Part 3:
1. What in the world is a rabbi?
A rabbi (Heb. "my master") is part scholar, part teacher, part man of clergy, part judge and part communal leader, and, at times, part politician. There are different types of rabbis but what they more-or-less have in common is that they are there to guide Jewish people (and also sometimes Noahides) in their day-to-day physical and spiritual lives. For many millennia, the way to become a rabbi was to receive "smicha" (Heb. "leaning [of the hands]", which is what Jews call rabbinical ordination. The requirements of receiving smicha have changed over the generations. In the past, when a student was deemed ready, he was pronounced a rabbi by his own rabbi. Over the years, the concept of a standard for rabbinical certification was deemed necessary, and so students attempting to join the rabbinate would have to pass tests by whichever rabbi they went to to get their ordination. These tests included a Talmud test and a Halacha test, with levels of difficulty depending on the rabbi overseeing the tests and ordination. Nowadays, the standards are considered much higher. For example, in order to receive basic Orthodox ordination in Israel, one has to pass 6 difficult tests on a range of halachic subjects, given a few times a year by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. This certifies the student to being able to become a neighborhood rabbi. To receive higher ordinations, one will have to pass more tests (the highest ordination, city-level, has 11 tests. A dayan (Heb. "judge") has to complete a further 5 tests). Other denominations have rabbinical colleges for receiving ordination.
2. Wait, what's a Noahide?
A Noahide is a non-Jewish person who wishes to keep the portion of the Torah that is relevant to non-Jews. In theory, there are Seven Noahide Commandments, said to have been given to Noah by God after the Biblical Flood. In practice, however, these seven break down into about thirty commandments in various fields, mostly in terms of social-governing (for more info, our local Noahide
@Rival is available to take your questions).
3. Why not just convert?
Judaism doesn't encourage conversion (except, perhaps, in the case of Zerah Yisrael (see Part 1, q1). Some of this stems from the belief that every person has a certain role to fulfill in this world and some people were born into certain nationalities because only there can they fulfill their missions. As famous ex-pastor Noahide Rev. J. David Davis, when asked why he didn't convert, said: "Just like it's your mission to be the best Jew you can possibly be, it's my mission to be the best goy I can possibly be."
4. So non-Jews can't convert?
I didn't say that! Non-Jews who persevere enough,
can convert. There have been, and are, some famous Jewish converts throughout history, including some rabbis, such as Onkelos the Convert, Shma'ayah and Avtalyon (the rabbis of Hillel the Elder), Avraham ben Avraham (formerly Graf Valentine Pototzky), Rabbi Asher Wade (former Methodist minister), Ahuva Gray (female former Protestant minister) and Nissim Black (African-American ex-Muslim rapper), to name a few. Some say that even the prophet Ovadiah was a convert. King Herod and Rabbi Akivah were also descendants of converts.
5. How does conversion work?
As usual, standards and methods differ between denominations, but every denomination that oversees a form of conversion has an obligatory conversion course which usually includes the study of basic Jewish ideas and traditions. In Orthodoxy and, I believe, Conservative as well, at the end of the course, the convert-to-be stands before a tribunal of three ordained rabbis and has to pass a test of random Judaism-knowledge questions on a range of subjects. In Orthodoxy, the tribunal also attempts to dissuade the convert, per the halachic requirements of attempting to dissuade converts. This is sometimes done by postponing the final test, stopping the test in the middle and postponing part of it, or else relating in serious tones how difficult it is to be a religious Jew. Once the convert has passed the test, they are sent to the mikveh (Heb. "[ritual] bath") for immersion. Males are also circumcised, or, if they are physically unable to undergo the full circumcision, go through something called a "hatafat dam" (Heb. "dripping blood"), that is, making a small incision in the organ to let out a few drops of blood. After this, the convert is often called to say the Shema for the first time as a proper Jew and a small celebration is made in their honor. Many converts also choose new, Jewish names. When called by their full Jewish name, which includes parentage, converts are considered full children of the first patriarch and matriarch, Abraham and Sarah. So if a convert is called to the reading of a Torah portion, he'd be called "X ben (Heb. "son [of]") Abraham".
6. Are converts the same as natural Jews?
Depends on the denomination. In Orthodoxy, the answer is yes and no: Though converts have all the obligations and rights of natural Jews, in a couple of aspects they are deemed less than other Jews. Most notably, if a community is attempting to choose a rabbi and the choice is between a natural Jewish rabbi or a convert rabbi, there's some halachic favoritism to lean towards the natural rabbi and not the convert. On the other hand, if the convert is the best choice in terms of the needs of community, then there is leniency to choose the convert one and not the natural one. As listed in q4, there have been some famous convert rabbis, including Shma'ayah and Avtalyon who served as the Prince of the Sanhedrin and Chief Justice of the High Court respectively, which were two of the most important Jewish spiritual and political positions in pre-Roman-Exile times. With that said, children of converts that were conceived and born after the conversion have full, 100% rights as natural Jews - in fact, they are just that: natural Jews.
7. Can kids convert?
Provided that their parents or guardians are converting along with them, children can convert. However, if said child is under halachic adulthood (12 for girls, 13 for boys), then upon reaching adulthood, the child will be asked by a tribunal whether they wish to remain Jewish or not. If they do not wish, they are free to back out and are not considered Jewish any more.
8. Can an adult de-convert?
The answer to this, of course, varies according to denomination, and in Orthodoxy is considered complicated: What is the status of a convert that stops keeping all or some of the commandments or wishes to convert to another religion? The answer is mostly on a case-by-case basis. Natural Jews will always remain Jewish, regardless of what beliefs they hold in life. The question is, can the same be said about converts? Some hold that as long as the convert fully wanted to be a Jew at the moment of conversion (usually agreed to be the moment of ritual immersion) while being entirely aware of all of the obligations and ramifications involved in such a decision, then they are and will always remain a Jew. However, there have been some cases in which Orthodox rabbis have overturned some conversions, often for deeming the converts' subsequent lifestyles as being insufficiently Orthodox. Some of these rulings themselves were later overturned and conversion status was regained. Again, it's a complicated and very serious issue.
