The Jewish faith has always accepted converts. I myself worked with two rabbis in my locale, one was reform, the other was conservative. My beit din (court) was presided by three reform rabbis. When I was in my early twenties, I embarked on this process for the first time (just after leaving JWs), and found myself on the phone with an orthodox rabbi. Being young, naive, and very busy with college and starting my career, I only did enough research to know that I could never live an orthodox life. I had already escaped one high control group. I wasn't about to trade it for another. I should have gotten a second opinion right then and there, but I was operating on a basic assumption that ALL jews only considered orthodox conversions to be real. When I reconsidered it last year, I learned I could convert in a reform or conservative tradition, and not feel I was converting to anything but Judaism. The local Chabad boys (cuz one never sees the Chabad "girls") weren't too happy about it, but the conservative congregation has accepted me wholeheartedly as has the local reform congregation (which I consider my home base), so blatantly named up above by a fellow poster. I don't think that it is a coincidence that JWs are drawn to Judaism. I have called the Jehovah's Witnesses a Jewish apologist cult for many years now. There is something innately familiar about it, but oh so much more spiritual, fun, life-affirming and respectful. Aack, I must get back to studying Evidence. Thanks everyone. Shoshana
La Capra
JoinedPosts by La Capra
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17
Mazel Tov me
by La Capra inon top everything else, i finished my conversion.
i am officially jewish.
it was a far more meaningful ritual than anything the jw baptism had to offer.
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JW Prep Schools?!
by imallgrowedup ini was just reading another thread that mentioned something that knocked me over!
this thread mentions the existence of jw prep schools!
can anyone enlighten me on this topic?
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La Capra
One of these such schools takes horrid advantage of my mother. She is a legally credentialed teacher and is "on staff" of one of these "we are not a home school" corporations. She spends hours on end grading work of kids, getting paid hardly anything so that the school can say a "credentialed" teacher is the one doing the work. The work arrives daily by mail from all over the country, and the kids have learned it on their own "at home." However, what she does can be done by any conscientious sophomore in high school, using the teacher's edition of the book. All she does is score it. She is called a teacher, but she is really just a "reader." As a professional educator myself, I am offended by the value she has put on her fabulous education and experience. She is selling it for practically nothing. As Suze Orman says, "When you undervalue what you do, the world undervalues who you are." Shoshana
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Kingdom Hall owner is deceased
by DevonMcBride inhttp://12.40.122.125/fcp2.web8/0/parcel?parcelno=410001558003
here is a link to the deed for a kingdom hall near me.
listed as owners are 3 men, one is the po, another is an elder, and one is deceased.
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La Capra
I just double checked in my handy dandy "asset locator" that the online legal research company sees fit to give to law students. It says the same thing that this link does. It's a little clearer, though. This Whelen guy is definitely the trustee...however, the other two guys, Eichler and Betz are owners. The deed does not say HOW they hold title, and if the actual deed as recorded doesn't say, a court would interpret it to mean they are 50-50 owners (I'm 98 % sure that's true in Pennsylvania). So if one of the owners dies, his share goes to his heirs, and that is whomever he left it to in his will, which could have been the other guy. The actual deed on file could also have granted a right of survivorship, which in my family we called "winner takes all" after a very nasty battle with my step aunt whose father died before my grandmother. There is nothing on this deed that grants ownership to JW congregation, only that a JW congregation granted it to them (for $1). What is not public record, though is who exactly is the beneficiary of the trust of which Whelen is trustoring. Additionally, this property was not conveyed into a trust (from what I can see-those are usually really easy to see, an owner conveying it into the "Eichler Family Trust". One could only speculate...Anyone know if there were any local "legal" issues in Huntington Valley PA around the time these elders got the Kingdom Hall for a buck? This looks like asset shielding to me. Hmmm. (and who says posting on this board keeps me from studying for my properties midterm....). I also checked "Jehovah's Witnesses" in Pennsylvania. They are on the deeds to about 20 pieces of property that immediately popped, usually as local congregations. Didn't run WBTS, cause we already know they own tens of thousands of proeprties in the country. Shoshana.
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What's the best way to cook a prime rib? How do I make yorkshire pudding?
by avishai ini've always wanted to try yorkshire pudding, i've always read about it.
prime rib, theres so many ways online, any suggestions?
