List of converts to Judaism
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This article lists nations, groups or tribes, as well as notable individuals, who have converted to Judaism. This article does not differentiate between the different branches of Judaism. See also Who is a Jew? on issues related to the acceptance of conversions throughout the Jewish community.
A number of prominent celebrities, such as Madonna, Demi Moore, and Ariana Grande, have become followers of a "new age" version of Kabbalah (see Kabbalah Centre), derived from the body of Jewish mystical teaching also called Kabbalah, but do not consider themselves – and are not considered – Jewish.[1]
Converted nations, groups or tribes
[edit]Converted nations, groups or tribes from non-Abrahamic religions
[edit]- Conversions throughout the Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Empire periods[2][3][4][5] (actual numbers and extent of proselytization disputed[6][7][8]) See the article on Proselyte; a term which originally referred specifically to Hellenistic converts to Judaism.[9][10]
- Idumeans (disputed[11][12]), Edom, 2nd century BCE, conquered and converted by John Hyrcanus[13][14][15]
- Ituraeans (disputed[16]), Lebanon and Syria, 2nd century BCE, who according to Josephus, were conquered and converted by Aristobulus I[15][17][18][19]
- Adiabene, northern Iraq, 1st century
- Helena, queen of Adiabene, from traditional Greek religion[20]
- Izates bar Monobaz, king of Adiabene, from a Persian or Mideastern religion[20]
- Symacho, wife of Izates bar Monobaz, from a Persian or Mideastern religion[21]
- Monobaz II, king of Adiabene, from a Persian or Mideastern religion[20]
- Khazars (disputed[22][23][24]), a semi-nomadic Turkic people from Central Asia (historical Khazaria), many of whom converted to Judaism en masse in the 8th and 9th centuries CE from a Khazar religion[25][26]
- Crimean Karaites and Krymchaks are also Turkic peoples which underwent conversion.[29]
- Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya and his clan
- Himyarite Kingdom, Yemen, 6th century
- Tub'a Abu Kariba As'ad, from Arabian religion, Himyarite king of Yemen; ruled Yemen 390–420 CE
- Dhu Nuwas, king of Yemen, from a Mideastern religion[30]
- Kingdom of Semien, Ethiopia, 4th century
- Multiple Berber tribes noted by Ibn Khaldun, including the Jarawa, and possibly the warrior queen Kahina and her tribe. northwest Africa, 7th century, disputed
- Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir, Arab Tribes who converted to Judaism when Jews arrived in Hijaz after Second Jewish-Roman Wars, Arab tribes were interested in Judaism which was brought by Jews. Later, they adopted and claimed to be Israelites. They were Arabian origins still believed sons of god concept from indigenous polytheistic beliefs.
Converted nations, groups or tribes from Christianity
[edit]- Abayudaya[31]
- Bnei Menashe[32]
- Bene Ephraim, claim to be Jews who converted to Christianity, then converted back to Judaism[33]
- B'nai Moshe (Inca Jews)[34]
- Falash Mura
- San Nicandro Jews[35]
- Subbotniks
- Veracruz Jews[36]
Converted individuals
[edit]From Christianity
[edit]Former Christian clergy or theologians
[edit]- Robert de Reddinge (converted c. 1275)
- Abba Sabra, fifteenth-century Ethiopian Orthodox monk who joined the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) community. He converted his pupil, prince Abba Saga, to Judaism and introduced monasticism to Ethiopian Jewry.
- Nicolas Antoine, former Protestant theologian.
- William G. Dever, Biblical archaeologist and former Evangelical minister who became a world-renowned Old Testament scholar and converted to Reform Judaism, although he says he no longer believes in God.[37]
- Géza Vermes, world-renowned historical Jesus research scholar, Hebraist and historian of religion, best known for being an eminent translator of the Dead Sea Scrolls;[38][39] a former Roman Catholic priest of Jewish descent, he rediscovered his Jewish roots, abandoned Christianity and converted to Liberal Judaism.[38][39]
- Ahuva Gray, former Protestant minister.
- Asher Wade, former Methodist minister.
- Ole Brunell, converted with his family to Orthodox Judaism, moved to Israel and changed his name to Shlomo Brunell, former Lutheran minister.[40][41]
Other Christians who converted to Judaism
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Monroecirca1953.jpg/180px-Monroecirca1953.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Tippett2008.jpg/180px-Tippett2008.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Nikki_Ziering.jpg/180px-Nikki_Ziering.jpg)
- Abba Saga, Ethiopian prince and son of emperor Zara Yaqob, who persecuted Jews. He converted with his teacher Abba Sabra, a former Ethiopian Orthodox monk.
