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Since Sinai: A Convert's Path to Judaism
Raised in a heavily Catholic suburb of Detroit, Michigan, Shannon grew up focusing on two how to do enough good deeds to get into heaven and how to stay pure enough to escape hell. In college, she followed many of her peers into an Evangelical church known for guitars, drum, religious-based shame, and the idea that without Jesus she was nothing.
But when she encountered Judaism on that same campus, a spark ignited within her and refused to be put out. Judaism felt obvious, familiar. After a falling out with her biological mother and two miscarriages, she found the courage to send the most important email of her she asked the local Jews by Choice program to accept her as a student.
Honest and unflinching, Shannon's story of coming home to Judaism encourages everyone-- Christian, atheist, Jewish, and anything in between-- to search relentlessly for the place where they belong.
But when she encountered Judaism on that same campus, a spark ignited within her and refused to be put out. Judaism felt obvious, familiar. After a falling out with her biological mother and two miscarriages, she found the courage to send the most important email of her she asked the local Jews by Choice program to accept her as a student.
Honest and unflinching, Shannon's story of coming home to Judaism encourages everyone-- Christian, atheist, Jewish, and anything in between-- to search relentlessly for the place where they belong.
- GenresNonfictionJudaism
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2022
5 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 2, 2024
Shannon writes like you’re best friends and chatting over coffee or tea. Might not be for everyone but I freaking loved it � I thought this was incredibly well written and articulated. So much of her perspective resonated for me, also being in the conversion process, and yet so much was new and meaningful. But hey, that’s Judaism isn’t it lol
August 1, 2022
A practicant Catholic by default, involved in various social and outreach projects, practicing attorney Shannon Gonyou and her husband decided to convert to Masorti Judaism. Since Sinai. A Convert´s Path to Judaism is her memoir documenting the journey in a very considerate, honest and meaningful way.
This book helps not only anyone looking to build up his or her Jewish journey but equally brings understanding of the spiritual process and the decision making to those who may wonder why someone will take the - difficult, in Jewish terms - decision to convert.
´Mostly though, I recognize that it´s incumpent upon me to build Jewish history with my family today, even if I can´t change the fact that my family´s ancestry and the ancestry of the Jewish people is not one and the same´. As Shannon, her husband and daughter are looking to create their own Jewish stories, they change places and getting to meet a wide range of people - Chabad, from the ´Orthodox´ type, as well as various reform brands of Judaism. The decision to convert was a quest and a journey, without being made under pressure - for marriage purposes, for instance, and Gonyou has a clear and lucid voice documenting her experiences.
People who convert may usually deal with different levels of mistrust and discrimination, but the Masorti choice and the fact that both of them were already married, diminished the occurence of such encounters. I really loved her voice and honest writing, covering issues beyond her search for a Jewish home, such as sexual experiences and eating disorder during her Catholic young years, as well as her personal story with her biological mother.
Since Sinai is one of those books revealing windows into stories that cannot be known otherwise than by direct testimonies. ´The persuasion price of this narrative is that converts can, and do, find a meaningful home in Judaism, and I´m an example of one of those converts´. I wish there will be more such testimonies that will bring more clarity and knowledge about choices some people do, no matter the risks and the challenges, for achieving a higher spiritual everyday life.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
This book helps not only anyone looking to build up his or her Jewish journey but equally brings understanding of the spiritual process and the decision making to those who may wonder why someone will take the - difficult, in Jewish terms - decision to convert.
´Mostly though, I recognize that it´s incumpent upon me to build Jewish history with my family today, even if I can´t change the fact that my family´s ancestry and the ancestry of the Jewish people is not one and the same´. As Shannon, her husband and daughter are looking to create their own Jewish stories, they change places and getting to meet a wide range of people - Chabad, from the ´Orthodox´ type, as well as various reform brands of Judaism. The decision to convert was a quest and a journey, without being made under pressure - for marriage purposes, for instance, and Gonyou has a clear and lucid voice documenting her experiences.
People who convert may usually deal with different levels of mistrust and discrimination, but the Masorti choice and the fact that both of them were already married, diminished the occurence of such encounters. I really loved her voice and honest writing, covering issues beyond her search for a Jewish home, such as sexual experiences and eating disorder during her Catholic young years, as well as her personal story with her biological mother.
Since Sinai is one of those books revealing windows into stories that cannot be known otherwise than by direct testimonies. ´The persuasion price of this narrative is that converts can, and do, find a meaningful home in Judaism, and I´m an example of one of those converts´. I wish there will be more such testimonies that will bring more clarity and knowledge about choices some people do, no matter the risks and the challenges, for achieving a higher spiritual everyday life.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
December 27, 2022
I liked this book. It really resonated with me since I have also converted.
September 16, 2024
I stumbled across this book and it piqued my interest as I didn't realise it was possible to convert to Judaism. "Since Sinai: A Convert's Path to Judaism" is an account of the author's struggles with her Christian faith and her journey towards her new home in Judaism. Naturally, I had to satisfy my curiosity and give it a read.
I loved Shannon's writing style. It feels more like a conversation between friends and I would happily read anything else she writes going forward. I really empathised with her struggles and could identify with them. At times I found myself nodding along with some of her points she raised.
I also empathised with her struggles adapting to her new lifestyle and having to deal with unsympathetic family members.
