The
O'Coin/
Reizner Wedding Site
From the "Temple Voice" February 2000
“I am a Jew because...” It is a prayer that it spoken each Sabbath but until May 12th, it is a prayer that was not fully appreciated. Although I have been a member of the Temple Beth Israel family for the past year, I had not completed my conversion to the Jewish faith. It is a journey that began when I was a young girl. As a child in Rockville, Connecticut I would visit the synagogue with a Jewish friend. The visits were comfortable and comforting. However, my father felt that I should follow the faith of my family. When I was fourteen I missed Easter services in favor of going to a Seder and my father forbid my intermittent visits to the temple. I obeyed my father.
Shortly after college I moved to Ann Arbor and I resumed visits to temple, although in a very sporadic manner. I was free to enjoy and celebrate the holidays. I attended classes at Hillel. Annually, I would review the First Jewish catalogue to remember the restrictions of Passover. I would occasionally recite the blessings over the Sabbath candles, the Challah, and the wine. I would join the Temple in Jackson. I began to learn Hebrew.... albeit little by little.
It was time.
To get a sense of what I needed to do I spoke with Rabbi Sleutelberg and Rabbi Levy. On May 10th, I was invited to enter the mikvah. I wasn’t sure that I was ready, then I was convinced that I was. I was willing to challenge the rabbis, if they felt that I was not a Jew.
On Wednesday, May 10th, a cloudy morning, I traveled to Temple Israel in West Bloomfield where I met with Rabbis Levy and Gluck and Chazan Annie Rose. I can’t recall exactly what was asked or said, but I summarized my journey to Judaism. Although I came prepared to debate the rabbis and defend my path, they did not challenge me. I was invited into the mikvah.
I entered the tiled room and saw the stairs leading to small immersion tank. On one ceramic wall were the blessings that I would recite. The words were written in English, Hebrew and transliteration. I disrobed and descended into the mikvah (somewhat tremulously.) I immersed myself. When I broke the surface of the water, I reached for my glasses and read the first blessing, hearing the rabbis call “ah-mein” through the closed door. I immersed again -and again grabbed my glasses - rising to read the second blessing. Again through the door the rabbis echoed “ah-mein” and then as I climbed the stairs from the mikvah “mazel tov!”. I again met Annie Rose, acting as my attendant, who handed me my towel holding it before her face as a modest screen.
I was now a Jew. The certificate was completed and I walked into the sunshine.
Friday night I attended services as usual. How I felt, however, was far from usual. I have always liked and respected the prayer. ”I am a Jew because...” To me it now means something very special. - Maryann “Miriam” O’Coin