- Abraham ben Abraham, convert from the Potocki family, the famed "Ger Tzedek"
- Abraham of Augsburg
- John Adler, American politician
- Aluizio Abranches, Brazilian filmmaker
- Anouk Aimée, French actress
- Amar'e Stoudemire, American and Israeli basketball player
- Aquila of Sinope, Bible translator[42]
- Art Aragon, Mexican-American boxer
- Curtis Armstrong, American actor
- Tom Arnold, American actor[43]
- Rafael Cansinos Assens, Spanish poet, essayist, literary critic and translator
- Moses ben Avraham Avinu
- Carroll Baker, American actress
- Anne Beatts, American comedy writer
- Antonia Bennett, American singer
- Polly Bergen, American actress and singer
- Nissim Black, rapper
- Darrell Blocker, "The Spy Whisperer," CIA agent, converted to conservative Judaism in 2017.[44]
- Dany Boon, French comedian[45]
- Elizabeth Brewster, Canadian poet[46]
- May Britt, actress[47]
- Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning Australian-American journalist and author
- Campbell Brown, American television news reporter (Baptist Roman Catholic)
- Ken Burgess, British musician
- Anne Buydens, German-American producer, wife of Kirk Douglas
- Yisrael Campbell, comedian (lapsed Roman Catholic)
- Kate Capshaw, actress (ex-Methodist)[48]
- Nell Carter, singer and actress[49]
- Marvin Casey, Israeli-American hip hop dancer, choreographer, dance instructor and actor
- Mr. Catra, Brazilian funk singer and actor
- Elizabeth Jane Caulfield, linguist and musician
- Catherine Coulson, actress
- Warder Cresson, politician
- Jim Croce, singer/songwriter[50]
- William Holmes Crosby Jr., physician, considered one of the founders of modern hematology
- Sammy Davis Jr., entertainer[51]
- Zooey Deschanel, actress, singer, entrepreneur
- Natalie Dessay, French soprano
- Jacqueline du Pré, cellist[52]
- Stephen J. Dubner, American journalist, author, and podcast host[53][54]
- Dubrovin Stanislav
- Patricia Duff, political activist and United States Democratic Party fundraiser
- Miss Elizabeth, also known as Elizabeth Ann Hulette, U.S. professional wrestling manager
- Hank Eng, Chinese-American politician[55]
- Carlos Escudé, Argentine political scientist and author
- Rachel Factor, American Orthodox Jewish singer, actress, and dancer
- Nachman Fahrner, contemporary Jewish singer
- Louis Ferrante, American mobster
- Kate Fischer, Australian-American former model and actress
- Ada Fisher, American physician and political candidate
- Isla Fisher, model and actress[56] (ex-Methodist)
- Mike Flanagan, Irish-Israeli soldier
- Luke Ford, journalist[57]
- Maureen Forrester, Canadian opera singer
- Erin Foster, American writer, performer and entrepreneur
- Paula Fredriksen, former Catholic, historian of religion[58]
- Aaron Freeman, journalist and comedian (lapsed Roman Catholic)[59]
- Maja Ruth Frenkel, Croatian entrepreneur
- Capers Funnye (ex-Methodist), rabbi
- Steve Furness, American football player
- Natan Gamedze, former Protestant, linguist and a Swazi royal, now a black Haredi rabbi[60][61]
- Scott Glenn, American actor
- Albert Goldsmid, British officer, Founder of the Jewish Lads' Brigade and the Maccabaeans
- Lord George Gordon, nobleman and politician[62]
- Reuben Greenberg, police chief of Charleston, South Carolina[63]
- Lars Gustafsson, Swedish professor of philosophy at the University of Texas[64]
- Daryl Hall, American musician
- Mary Hart (born 1950), American television personality, long-time host of the entertainment program Entertainment Tonight[65]
- Morris Hatalsky, American professional golfer
- Anthony Heald, American actor
- Alma Hernandez, Democratic Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
- Henry Hill, American mobster
- Carolivia Herron, writer of children's and adult literature[66]
- Monica Horan, actress[67]
- Joel Horlen, American baseball player[68][69]
- James Newton Howard, composer, conductor, and record producer
- Martha Hyer, actress
- Jenna Jameson, adult entertainer and entrepreneur
- Carolyn Jones, actress[67][70]
- Thomas Jones (lapsed Roman Catholic)
- Y-Love a/k/a Yitz Jordan, musician[71]
- Jon Juaristi, Spanish writer[72]
- Skip Jutze, American major league baseball player
- Semei Kakungulu
- Walter Kaufmann, German-American philosopher, translator and poet
- Carol Kaye, American musician
- Felicity Kendal, British actress[73]
- Cameron Kerry, politician, brother of John Kerry (lapsed Roman Catholic)[74]
- Jamaica Kincaid, author[75]
- John King, American television journalist (lapsed Roman Catholic)
- Karlie Kloss, model
- Fumiko Kometani, Japanese author and painter
- Mathilde Krim, Ph.D., founding Chairman of amfAR, association for AIDS research
- Anthony Lake, American diplomat, political figure, and academic
- Frida Laski, British suffragist, birth control advocate, and eugenicist
- Nahida Lazarus, German author, essayist, scholar, and literary critic
- Natasha Leggero, American actress and comedian
- John Lehr, American film and television actor and comedian
- Julius Lester, son of a Methodist minister and a children's author (ex-Methodist)[76]
- Joan Lunden, American journalist, author and television host
