From Seminary to Synagogue: A Journey of Faith Discovery

Elazar Georgiev (36) has been living in Israel for only a month, yet his excellent Hebrew makes it seem like he has been here much longer. "I chose to join an Israeli yeshiva - 'Ashrei Ha'ish' led by Rabbi Ben Porat - instead of one for 'foreigners,' to properly learn Hebrew and integrate into society," he explains. "I spent my life searching for Hashem, reading spiritual books from a young age. At a certain point, I decided to devote my life to serving God by becoming a pastor, but ironically, that's when the questions started to arise."

Disconnected and Meaningless

He grew up as an only child in a well-to-do Bulgarian family. "I attended the best school in the nearby city," Elazar shares. "Education was extremely important to my parents, and they expected me to achieve nothing less than grades of 95 and above. Socially, however, I had more difficulties, and as I got older, I encountered real violence on several occasions. Some incidents repeated themselves, such as when I received a valuable item from my parents, only to be beaten and robbed of it by boys in the street. This situation made me want to flee Bulgaria, and when the opportunity arose, I took it."

When Elazar was 16, he enrolled in a special program that allowed students to complete their high school studies in the United States. He moved to America. "As part of the project, I stayed with an American family and completed my studies that year. However, even in the US, I felt misplaced, and something was missing in my life. That's why I decided to return to Europe for my degree, enrolling in a university in Germany."

Elazar in his youth

Yet, Elazar also faced challenges in Germany. "The university studies were demanding, and without German citizenship, I wasn't allowed to work. I fell into debt, had to leave my apartment, and stayed with friends for a while. Additionally, my health deteriorated, and all these hardships led me to a major personal crisis. I felt like I was on the verge of having no choice but to leave everything behind."

At these difficult moments, Elazar found himself praying to Hashem for help. "I said to Hashem: 'My life is in shambles, I'm done for, and there's no one else who can help me but You. Only You can lift me from this situation.'"

Did anything change?

"Absolutely. Suddenly everything took a turn. I happened to meet a wealthy man who helped me find an apartment and a job, and slowly I managed to climb out of debt. The job was something everyone wanted - at one of the best banks in the world - and the way I got it was completely miraculous. I attended a special dinner organized by the bank without any intention to find a job there. I answered one of the audience questions correctly, and my response impressed the bank officials, who then offered me a position. Over time, I became successful, regained my health, and completed my university studies with great achievement."

The Yoga Question That Changed Everything

During this period, Elazar developed an interest in the Bible and began exploring the New Testament. "I noticed that every translation of the New Testament said something different," he recalls. "In contrast, I realized that the Torah was the same in every language. This led me to conclude that the Torah was logical and truthful, whereas there was something off with the New Testament. I read about Abraham's covenant of circumcision in the Torah and wanted to belong to this covenant with Hashem. As I searched for a way to undergo circumcision, I came across a Karaite website that explained how to observe the commandments. I attempted to follow them on my own but soon realized I couldn't do it without proper guidance. I ended up returning to the Christian church, as it was all I knew in seeking God. However, I had no other way to serve Him."

At one point, Elazar enrolled in a yoga course, where a question from the instructor changed his life. "The question was, what would you regret not having achieved if you knew you would die tomorrow?" he says. "I thought about it deeply and felt I would regret not thanking Hashem for all the kindness He bestowed upon me. After receiving so many gifts without any effort on my part, I felt hugely indebted to Him. From that moment on, I kept asking myself how I could express my gratitude. But what can you give God, who owns everything?"

What did you decide to give?

"I decided to give Hashem the most precious thing to me - my time. To me, this meant leaving my job and dedicating my life entirely to serving God. As a Christian, the path I knew was to become a pastor, and that's indeed what I chose. Initially, I found a place to study at a Christian university and secured a position in a church charity, planning to leave my current job. Yet, the things I learned from the Karaite website and the distortions I saw in the New Testament cast doubt in my mind. I felt I needed further clarity before taking the step toward the clergy and had an urge to go to a quiet desert where I could be alone to achieve this clarity."

