AboutRabbi Ari Shishler Expertise As a campus rabbi, who teaches both religious and non-religious Jewish teens every day, I'm ready and waiting for your questions.
Experience I spent six years as the head of the Chabad House Young Adults' Division in Johannesburg, South Africa, before moving to learning director.
I am the campus rabbi at the Witwatersrand University and University of Johannesburg and was the campus rabbi at Boston City Campus in Johannesburg for six years.
I have worked closely with the South African Union of Jewish students since 1997.
For the past eight years, I have been a guest lecturer at the Johannesburg "Encounter" program for King David High Schools. I have also spent two years as guest rabbi at the "Encounter" program in Cape Town.
King David High Schools, Yeshivah College and Crawford High Schools invite me regularly to speak to various classes.
Since 1996, I have been teaching Talmud at a local religious high school.
Organizations Chabad-Lubavitch
South African Rabbinical Association
Publications Jewish Tradition, South Africa. Jewish Report, weekly newspaper, South Africa SAUJS annual Holiday guide.
Education/Credentials After completing high scool, I spent six years studying in Rabbinical seminaries in South Africa, Israel and New York.
Question QUESTION: Is it true if i converted to Judaism i could never be as close to me gentile family as i am now?
ANSWER: Hi Cicely
Judaism considers a convert like a newborn child, so that person would lose some degree of closeness to their existing family.
Please feel free to ask more specific questions on this if you need to.
Regards
Rabbi Ari Shishler
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QUESTION: But if you are close with you're family do you not think you would be able to stay close?
Also how can Judaism not expect one to mourn if their family dies?
Thanks!
Answer Hi Cicely
Nobody can change the emotional closeness that you have with your family. At the same time, a convert would lead a very different lifestyle to what they and their family had been used to. I think it's possible that this could create strain on their relationship.
As far as mourning goes, a convert would not follow the JEWISH mourning practices for their family, but they would still mourn. Again, nobody can take away your emotions.