- Ernst von Manstein, army officer and teacher
- Elliott Maddox, American former Major League Baseball player[77]
- Richard Marceau, Canadian politician
- Sam McCullum (born 1952), NFL football wide receiver
- Charles McDew (1938–2018), African-American activist of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Anne Meara (1929–2015), American comedian and actress, partner and wife of Jerry Stiller (lapsed Roman Catholic)[78]
- Adah Isaacs Menken, stage actress[79]
- LaVon Mercer (born 1959), American-Israeli basketball player
- Anastassia Michaeli, Russian-born former member of the Israeli Knesset
- Javier Milei, President of Argentina
- Benjamin Millepied, French dancer and choreographer
- Marilyn Monroe, actress (ex-Christian)[80]
- Santa Montefiore, novelist[81]
- Tommy Mottola, American record producer
- Françoise Mouly, French artist, designer, and art editor of The New Yorker
- Jeff Newman, American Major League Baseball catcher
- Bob Nystrom, Canadian former NHL player[82]
- Arieh O'Sullivan, American-born Israeli journalist
- Morgan Ortagus, American television commentator, financial analyst, and political advisor
- Eleanor Parker, American actress
- Lorna Patterson, American film, stage and television actress
- Andrew Percy, British politician
- Alison Pick, Canadian novelist and poet
- Rebecca Pidgeon, Scottish-American actress, singer and songwriter
- Bob Plager, Canadian retired professional NHL ice hockey defenceman
- Moses Prado, professor of the classic languages at the University of Marburg
- Roger Rees, actor
- Reuel Abraham, German pilot in Hitler's army, then became a Jew and citizen of Israel[83]
- Mandy Rice-Davies, British model and showgirl
- Michael Ross, Canadian intelligence expert, former Mossad officer
- Mary Doria Russell, American author (lapsed Roman Catholic)[84]
- Jackie Sandler, American actress
- Bärbel Schäfer, German television presenter and talk show host[85]
- Mary Schaps, Israeli-American mathematical scholar
- Laura Schlessinger, American radio personality[67]
- Norma Shearer, American actress
- Joseph J. Sherman, businessman[86][87][88]
- Cate Shortland, Australian director
- Shyne, Belizean–American rapper[89]
- Karol Sidon, Czech Orthodox rabbi, writer and playwright
- Daniel Silva, American author of thriller and espionage novels[90]
- Chris Smith, American-Israeli basketball player[91]
- Willie "the Lion" Smith, American pianist and composer
- Robin Spark, Scottish artist.[92][93]
- June Squibb, American actress
- Kim Stanley, American actress[94]
- Venetia Stanley, socialite[95]
- Joseph Abraham Steblicki (lapsed Roman Catholic)
- Margo Stilley, American film actress[96]
- Annette Taddeo, businesswoman and politician
- Elizabeth Taylor, actress (ex-Christian Scientist)[97]
- Karen Tintori, American author of fiction and nonfiction (lapsed Roman Catholic)
- Andre Bernard Tippett, American Hall of Fame former football linebacker for the New England Patriots (ex-Baptist)[98]
- Jacob Tirado (c. 1540–1620), co-founder of the Sephardic community of Amsterdam
- Ivanka Trump, businesswoman, former first-daughter, raised Presbyterian[99]
- Bob Tufts (1955–2019), American former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Ike Turner, American musician, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer; son of a Baptist minister
- Jeff Tweedy, American musician
- Michael W. Twitty, American writer, culinary historian and educator
- Alex Tyus, American-Israeli professional basketball player
- Chris Van Allsburg, children's writer[100]
- Conrad Veidt, German actor[67]
- Jackie Wilson, American soul singer
- Mare Winningham, actress, singer (lapsed Roman Catholic)[101][102][103]
- Katarzyna Weiglowa, Polish martyr
- Steve Yeager, American baseball player[77]
- Nikki Ziering, model[104]
Not from Christianity
[edit]From atheism and/or agnosticism
[edit]- Christian B. Anfinsen – Nobel prize-winning chemist (Orthodox Judaism)[105]
- David P. Goldman, "Spengler" – columnist and former member of the LaRouche movement who embraced Judaism in the 1990s[106]
- Will Herberg – social philosopher and sociologist of religion; Jewish theologian; former atheist and Marxist of Jewish ancestry who was raised atheist[107]
- Benny Lévy – philosopher; last personal secretary of Jean-Paul Sartre[108]
- Suzy Menkes – fashion journalist
- Hilary Putnam – philosopher raised in a Jewish-atheist home[109]
- Mary Doria Russell[110]
- Anna Silk – Canadian actress[111]
- David Wolpe – a leading rabbi in Conservative Judaism; former atheist[112][113]
From Black Hebrew Israelitism
[edit]- Eddie Butler – Israeli singer, converted to Orthodox Judaism
- Capers Funnye
- Avi Aburomi – Arab Israeli singer.[114]
- Avraham Sinai – Lebanese member of Hezbollah who had an Orthodox conversion and lives as a Haredi Jew in Tsfat.[115]
- Ayman Subah (now known as Dor Shachar) – Palestinian Arab from Khan Yunis, Gaza who fled to Israel and converted to Judaism.[116]
- Baruch Mizrahi – Palestinian Arab and member of the Irgun.[117]
- Dario Hunter – American lawyer, rabbi and politician.
