Reply To: Where to start becoming Jewish when family roots discovered

Hello Borough Park Mensch,

Thank you for your well wishes and suggestions on next steps. Everyone here has been very kind and generous with both.

I would feel terrible if any thread of mine here, or any questions of mine as a newcomer, were somehow the source of strife, controversy, or ill-will within this wonderful community where I am trying to learn so much and begin to develop a sense of identity and belonging.

In my work as a child advocate, I am always trying to bring people together — in that context, to help abused and neglected children. It has felt like a calling for me, and trying to bring people together has come to be a big part of my life in general — it is something that I ask G-d to help me do. It would break my heart to be the root of any divisiveness, here especially, where we are so concerned with G-d and the laws, traditions, practices, and customs that we use to express our love of G-d.

I hope that this makes sense, thank you all for considering what I have written.