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La Capra
This is how my family prepares it!!! It's not just a meal, it's an event. http://houseofprimerib.citysearch.com/ Shoshana
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Mazel Tov me
by La Capra inon top everything else, i finished my conversion.
i am officially jewish.
it was a far more meaningful ritual than anything the jw baptism had to offer.
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La Capra
"how did that go down..." just like the elders always wanting all the details. I was great at asking questions in response to their questions..."Don't you think it was a lot less disruptive than screaming at the top of my lungs 'keep your hands to yourself you perv?'" He laughed, got the point and let it alone...
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Mazel Tov me
by La Capra inon top everything else, i finished my conversion.
i am officially jewish.
it was a far more meaningful ritual than anything the jw baptism had to offer.
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La Capra
6 o' 9...The elders that accomplished the grope in the pool? I didn't answer in my own words, I answered with my own knee, though....Oops, y'see I started to slide within seconds of getting baptised as a witness...I actually heard about it from one of my local boys the next week. Shoshana
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Mazel Tov me
by La Capra inon top everything else, i finished my conversion.
i am officially jewish.
it was a far more meaningful ritual than anything the jw baptism had to offer.
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La Capra
On top everything else, I finished my conversion. I am officially Jewish. It was a far more meaningful ritual than anything the JW baptism had to offer. There was a Jewish court of rabbis and a triple immersion in a kosher mikveh. It was very solemn, private and intimate. I really feel like a new person, not like when I had to get dipped (and groped) to keep peace with my mother. There were many people involved whose roles were well-defined in making it meaningful and keeping me focused. And I hardly cried at all (well, not too much, anyway). And since I'm coming out, my picture....Shoshana
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Any ideas what they'll do..
by Mysterious ini'm an unbaptised publisher but i want to get out.
if i simply quit going cold turkey what do you think they'll do?
i should mention my mother is a loyal dubbie but not my father (no worries from his side *winks at poztate*).
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La Capra
Who cares what they will do? Since you were never baptized, there is no "hold" whatsoever. Do you think they will announce that you are no longer a publisher? That you are now "bad association?" When they find out that you are gay, they are going to cut you off anyway. You have a life to live and enjoy, and are quite lucky, like I was, you have a dad that knows what a total crock it all is and will support you in getting an education and a life. The sooner you start living what you know you are going to be living, the sooner you can start healing from the years of suppressing your true self. The only person you should be concerned about shunning you is your mom. And no matter whether you wait, or come out now, you will eventually want to have a relationship with someone and share your life with her. Either way your mom will be part of it or not. You won't be able to control that. Sneaking around and hiding it from her only delays the inevitable. Since you have one parent who supports you for sure, I think you should give it up now. And refuse to meet with elders unless your father is there (that's what I did, way cool when they started to try to intimidate me and he got all paternal on them. SOOO COOOOOOL..."Don't you dare talk to my daughter like that in MY HOUSE! Get the hell out!). Take Care, Shoshana
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Senator Bednar Leaves Watchtower!
by Voyager inthis forum has uncovered many jws who were found out to be political officials.
if this information should be old to some,--then perhaps for those who have just left the borg, might find the information helpful to reinforce their freedom.
the thread is very long, so if it should not work, then please go to kent steinhaug's forum at watchtower observer.. http://kent.steinhaug.com/forum/showthread.php?s=f3aa440065982e1f53cc3efe02055681&threadid=2744 .
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La Capra
Voyager, there is no US Senator Bednar. There happened to be a Joseph Bednar in Missouri who was appointed to a post in the MSRS, along WITH the Missouri senators, but he was not one of the senators, and not the same "Bednar" referred to in the other links provided. Shoshana
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Please share your Xmas craft ideas with me
by Eyebrow2 inhello everyyone!.
this the first christmas that my husband and i actually have time to do stuff with our kids before christmas.
i hope to help them make some ornaments for our tree, and hopefully make a few to send up to their grandparents for their tree.
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La Capra
I was just at the art supply store today. getting little Hanukah gifts for my friend''s daughters. I got a kit of baking polymer (sculpey or fimo, I can't remember) that bakes into erasers. It was about 15 bucks for a half dozen blocks of clay. The kids can sculpt erasers!!! I know my friend's girls are going to love it. They will get it first night of Hanukah and be able to make lots of erasers for everyone for the remaining nights. Shoshana