- Ibrahim Shaheen and Inshirah Moussa – Palestinian man and his Egyptian wife.[118]
- Ibtisam Hamid (popularly known as Basma al-Kuwaiti) – Kuwaiti singer and actress.[119]
- Ismael Ramsay Khalid – Somali-American social media influencer and live streamer who converted to Judaism after visiting Israel.
- Michaela DePrince – Sierra Leonean-American ballet dancer.
- Nasreen Qadri – Arab Israeli singer.[120]
- Nissim Baruch Black (born Damian Jamohl Black) – American rapper and music producer, raised Muslim but converted to Christianity before converting to Judaism.
- Khadija Patman – British pornographic actress of South Asian origin. She converted to Judaism while dating her Jewish boyfriend.[121]
From other Middle Eastern religions
[edit]- Avtalyon, Sage and vice-president of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion[122]
- Sh'maya, Sage and President of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion[123]
From Greco-Roman religion
[edit]- Aquila of Sinope (Acylas), from traditional Greek religion[124]
- Paulina Beturia, from traditional Roman religion
- Flavia Domitilla, from traditional ancient Roman religion (possibly to Jewish Christianity, as she is also a Christian saint)
- Titus Flavius Clemens, consul, great-nephew of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, from traditional Roman religion (possibly to Jewish Christianity, as he is also a Christian saint)
- Fulvia, wife of Emperor Tiberius' close friend, Saturninus, from traditional Roman religion
- Onkelos, Hebrew scholar and translator, from ancient Roman religion[125]
From Samaritanism
[edit]- Sofi Tsedaka, Israeli actress, singer, television presenter and politician
From Shinto
[edit]- Setzuso Kotsuji, son of a Shinto priest, and a professor in Japan (converted from Shinto to Christianity and then from Christianity to Judaism)
From Hinduism
[edit]- Sarah Avraham, women's world Thai-boxing champion
- Angela Warnick Buchdahl, American Reform Jewish Rabbi, converted to Orthodox Judaism at age 21. She was not raised within the Buddhist faith; however, her mother is Buddhist so by Orthodox Jewish law she was not considered Jewish, but she was raised Jewish and so by Reform Jewish law she has always been Jewish.
List of conversions named in the Bible
[edit]- Bithiah, from traditional Egyptian religion
- Darius the Mede, from a mideastern religion who admitted that God of Israel is eternal Forever [126][127]
- Jethro, priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses,[128] from a Mideastern religion
- Makeda, queen of Sheba, from a Mideastern or Ethiopian religion[129]
- Osenath, from the ancient Egyptian religion (her name relates to Anat)
- Ruth, great-grandmother of King David, from a Near Eastern religion[130]
- Yael, from Canaanite or another Near Eastern religion
- Zipporah, from a Mideastern or northern African religion
Undetermined former religion
[edit]- According to rabbinic tradition, Obadiah the prophet, from a Mideastern religion[131]
- Joseph Bánóczi
- Drew Bundini Brown, assistant trainer of former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali
- Sarah Brown, actress[132]
- Salem Shaloam David
- József Eisenhoffer
- Nachman Fahrner
- Lenny Kuhr, Dutch singer-songwriter
- Martha Nussbaum, American philosopher and academic[133]
- Annamie Paul, Canadian activist, lawyer, and former leader of the Green Party of Canada.[134]
- Helen Reddy, Australian American singer and actress
- Dara Torres
- Desmond Wilcox
- Andre Williams
Converts who later left the faith
[edit]- Cristian Castro, Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer[135] (reverted to Roman Catholicism after divorcing his Jewish wife) [136][135]
- Bob Denard, French soldier and mercenary. Converted from Catholicism to Judaism, then from Judaism to Islam, then from Islam to Catholicism[137]
- Polemon II, king of Cilicia, converted to marry the Jewish princess Berenice; later relapsed[138]
See also
[edit]- List of people by belief
- List of Jews
- List of converts to Buddhism
- List of converts to Christianity
- List of people who converted to Catholicism
- List of converts to Hinduism
- List of converts to Islam
- List of converts to Sikhism
References
[edit]- ^ Goldstein, Evan R. (8 April 2011). "Is Madonna Jewish?". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Feldman, Louis H. (2003). "Conversion to Judaism in Classical Antiquity". Hebrew Union College Annual. 74. Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion: 155. ISSN 0360-9049. JSTOR 23509246. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
