My First Time in Shul: Culture Shock, Conversion, and Finding My Jewish Home
Meaningful People
In this episode of Notes from a Jewish Newbie, Adena (aka Adriana) shares her very first experiences going to shul — from accidentally joining a conservative choir as a “learning opportunity,” to navigating microphones, mechitzot, kiddush chaos, and Orthodox expectations. She opens up about the anxiety of being a convert in process, the quiet tests her rabbis and rebbetzin gave her, the unexpected kindness of a fellow ger, and how shul ultimately became her anchor and community.