Announcing The Newest Jewess
Basking in that post-Mikveh glow with a new Hebrew name
My Beit Din was April 15 in Calgary and I passed! The Rabbis were wonderful and supportive. I knew there was nothing to be nervous about per se, but because this experience is so momentous for me, I could not help but to have some butterflies.
There were 6 of us from synagogues in Edmonton that travelled to Calgary for the Beit Din and mikveh. I only knew one person from Temple Beth Ora, but it was wonderful to make friends and share this wonderful experience with others from the conservative synagogue. I was also so grateful that Adair and the kiddos came along to support me as well. I truly felt all the love!
The actual Beit Din (rabbincal court/panel) too about 10 mins. They had already read some of my writings about my conversion experience over the last 2.5 years. One question they asked was what will change now that I am officially Jewish. I answered that I don’t think anything will change because my connection to Judaism is already all on me :) Being so isolated, I cannot rely on a community to take up for me; it’s my respsonsibility to practice and celebrate being Jewish — in fact, I have been effectively “doing Jewish” for the last 2.5 years :) If anything were to change, perhaps it would be that I am ready to take on more mitzvot (aka kosher-lite).
After the Beit Din at Beth Tzedec synagogue, we made our way to the House of Jacob-Mikveh Israel synagogue, just a short 10 minute drive away. Stepping into the mikveh, with Rabbah Gila observing my immersion and brachot and declaring me “kasher”, was a powerful experience. Growing up Mormon, I am very familiar with baptismal fonts and immersion, but my mikveh experience felt like I was reconnecting to something ancient, something primal inside of me. Immersing in the mikveh three times as is the tradition, felt like a homecoming, like a relief.
Once we were all done, we congregated outside the mikveh with our family and friends, basking in the warm sun, chirping birds, and sang songs for the Simcha (joyous occasion) like Siman Tov Mazel Tov, and also prayed for the 134 hostages still held captive in Gaza. With every happy moment, may we ever be mindful that our whole Jewish family is far and wide, and now being the newish Jewess that I am — I am not part of that global family.
The Shehecheyanu prayer is said as the bracha before the 2nd immersion in the mikveh, and it succinctly and elegantly sums up my everlasting gratitude to all my family, Rabbah Gila, friends, colleagues, supporters who have championed me to get to this moment, where I am “reborn” Jewish.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiy'manu, v'higianu, la-zman ha-zeh.
Blessed is the Eternal, the God of all creation, who has blessed us with life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment.
My Hebrew name is Batsheva Peninna Ruth.
Batsheva - means “daughter of the Covenant”, and growing up my mom always referred to me as the same (but in the Mormon context), so this is a nod to my mom.
Peninna - means pearl, and that’s what my name “Margaret” means. It also reminds me that my Jewishness is so precious to me as a jewel, and like a pearl, one that has to experience lots of adversity and “wrestle” with HaShem to get to this moment (you know, like the sand irritant that creates pearls? get it?).
Ruth - meaning friend, it is also a reference to one of the most famous converts in the Tanakh, Ruth. Also, it is also a nod to the magnificent late RBG who paved the way for women’s rights, equality and was master of dissent!