There is reason to believe, though the matter is certainly subject to scrutiny and though it is not possible to arrive at anything like a precise figure, that there was a great increase in the number of Jews between the time of the Babylonian captivity in 586 b.c.e. and the first century c.e... If there was such an increase in the number of Jews, it may be explained most readily only by assuming a large number of converts to Judaism. Considerable doubt surrounds the alleged forced conversion of the Idumaeans at the end of the second century B.C.E. and of the Ituraeans shortly thereafter. The statements of Philo and Josephus indicate that the Jews were well disposed toward attracting converts and that, indeed, they succeeded in doing so. This aim is likewise reflected in statements in the New Testament, in Strabo, Seneca, Juvenal, and Tacitus, as well as in rabbinic literature. This does not mean that Judaism was a missionary religion. It certainly lacked a central administration and a central bureaucracy capable of carrying on such a mission. What it does mean is that there is evidence, direct and indirect, that there were many converts to Judaism... The fact that we know of no tracts aimed specifically at attracting non-Jews to Judaism may be explained by the hypothesis that the great majority of people in antiquity were illiterate and that most conversions were apparently obtained through oral persuasion. More-over, expulsions of the Jews from Rome on at least two occasions because of proselyting activities may indicate that some Jews were, indeed, eager to accept converts. The generally very positive attitude of the rabbis toward proselytes would accord with this view. We may conjecture that people were attracted to Judaism for various reasons, especially economic advantages and the charitable institutions of the Jews. Women, in particular, were attracted.
- ^ Zoossmann-Diskin, Avshalom (2010). "The origin of Eastern European Jews revealed by autosomal, sex chromosomal and mtDNA polymorphisms". Biology Direct. 5 (1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 57. doi:10.1186/1745-6150-5-57. ISSN 1745-6150. PMC 2964539. PMID 20925954.
- ^ Feldman, L. H. (1993). "Proselytism by Jews in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Centuries". Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period. 24 (1). Brill: 1–58. ISSN 0047-2212. JSTOR 24659643.
In sum, Judaism in the third, fourth, and fifth centuries not only showed its vigor through the debates constituting its greatest work since the Bible, namely the Talmud, but also met the twin challenges of paganism and Christianity by winning more than its share of converts and "sympathizers."
- ^ Bartal, Israel (July 6, 2008). "Inventing an invention". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2009-03-03. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
My response to Sand's arguments is that no historian of the Jewish national movement has ever really believed that the origins of the Jews are ethnically and biologically "pure." Sand applies marginal positions to the entire body of Jewish historiography and, in doing so, denies the existence of the central positions in Jewish historical scholarship. No "nationalist" Jewish historian has ever tried to conceal the well-known fact that conversions to Judaism had a major impact on Jewish history in the ancient period and in the early Middle Ages. Although the myth of an exile from the Jewish homeland (Palestine) does exist in popular Israeli culture, it is negligible in serious Jewish historical discussions. Important groups in the Jewish national movement expressed reservations regarding this myth or denied it completely.
- ^ Goodman, Martin (26 February 2010). "Secta and natio". The Times Literary Supplement. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ Bird, Michael (2004-01-01). "The Case of the Proselytizing Pharisees?—Matthew 23.15". Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus. 2 (2): 117–137. doi:10.1177/147686900400200202. ISSN 1745-5197.
- ^ Goodman, M. (1992). Jewish proselytizing in the first century. The Jews among pagans and Christians in the Roman Empire, 53-78.
- ^ Marcus, Ralph (1952). "The Sebomenoi in Josephus". Jewish Social Studies. 14 (3). Indiana University Press: 247–250. JSTOR 4465081.
We know from Pagan, Christian and Jewish sources that during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods some Gentiles were so strongly attracted to Judaism that they became converts and undertook to observe Jewish laws and customs in the same manner as did the Jews themselves. [...] It is also commonly assumed that there were some Gentiles who did not go so far as to become converts but indicated their belief in monotheism and gave up the worship of Pagan gods. How far they went in openly dissociating themselves from Paganism and in associating themselves with Judaism we do not know. These Gentile sympathizers are commonly thought to be referred by the terms sebomenoi or phoboumenoi ton theon and metuentes in Greek and Latin sources, and yir᾿ê shamayim "fearers of Heaven" (i.e. God-fearers) in some early Rabbinic passages.
- ^ Stroup, C. (2020). The Christians Who Became Jews: Acts of the Apostles and Ethnicity in the Roman City. Synkrisis. Yale University Press. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-300-24789-3. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ Levin, Yigal (October 2020). "The Religion of Idumea and Its Relationship to Early Judaism". Religions. 11 (10). From Southern Judah to Idumea to Southern Judea. doi:10.3390/rel11100487. ISSN 2077-1444.
