Pathways to Judaism

From the BBC World Service Heart & Soul series

Why do people choose to take the difficult path to convert to Judaism, a religion that does not seek or encourage proselytes? The most straightforward motive is marriage, but there are people who convert for their own potent reasons:

Agi, brought up in a family with no religion in a small town in Hungary, searching for a spiritual dimension to her life explains why she found it not in Catholicism but in Judaism, and how it led her to London via Budapest.

Theo was born to staunch Nazi parents in 1930s Berlin. His journey has taken him from being a member of the Hitler Youth, to marking the anniversary of Hitler's birthday by reading in synagogue. His faith helps satisfy the need he feels to atone personally for the crimes committed against the Jews by the Nazis.

Nigerian-born Elisha and Nkem were brought up in a "Jewish" tribe following Jewish customs, but led by Messianic Christians, who taught that Jesus is the Son of God. Why have they have chosen to actually convert to Judaism and bring up their two young children in the faith?

'New Jews' talk frankly to Judi Herman about what has led them to the Jewish faith, (BBC).

Listen to programme audiohere.