We met in July, 2004 in Lusaka, Zambia (Africa) at a Shabbos dinner. When Andy moved to Lusaka, he only knew one Jewish man he had met Nairobi, Kenya. When Andy arrived he had no place to go for Shabbos. His friend invited Andy for dinner but little did Andy know that his friend’s wife was Zambian. This Zambian woman happened to be my cousin who had asked me to help her cook.

 

We caught each other’s attention during Shabbos dinner. We did not

pursue the issue because we were both afraid to confront the challenges

ahead of us. It was evident to us that we had all the odds against us

i.e. race, religion, and cultures. Little did we know that the odds

weren’t against us but instead drew us closer and in love.

 

 

We dated for almost two years before we decided to get married. We knew

from the moment we decided to date that we were meant for each other.

Like any mixed couple, we were afraid to commit even though we had

worked through some of the many issues. We both needed a "sign."  It came when Andy got a scholarship to study for his Masters degree at Brandeis University. At that point, we knew that we could cross the Oceans and break down the walls that stood before us, together.              

 

 

We were both raised in religious and traditional homes; one Jewish

(Andy) and the other Protestant Christian (Chanda). Andy went to Shul

every Saturday and Hebrew school and I went to Church every Sunday and

Christian School. We were both interested in learning more about other religions. Andy majored in Religion. I, on the other hand, was drawn to Judaism because of my passion for Bible study. So before we decided to commit, I was already interested in Judaism. As a result, religion to us wasn’t an issue because we both wanted to practice Judaism.

 

 

Our families were supportive of us. They supported us while we were

dating and when we decided to get married. When God blesses us with children we plan to raise them in the Jewish tradition

 

 

 

We love going to Temple as often as we can and if we can find one

closer to us. The past few months has been challenging to find one

within a one mile diameter. Andy was reassigned to Kosovo this January.

Apparently, all the Jews in Kosovo had been evacuated during the war and

all that remains is the cemetery and no synagogues. We went to the

Jewish cemetery and recited Kaddish.  That was the only connection we

could have in Kosovo.

 

We attended services in Thessaloniki, Greece whenever we could. The Jewish Community and Rabbi were warm and welcoming. We were refreshed spiritually every time we went to services.

 

We chose a conservative program (JDI) because it was accommodating and

relevant to us. We were in the right place at the right time. The

program was very interactive. We particularly enjoyed the program

because it required both of us to attend the classes together. As a

result, we learned and grew together spiritually.

 

 

The conversion process requires both partners to grow together. It is

not a one-sided thing.  In the process, we found that our relationship

was greatly enhanced.  Rabbi Gordon, the teacher of the class, was

exceptionally knowledgeable and she did not shy away from answering all

questions. Rabbi David, our sponsoring rabbi invited us into his synagogue and his life.  We were grateful for both.