- ^
Doak, Brian R. (2020). Ancient Israel's Neighbors. Oxford University Press. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-19-069061-8.
Some sources (such as the first century CE Jewish historian Josephus) suggest that a Jewish leader named John Hyrcanus forcibly "converted" the residents of Idumea to Judaism during the middle of the second century BCE, though others have pointed to natural affinities between Idumea and Judah that would have made the two regions natural allies (not requiring conversion).
- ^ John Hyrcanus I at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- ^
- Myers, David N. (2017). Jewish History: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-19-066033-8.
This last stage of Second Temple history was unique in the annals of the Jews, especially the Hasmonean practice of forced conversion
- Rajak, Tessa (2015). "Idumaea". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.3252. ISBN 978-0-19-938113-5.
Idumaea was annexed by John Hyrcanus (see hasmoneans) soon after 129 bce and the inhabitants Judaized
- Berlin, Adele; Grossman, Maxine, eds. (2011). "CONVERSION, FORCED". The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion. Oxford University Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-19-973004-9.
The forced conversion of the Idumeans (Edomites) to Judaism by John Hyrcanus (135–105 bce) is the only such recorded case of forced conversions to Judaism.
- Myers, David N. (2017). Jewish History: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-19-066033-8.
- ^ a b
- Magness, Jodi (2012). The Archaeology of the Holy Land: From the Destruction of Solomon's Temple to the Muslim Conquest. Cambridge University Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-521-12413-3.
Idumaeans now were converted to Judaism... forcibly converting to Judaism the native populations, including the Ituracans
- Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther, eds. (2014). "Jews". The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization. Oxford University Press. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-19-870677-9.
The expansion of Jewish territory involved a phenomenon new to Judaism, the conversion of the neighbouring peoples, Idumaeans and Ituraeans, at least partly by force.
- Levine, Lee I. "Palestine Under Hasmonean Rule". My Jewish Learning.
At other times, however, whole populations were converted to Judaism, as was the case with the Idumeans under John Hyrcanus, and the Ituraeans under Aristobulus. [Idumea was an area south of Judea, while the Ituraeans lived in the Galilee. Aristobulus I was Hyrcanus' son, who ruled from 104-103 B.C.E.]
- Magness, Jodi (2012). The Archaeology of the Holy Land: From the Destruction of Solomon's Temple to the Muslim Conquest. Cambridge University Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-521-12413-3.
- ^ Leibner, Uzi (2009). Settlement and History in Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Galilee: An Archaeological Survey of the Eastern Galilee. Mohr Siebeck. pp. 321–324, 362–371, 396–400, 414–416. ISBN 978-3-16-151460-9.
- ^ Magness, Jodi (2021). Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern Myth. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-21677-5.
During Aristobulus's brief reign he conquered Galilee and the Golan, perhaps converting to Judaism the Ituraeans, a native Semitic people... Atkinson 2016: 86—97, doubts that the Ituraeans were ever under Hasmonean rule, and suggests that Jewish expansion into Ituraean territory was a gradual process
- ^ Aristobulus I at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- ^ Myers, E. A. (2010). The Ituraeans and the Roman Near East: Reassessing the Sources. Cambridge University Press. pp. 26–27. ISBN 978-1-139-48481-7.
In 104 B.C. John Hyrcanus I's sons, Antigonus and Aristobulus l, conquered Mt. Hermon, and probably forced the Ituraeans to convert to Judaism
- ^ a b c "IZATES - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ "ANANIAS OF ADIABENE - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ Khazar at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- ^ Stampfer, Shaul (2013). "Did the Khazars Convert to Judaism?". Jewish Social Studies. 19 (3): 1–72. doi:10.2979/jewisocistud.19.3.1. ISSN 0021-6704. S2CID 161320785.
- ^ Gil, Moshe (2011). "Did the Khazars Convert to Judaism?". Revue des Études Juives. 170 (3): 429–441. doi:10.2143/REJ.170.3.2141801. ISSN 1783-175X.
- ^ Brook, Kevin (2018). "Chapter 6: The Khazars' Conversion to Judaism". The Jews of Khazaria (3rd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
- ^ "Medieval Quotes About Khazar Judaism (Khazar Jews)". www.khazaria.com.
- ^ Brook, Kevin (2018). The Jews of Khazaria (3rd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 84–87.
- ^ "Internet History Sourcebooks Project". sourcebooks.fordham.edu.
- ^ See e.g Inscription in Khazarian Rovas script
- ^ Jewish Encyclopedia "If the contradictory and sometimes legendary accounts of the personality of Dhu Nuwas given by the Arabian writers can be trusted, he was not a Jew by birth, but embraced Judaism after ascending the throne, taking the name of "Joseph."
