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Age of Conversion

  

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Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: Shalom-Welcome. I'll be with you in a moment. You can start typing your question if you like.

Destined: Shalom. If a person has a very supportive family and has been studying Judaism for three years (knows Hebrews, prayers, etc.) and has been attending Synagogue and celebrating the holidays, what would you consider the appropriate age for that person to convert?

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: Technically, a boy can convert as soon as he is thirteen, and a girl from the age of twelve.1 Practically speaking, the rabbinical courts wait until the person reaches the age of independence.

Destined: What is the age of independence?

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: You tell me.

Destined: .......

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: When do you move out, when are you in charge of your own food and schedule?

Destined: So, 18?

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: You know better than I. Each person is different.

Destined: What if you are going off, away from your family to a high school/ boarding school type? Then you are moving out, are in charge of getting your own food, and of your own schedule.

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: Are you then in charge of your own food and schedule? I don't think it will work unless it is a Jewish school. :-)

Destined: So, from an Orthodox Rabbi's perspective what is the youngest age you would permit someone to convert?

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: Exactly as I said. He would have to prove that he is self-sufficient enough to be able to guarantee fulfillment of basic mitzvahs.

Destined: But if someone is able to prove this to you and has been fulfilling the mitzvahs, would age matter?

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: No. Not if he or she can't be forced by anybody not to live like a Jew.

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: But that is theoretical. Each case has to be judged independently. And not by a chat room rabbi. Only by a rabbi that knows the person personally

Destined: Great. Thanks for your help.

Rabbi Yrachmiel Tilles: Shalom.

Destined: Shalom.

Ed. note: Also read "Why should I choose an Orthodox conversion?"

All names, places, and identifying information have been changed or deleted in order to protect the privacy of the questioners. In order to preserve authenticity, the chat sessions have been posted with a minimum of editing. Please excuse typographical errors, missing punctuation, and/or grammatical mistakes which naturally occur in the course of informal chat sessions.

Footnotes

  • 1. That is if a person wants to convert on their own. But if parents convert, or if Jewish parents adopt a non-Jewish child, the child can convert before 12/13. See "If Jewish parents adopt, is the child automatically Jewish?" (http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/194,136752/Age-of-Conversion.html)

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