In basically all social spaces, Jewish or otherwise, when someone finds out I'm converting, they immediately ask the completely reasonable but dreaded question:

"Why are you converting?"

It's an especially tricky question, both because conversion in Judaism is unique and because I'm converting into a liberal stream of Judaism (Reform Judaism rather than, say, Orthodox Judaism).

Why is conversion in Judaism unique? I think most people already have an inarticulate sense of this if they know any Jews: The Jews are *a people*, not a group of individuals with common religious beliefs, even in the loosest sense of the words "common", "religious", and "beliefs". The closest analogy I throw at people is national citizenship: It's not weird to me at all that I'm an American and my neighbor is an American even though my neighbor has little of substance in common with me -- there are certain citizenship requirements, we both meet them, and that's that. So too with the Jewish people! Once I'm a Jew, I'm a Jew. Nothing I profess or fail to profess after that fact makes me cease to be a Jew.

Why makes the liberal stream of Judaism unique? Well, the same reason any liberal religion is unique: there's nothing to affirm dogmatically. I can be an atheist and convert. I can think God is a metaphor and convert. I can think the Torah is completely a human artifact and convert. Etc.

People completely understand conversion to Christianity in this country even if they don't approve of it intellectually: "Ah, ok...interesting...you believe Jesus was literally God and did such-an-such, ok...congratulations, may you be happy in your new life!" But with Reform Judaism? Less likely.

Comically, this conversation goes awkwardly even if Jews are asking me the question. My experience so far is that, unless they have a spouse who converted, they have no idea what the requirements for conversion are, and the synagogue near me is essentially multi-denominational, so it's entirely possible I'm talking to someone who *doesn't* have a liberal understanding of Judaism.

So how do I answer? Usually I try and dodge the question! If I can't dodge the question I take a few different routes depending on audience. My preferred route as of today is this:

For people like me, let's call them "scientifically and philosophically literate moderners", who nonetheless have an inclination towards (biting my tongue here) a spiritual life or...a life in community or...an irrepresible and irrational attraction to theistic modes of thought and life, Reform Judaism has a tremendous amount to offer! Interesting moral and ritual practices! Tight knit community! Fascinating textual tradition! Built-in weekly dopamine fasts (Shabbat)! No requirement to care about god, but if you do, wonderful! Interesting! Let's sing very old songs in Hebrew!

I think all that is conceivably attractive to these literate moderners *provided that* they have some existing sense of connection to Jews. And...I do! I have beloved Jewish friends. I lived in a super-Jewish rural community for a decade! I already know some Hebrew because I'm a language nerd! Win win win!

I usually don't get to use so many exclamations points in person because I rarely make it through the first paragraph before they regret asking the question and we move on, but I feel a lot of exclamation points about the whole thing, and that's why I continue to work towards conversion.