The desert in Mitzpe Ramon

Meanwhile, Elazar understood that he needed to learn additional languages for seminary studies. "To read the Bible in its most authentic form, you must know Hebrew, Latin, and Greek," he explains. "I decided to begin with Hebrew and bought a Jewish prayer book with a translation. When I read the first words in it, it was like a powerful electricity coursing through me. Throughout my life, I prayed with my own words and wrote songs, but I never knew such a book with beautiful prayers and meaningful songs existed. I had to find out who wrote these beautiful prayers, so I went to the first synagogue I found in Berlin, hoping to get answers. To my surprise, I saw a friend I hadn't met in about eighteen years, and I didn't know he was Jewish. I confided in him about my journey and doubts, and he told me that when a Jew questions where to turn in life, he goes alone to the desert to think about it. I don't know why he said that, but it was the answer. It happened on Shabbat, and when I went to church on Sunday, the priest's opening words were 'and he went to the desert.' I felt it was a sign from heaven for me, and I decided that's what I would do."

With this decision, Elazar visited the Negev. "I looked for the most remote place I could go and ended up in a rented tent in Mitzpe Ramon. I took my prayer book and a few books on Christian history, staying there for two weeks."

The tent in Mitzpe Ramon

Why did you choose books on Christian history specifically?

"I needed to understand once and for all what the origins of Christianity were, and whether it was true or not. Even then, I knew the origins of Christianity weren't particularly smooth. For example, initially, there were Christians who observed the Torah and mitzvot, but a man named Paul wanted to introduce the new religion to the Romans, so he presented it without commandments, knowing they wouldn't accept it otherwise. This is how Christianity became what it is today, absent of Jewish commandments. Furthermore, early Christians believed in one God, but then a decision to believe in the Trinity was made, I think, to differentiate themselves from the Jews. I realized that this was a religion not based on loyalty to the truth but on political decisions to establish Christianity in the world. As someone who was about to enter the clergy, how could I accept such distortions? In the desert, I came to the realization I could either go back to the earliest form of Christianity and convince the world to change their ways, or do what was right for me and become Jewish. At the end of those two weeks in the desert, I found myself at the Western Wall, standing in prayer and asking Hashem to help me convert."

Did you understand what converting meant?

"Initially, I was only seeking a connection with Hashem and didn't know much about mitzvot. Even as I started to learn them, they seemed strange and illogical to me. But I decided to try and see how I felt about it, and what I discovered was a great holiness and connection to Hashem. For instance, when I entered a synagogue for Kabbalat Shabbat, I could feel the holiness in the air, an experience I never had at church."

On the Path to the Chosen People

After two weeks in Mitzpe Ramon, Elazar returned to Germany. "I started the conversion process there, which took about two years, during which I visited Jerusalem for a short period to learn Hebrew," he recounts. "I remember walking back from synagogue on Shabbat evening in Jerusalem, hearing Jewish families on both sides of the street singing Shabbat songs in their homes. The songs and their holiness deeply touched me, and I felt that this was my people and this was the land to which I belonged. It was the first time I felt such a profound connection to the people of Israel, and on the dark street I walked, I saw a lot of light."

However, when Elazar reached the conversion court in Germany, he faced an unpleasant surprise. "The judges who examined me said I seemed ready, yet they don't convert immediately the first time. These were judges who came from Israel specifically, so I had to wait until their next visit, months later. I did not understand why they postponed it, as I was very eager to become Jewish, and those months were the hardest in my life. Later, about two weeks before Shavuot, I had the chance to visit the court again and celebrate the long-awaited conversion. According to the law, a person who converts abroad can only make Aliyah a year later, and I was fortunate to come to Israel about a month ago, after the long process."

What other challenges did you face during the conversion?

"My parents had a very hard time with this move, and one of the major trials for me was to honor them while standing firm in my decisions and desires. I continue to invest in my relationship with them, but there exists a gap between us that's not easy to bridge. Additionally, after converting in Germany, the initial period wasn't easy for me. Eating kosher in Berlin required preparing everything at home, which I wasn't used to. But the main challenge was being rejected and not understanding why. Today, I know this is done for all converts to test their seriousness, but at the time, it was not an easy feeling."

And how does it feel to be in Israel?

"When I arrived at the airport, I cried the whole time. Finally, I belong to a place where others believe what I believe, think like me, and are part of a supportive community. Every morning when I wake up, I'm filled with great joy that I'm able to be here to do Hashem's will. Most importantly, I know that when I pass away, I won't regret my life and will know I did the right thing in it. Currently, as someone who has just come to know Judaism, I have a lot to catch up on, and I hope to study as much Torah as I can."