However, I do have a couple of criticisms. My main issue is with certain areas where she is critical of aspects of Christianity (particularly when she compares them to Judaism). An example of this is when she favours Judaism over Christianity because it "blesses food". This is also part and parcel of Christianity, especially in Catholicism. Or when she attends a fitness class in an Evangelical church - which has the audacity to have a quote from the New Testament in the bathroom and is critical about it. It just felt at times she was throwing subtle digs at Christianity and Christians, which is understandable given her life experiences. However, this became quite tiresome and I found myself rolling my eyes at times, when she made some comment on Christianity.
Another disappointing issue I have is in relation to discussion of the actual conversion process, it feels quite shallow at times, discussing more about the people at conversion classes than the actual process itself. This improved significantly towards the end of the book but considering the book is supposed is about her journey to Judaism, it was a bit frustrating.
All in all, I don't regret reading this but I wouldn't rush back to it again.
I loved Shannon's writing style. It feels more like a conversation between friends and I would happily read anything else she writes going forward. I really empathised with her struggles and could identify with them. At times I found myself nodding along with some of her points she raised.
I also empathised with her struggles adapting to her new lifestyle and having to deal with unsympathetic family members.
However, I do have a couple of criticisms. My main issue is with certain areas where she is critical of aspects of Christianity (particularly when she compares them to Judaism). An example of this is when she favours Judaism over Christianity because it "blesses food". This is also part and parcel of Christianity, especially in Catholicism. Or when she attends a fitness class in an Evangelical church - which has the audacity to have a quote from the New Testament in the bathroom and is critical about it. It just felt at times she was throwing subtle digs at Christianity and Christians, which is understandable given her life experiences. However, this became quite tiresome and I found myself rolling my eyes at times, when she made some comment on Christianity.
Another disappointing issue I have is in relation to discussion of the actual conversion process, it feels quite shallow at times, discussing more about the people at conversion classes than the actual process itself. This improved significantly towards the end of the book but considering the book is supposed is about her journey to Judaism, it was a bit frustrating.
All in all, I don't regret reading this but I wouldn't rush back to it again.
August 26, 2023
Full disclosure: I met Shannon online in a Torah discussion group before I purchased and read this book. Now, I realize we are very similar kinds of Jews: we both have progressive values and politics, with a commitment that goes beyond symbolic actions, and we both care deeply about Jewish tradition and community. When Shannon talks about the great joy she takes in learning, and the excitement she feels at studying widely diverging opinions with Judaism, I can identify.
The difference is that Shannon grew up Catholic, and in the book, she tells about the winding path that led her and her husband to embrace Judaism. For her, that path includes adoption (and a fraught relationship with her birth mother), eating disorders, exploring her sexuality, and becoming a parent herself. She discusses it all frankly and with a great deal of humor. (Seeing the humor in serious things is also a typically Jewish trait!)
The book is not Catholic-bashing. She explains straightforwardly what she enjoyed about church, Christmas, and sharing the majority culture. In the end, though, it's clear why it was not for her, and if you are deeply attached to Christianity yourself, you will have to read generously to see her point of view.
I enjoyed the book very much, and I wished Travis, her husband, had written about his path too.
The difference is that Shannon grew up Catholic, and in the book, she tells about the winding path that led her and her husband to embrace Judaism. For her, that path includes adoption (and a fraught relationship with her birth mother), eating disorders, exploring her sexuality, and becoming a parent herself. She discusses it all frankly and with a great deal of humor. (Seeing the humor in serious things is also a typically Jewish trait!)
The book is not Catholic-bashing. She explains straightforwardly what she enjoyed about church, Christmas, and sharing the majority culture. In the end, though, it's clear why it was not for her, and if you are deeply attached to Christianity yourself, you will have to read generously to see her point of view.
I enjoyed the book very much, and I wished Travis, her husband, had written about his path too.
July 27, 2022
I wanted to like this memoir more than I did, but I do appreciate it as a contribution to the small body of literature about Jewish conversion. I was most engaged with the book when Gonyou was writing about what the subtitle promised -- "A Convert's Path to Judaism" -- and less engaged when it was the story of her dissatisfied life in Catholicism before her conversion. Don't get me wrong: As a former Christian and as a Jewish convert myself, I'm entirely sympathetic to both parts of her life! I just thought that she had more of value to add to the existing conversation when she was discussing her experiences with Judaism.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2022
Absolutely intimate, raw, and beautiful book about finding a home in Judaism when one isn't born Jewish. A concert myself, I loved reading all the lovely details about Shannon's life growing up, her lack of "fitting in" in the religion she was raised, and finding a home for her family among the Jewish people. This book brought me great comfort and had me pondering big questions, and I cannot recommend this book to Jews and non-Jews alike!
December 7, 2022
A beautiful story
I loved reading Since Sinai! The writing style is captivating from the very first page. The emotions and details shine through from beginning to end. Thanks for a wonderful read!
I loved reading Since Sinai! The writing style is captivating from the very first page. The emotions and details shine through from beginning to end. Thanks for a wonderful read!
February 25, 2023
A touching, true-to-life portrayal of what it's like to find your place and purpose in this world.
October 30, 2023
Beautiful
A good read. Learned some things. The author is a good writer. I am so glad she wrote this book. Pleasant reading.
A good read. Learned some things. The author is a good writer. I am so glad she wrote this book. Pleasant reading.
November 6, 2023
"It is so very joyful to be Jewish" - I loved this light, thoughtful, beautiful read about Shannon Gonyou's journey into Judaism. And I completely agree.
December 29, 2024
Lovely conversion story
I really enjoyed reading Shannon Jewish journey. She writes with clarity and passion. I'm so glad she found her way home.
I really enjoyed reading Shannon Jewish journey. She writes with clarity and passion. I'm so glad she found her way home.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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