Dear Rabbi,
This may be a tough one to answer but here goes.
I live in London, United Kingdom and are currently in the process of doing an online conversion course to a branch of progressive Judaism. I was browsing online and saw the Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles, a large and modern community that I would like to be a part of and participate within. It is also bigger than the typical Synagogues found in the UK.
However, there is a slight snag here. Due to the rules on how the US handles immigration, it makes it completely impossible in my circumstances. Put another way, I can’t get a job offer in the US to ‘come on over,’ and at the very best it is yearly holidays only to visit as a tourist on the visa waiver programme.
I fully understand of course why I am now here and can’t be there. I am not American, I was not born there and hence it is not my very own country and continent, just as your average Californian can’t now be in London and the wider UK also.
What is the best way to come to terms with such a situation and is it best to accept and be proud of being a forthcoming British Jew instead of trying to specifically become an American Jew or part of another people within my own people in another advanced English speaking country that I can’t get into?
Alternatively, as more of Synagogue is now going online and with live streaming, could I potentially play a part as a longer distance virtual member and always see if I can meet up with my US Jewish counterparts on any international retreats to Israel, although nationalities also tend to go in their own groups as well.
I looked at Australia and Canada as well, but they are also as equally difficult.
With kindest regards
Andre.