- ^ "A History of the Abuyudaya Jews of Uganda". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
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- ^ Kulanu: Bene Ephraim of Andhra Pradesh, South India Archived 2007-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
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- ^ "bet-debora.net – Frauenperspektiven im Judentum". 12 June 2013.
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- ^ Shanks, Hershel, ed. (April 2007). "Losing Faith: Who Did and Who Didn't - How Scholarship Affects Scholars". Biblical Archaeology Review. 33 (2). Biblical Archaeology Society. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ a b Barr, Robert (12 May 2013). "Geza Vermes, renowned Jesus scholar, dies at 88". Times of Israel. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
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- ^ Hausman, Tamar (24 August 2001). "Crazy' Ole Becomes an Oleh". Haaretz. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ De La Fuente, Susan (1 March 2013). "Under His Wings". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, art. Aquila of Sinope
- ^ "Tom Arnold". IMDb.
- ^ Kampeas, Ron (December 10, 2020). "Darrell Blocker, the Black, Jewish 'spy whisperer' who could lead Biden's CIA". The Times of Israel.
- ^ Le Figaro Magazine which states "as though his conversion to Judaism in 2002 had paradoxically made him closer to his Pas-de-Calais roots".
- ^ Arc Poetry review of "Jacob's Dream" which states "Brewster is fascinated with her newly adopted faith of Judaism—poems about Jewish holy days and heritage are sprinkled throughout"
- ^ "May Britt Joins Jewish Faith", The New York Times, October 18, 1960, p. 46
- ^ "The New York Times: Best Pictures". archive.nytimes.com.
- ^ Chicago Sun Times via "Find Articles." Archived 2015-10-19 at the Wayback Machine: Said of her conversion "I needed to know where God was, and I went back to the basics."
- ^ Interview with Croce's Cousin http://www.netporch.com/sa/
- ^ "Sammy Davis Jr". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
- ^ A Publishers Weekly review of Jacqueline Du Pre: A Biography by Carol Easton [1] Archived 2015-07-21 at the Wayback Machine states she was "the daughter of anti-Semitic parents who herself converted to Judaism and at age 21 married Jewish pianist-conductor Daniel Barenboim."
- ^ Dubner, Stephen (September 14, 2022). "When You Pray to God Online, Who Else Is Listening?". Freakonomics (Podcast). Produced by Zack Lipinski. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
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- ^ The movie Shalom y'all
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- ^ Her website
- ^ a b c d "Converted to Judaism". www.nndb.com.
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- ^ The Big Book of Jewish Sports People by Peter Horvitz page 53
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- ^ Times Online interview: She says in the interview "I converted to Judaism in 1983. I am not a deeply religious person but it is a vital part of my life. It shapes my beliefs, and how I look at the world."
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- ^ O'Toole, Lesley (December 22, 2006). "Ben Stiller : 'Doing comedy is scary'". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on January 8, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2006.
- ^ Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco Archived 2012-03-12 at the Wayback Machine states of her marriage, "Adah was not at all interested in home or family; in fact, the only thing she shared sincerely with him was his religion–she adopted the Jewish faith and remained steadfast in it until her death."
- ^ "1961: End of the road for Monroe and Miller". bbc.co.uk. 24 January 1961.
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a treasury of jewish anecdotes.
- ^ Interview at Book Browse "I am a Jew by choice and Italian by heritage. Shortly after I converted to Judaism, I came across a book by Alexander Stille called Benevolence and Betrayal: Five Italian Jewish Families Under Fascism."
- ^ "Bärbel Schäfer: Knallharte Diskussionen mit Michel Friedmann". Archived from the original on 2015-07-22. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
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- ^ Deutsch, Gloria. "Yearning for acceptance". Features. No. 7/26/2012. Jerusalem Post.
Joseph Joel Sherman has traveled a long road, from devout Christian to even more devout Jew – and in fact he has not yet arrived at his destination, to be accepted as a fully-fledged Orthodox Jew – although he is well on the way.
- ^ "Intelligently and Enthusiastically Crowning Hashem". The Seymour J. Abrams Jerusalem World Center, headquarters of OU Israel. Retrieved Sep 30, 2014.
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- ^ pine, dan. "Novelist takes on Vatican secrecy with new spy thriller – j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California". Archived from the original on 2009-02-17.
- ^ "Ex-Knick Chris Smith converts to Judaism, signs deal in Israel - NY Daily News". New York Daily News.
- ^ "Robin Spark". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "Robin Spark". 20 August 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2019 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ from biography "Female Brando: The Legend of Kim Stanley" by Jon Krampner, 2006
- ^ Men.", Godfrey Hodgson; Godfrey Hodgson Is A. British Journalist Whose Latest Book Is "all Things To All (3 April 1983). "BUSY LOVE LETTERS". YTimes.com.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Stilley – [3] "...the former model, raised a Christian in Conway, S.C., recently announced that she is converting to Judaism. Even her rabbi is befuddled.... "The first thing that attracted me to Judaism was the undeniable family strength that has held Jewish people and culture together for 3,000 years. . . Jews, whether religious or not, know where they have come from and what they would wish for their future, and this certainty is based on fact, not faith.... "I will not be a perfect Jew, nor will Judaism make me perfect. But I know that Judaism will give me faith, support, knowledge, and history. I am not Jewish because I choose to be. I am Jewish because there is no other choice for me.""
