How do we support students part-way through conversion course?

Dear Rabbi,

We currently have 5 people on our conversion to Judaism programme. They have all completed an Introduction to Judaism course that was facilitated by the last Rabbi before he left. In addition, they have attended a variety of forums, are attending services and are all studying Hebrew.

We are hoping to have at least two of these candidates ready for a Beth Din when you can arrange one in around six months time. But we are needing your guidance on:

   - How we assess what knowledge the candidates have (and what their gaps are)

      

       We are doing a 'audit' of what courses they have attended, but this will not tell us what

       they have actually learned. Yours guidance and help with ways to assess their learning

       would be much appreciated (e.g. Is there an 'exam' we could give them? Would it be

       possible/ useful for you to speak to them?)

  -  Once we know what the gaps are, guidance on how best to fill these?

Rabbi Jonathan responded:

Lovely to hear from you.  

There is a process to assist you with the wonderful opportunity of welcoming people to Judaism - once the studies are completed, there are 'Take Home' Essays to write first.  These can be done from notes, books, internet etc. and partners can assist.  

1) It is easiest to send them to the student as a Word file.

2) I suggest that these are then submitted on computer and someone (your tutor?) goes through them using 'Track Changes' to make major corrections, comments etc.

3) Then send them back to the candidate for consideration.

4) Then send the revised version to the Supervising Rabbi (each person accepted for Conversion with congregations of the Union for Progressive Judaism has to be accepted by a Supervising Rabbi), or, if the Supervising Rabbi is no longer available, to the congregation's Consulting Rabbi (every congregation in the Movement must have a Rabbi or Consulting Rabbi who is a member of the Rabbinic Body, the Moetzah).

5) If the Supervising or Consulting Rabbi is happy, you should then administer the 'Closed Book' paper.  There is no pass mark and no time limit on this - it usually takes up to 2 hours.  It is done without resources (books, phones etc).  This gives the Bet Din an 'inventory' of how much the student has internalised (for obvious reasons, this document should be printed out and not circulated!)

If there are major errors or gaps, teach them.  If necessary, resit.  Then send that back to the Supervising or Consulting Rabbi.  

If they are happy with both these papers (and you report that the student can decipher and 'read' Hebrew to the best of their ability, and have been participating actively in the congregation for at least a year) then we can set a Bet Din for them.  

We have a regular Bet Din in Melbourne and in Sydney.  For one candidate, it is usually better for them to come to these.  Once there is more than one candidate for the Bet Din, it may be preferable to set up a local Bet Din (this requires 2 Rabbis or Cantors, both members of the Moetzah).  The cost is split between the candidates, the congregation/s, the UPJ and the Moetzah.  Ritual immersion and circumcision will be required as necessary following acceptance by the Bet Din, and the congregation then arranges a welcome ceremony (which may be private or public depending on the wishes of those just accepted).