First Rabbi Meeting? What I Wish Someone Had Told Me

Grab your FREE Rabbi Meeting Prep Sheet when you join my mailing list: https://building-a-jewish-life.kit.co... 🏠 Want support beyond YouTube? Bayit Builders is my membership helping people build a Jewish life with guidance, community, and practical support. Learn more: https://buildingajewishlife.com/membe... Nervous about your first meeting with a rabbi? You’re not alone. In this video, I’m sharing what I wish someone had told me before my first rabbi meeting when I started my Jewish conversion journey. We’ll cover what rabbis are actually looking for, what not to stress about, and how to show up as your real self — without the perfectionism. 🎥 Related Videos: 7 Red Flags to Watch for in the Jewish Conversion Process:    • 7 Red Flags to Watch for in the Jewish Con...   Why You Feel Like a Fraud During Jewish Conversion (Imposter Syndrome):    • Why You Feel Like a Fraud During Jewish Co...   If you’re preparing for conversion or just starting to build a Jewish life, you’ll find helpful resources in my free library. Let me know in the comments — what’s your biggest worry about meeting with a rabbi? ————————————————— ⏱️ Time Stamps ————————————————— 00:00 Intro 01:34 What I thought it would be like and what it was actually like 02:19 Rabbis are real humans 02:55 It’s probably not personal 03:26 Imposter syndrome 03:51 The first mistake 04:49 What are rabbis looking for during a first meeting 05:06 What a rabbi is NOT looking for 06:24 Discouraging the potential convert 08:00 Why you? Why now? 08:39 Red flags 10:05 Things could be better 10:22 How to prepare for a first meeting with a rabbi 11:35 Oversharing and word vomit 12:15 Ask questions of your rabbi! 13:03 Free resources ———————————— 💙 Recommendations ———————————— 📚 Books Choosing a Jewish Life by Diamant: https://amzn.to/4mc4UrF To Be a Jew by Donin: https://amzn.to/3HxC1a6 How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household by Greenberg: https://amzn.to/4mYbvWP Leaving Bacon Behind by Marsh: https://amzn.to/3UWGNRG Artscroll Torah/Chumash (1st 5 books of the Bible): https://amzn.to/41BHO5p JPS Tanach (full Bible): https://amzn.to/45cXePP Artscroll Tanach (different translation): https://amzn.to/41xjIbW Children’s Torah/Bible book: The Family Torah by MacLeod https://amzn.to/4oyeWVt 📖 Prayerbooks Below are all Ashkenazi tradition because that is the most used in America. How to choose a Jewish prayer book/siddur/machzor (with links): https://buildingajewishlife.com/2014/... Artscroll Siddur: https://amzn.to/45tdfQp Koren Siddur: https://amzn.to/4fvkTym Koren Machzor set for the holidays: https://amzn.to/41xjDVG 👗🧣 Clothing Women and girls’ modest clothing, workout gear, and swimwear: Kosher Casual https://amzn.to/4mzNkgT Headscarves: Wrapunzel (IRL friend) https://amzn.to/4osBxD3 🏠 Home Plata for Shabbat and holidays (only one I recommend - made with safety and Jewish observance in mind): TechYidCo. Shabbos Safe Warming Tray https://amzn.to/45u0G7D Appliance timer (use an appliance timer for anything more powerful than a lamp): Sunlite T200 24hr Heavy Duty Appliance Timer https://amzn.to/3UU4I46 Hot water urn (75% of people have this exact one, including me): Hamilton Beach https://amzn.to/47aW3C3 Kosher kitchen labels (still using 15 years later): The Kosher Cook https://amzn.to/410E8dc Crock-pot Slow Cooker: https://amzn.to/47n8WZx Instant Pot (don’t use the crockpot feature for Shabbat/holidays): https://amzn.to/4lysXA4 Kosher Lamp for Shabbat https://amzn.to/3J96n3r Yair Emanuel Judaica https://amzn.to/45uq658 🎥 Biz Gear Camera: Refurbished iPhone 16 https://amzn.to/41Fkofp DJI Mic Mini microphone https://amzn.to/4mEIaQV Weilisi 12'' Ring Light https://amzn.to/411yJ5K EUCOS 62" Phone Tripod https://amzn.to/4lrHAVN Link in bio tool: Stan.Store https://join.stan.store/BetzelemElokim ————————————————— 👩🏻‍🦰 Who Am I? ————————————————— Hi, I’m Kochava - a Jewish convert who’s been helping people navigate the conversion process with clarity, compassion, and real-life support since 2010. Whether you're just starting out, stuck somewhere in the messy middle, or figuring out post-mikvah Jewish life, you're in the right place. 🕯 I offer one-on-one coaching, printable guides, and practical resources made especially for conversion candidates and new Jews. You’ll also find years of blog posts full of encouragement, halachic help, and no-BS answers at https://buildingajewishlife.com/ ————————————————— 🔗 Let’s connect: ————————————————— Website, Blog, & Mailing List: https://buildingajewishlife.com/ Instagram @BetzelemElokim:   / betzelemelokim   TikTok @BetzelemElokim:   / betzelemelokim   Work with me: https://buildingajewishlife.com/work-... #JewishConvert #JewishConversion #ConversionToJudaism #BecomingJewish #JewishJourney #BuildingAJewishLife