people and mothers group discussions on their role in preserving traditions.
As the Australian Jewish community grapples with the ongoing impact and threats of rising antisemitism, it seems to be finding strength, solidarity and growth from a perhaps unexpected source – those who look at the challenges of Jewish life and history and still say, “Your people shall be my people.”
Quoting the famous passage from the Book of Ruth, Rabbi Conyer explained, “That whole quote is basically making a statement that if you’re going to convert to Judaism, you’re with the Jewish people. Wherever they go, you’re going to live. Your people shall be my people. Their lot is being thrown in with our lot. We’re together till death”.
She says some are coming despite October 7, and some are coming because of October 7 – but all are demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to the Jewish people and faith in the face of adversity.
We may have a dark cloud hanging over us, but those joining us are helping provide a bright silver lining.
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