- ^ In her book Elizabeth Takes Off, Taylor writes, "[Conversion to Judaism] had absolutely nothing to do with my past marriage to Mike [Todd] or my upcoming marriage to Eddie Fisher, both of whom were Jewish. It was something I had wanted to do for a long time." [4]
- ^ "Profile at Jewishsports.com". Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
- ^ "Ivanka Trump: America's most powerful Jewish woman". cnn.com. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
- ^ Jewish Bulletin of Northern California:On being asked about Christmas, because of the Santa Claus related The Polar Express, he stated "We have a Jewish household. I converted when I married Lisa."
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (24 June 2004). "Journey to Judaism". Retrieved 18 July 2018.
After Winningham observed her first Yom Kippur that year, she knew she had to convert, and did so March 3, 2003, accompanied by an entourage of friends and relatives.
- ^ admin. "Actress-singer Mare Winningham an unlikely Jewish soul".
- ^ "500 Error".
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- ^ "Christian B. Anfinsen". Profiles in Science.
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- ^ Lillian Kremer, S.; Kremer, Klemens (2003). Holocaust Literature: Lerner to Zychlinsky, index. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780415929844.
- ^ "Finding My Religion".
In 1962, she married Hilary Putnam, a Harvard philosopher. He, too, had a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father and was raised as an atheist... In 1994, Hilary Putnam celebrated his belated bar mitzvah, and four years later, his wife did the same.
- ^ Broderick, Damien (1 January 2000). Transrealist Fiction: Writing in the Slipstream of Science. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-31121-5.
- ^ Cohen, Mike. TV’s Lost Girl converts to Judaism, Jewish Tribune, August 23, 2011. Accessed October 18, 2011.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times: Archives – Book on Sweetness of Belief Judaism: A former atheist who is now a rabbi makes the case for how God matters". Archived from the original on October 26, 2012.
- ^ "Toledo Blade – Google News Archive Search".
- ^ "'I felt more Jewish than Muslim,' says Arab convert taking Israeli music scene by storm". World Israel News. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "A Martyr from Lebanon: Life in the Shadow of Danger"
- ^ "From Khan Yunis to a Jewish wedding". 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Memorial to be Held for Fighter". Israel National News. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ^ "New Straits Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ^ "Basma Al-Kuwaiti Converts from Islam to Judaism, Stirs Controversy".
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- ^ "Two men 'planning to kidnap and murder woman who renounced Islam' arrested". The Independent. 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
- ^ "ABTALION, POLLION - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ "SHEMAIAH (SAMAIAS, SAMEAS) - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ Jewish Encyclopedia "He was by birth a Gentile from Pontus, and is said by Epiphanius to have been a connection by marriage of the emperor Hadrian and to have been appointed by him about the year 128 to an office concerned with the rebuilding of Jerusalem as "Ælia Capitolina." At some unknown age he joined the Christians, but afterward left them and became a proselyte to Judaism."
- ^ "ONḲELOS - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ Seow 2003, p. 85-86.
- ^ Book of Daniel 6:25-28
- ^ "USA Religious News". Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
- ^ "SHEBA, QUEEN OF - JewishEncyclopedia.com". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
- ^ "BBC - Religions - Judaism: Converting to Judaism". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Jewish Encyclopedia "Obadiah was a proselyte of Edomite origin."
- ^ Q&A with Sarah Brown "Judaism, for me, is more a spiritual thing than a religion, but I feel that I have a Jewish soul. I didn't convert because of my marriage; I just always felt like there was a Jewish soul inside of me just dying to get out."
- ^ "The Nation".
- ^ "Annamie Paul, candidate for leadership of the Green Party, had a surprising Winnipeg connection - unknown to her until recently". Archived from the original on 2020-10-04. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
- ^ a b EsMas.com Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Verónica Castro y 'El Loco' Valdés unidos por bautismo de hija de Cristian Castro". Diario La Prensa.
- ^ ["Robert Young Pelton's The World's Most Dangerous Places: 5th Edition", Robert Young Pelton, Collins Reference, 2003, p.270: "Denard has seven wives and has at various times converted to Judaism (in Morocco) and Islam (in the Comoros) and then back to Catholicism."]
- ^ (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities xx. 7, § 3
External links
[edit]Media related to List of converts to Judaism at Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography
[edit]- Hill, Andrew E. (2009). "Daniel-Malachi". In Longman, Tremper; Garland, David E. (eds.). The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Vol. 8. Zondervan. ISBN 9780310590545.
- Seow, C.L. (2003). Daniel. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664256753.