Welcome to a very special—and deeply personal—episode. Today’s conversation is not about theory. It’s not about abstract belief. It’s about belonging, courage, and the quiet, stubborn pull of a soul toward truth. Today, we’re sitting with three people who each chose Judaism—not because it was easy, fashionable, or convenient, but because it felt unavoidable. Because something inside them recognized home. Conversion is not simply a change of religion. It is a change of identity. A re-rooting of the soul. It means choosing a people, a history, a destiny—and in today’s world, it often means choosing a path marked by misunderstanding, loss, and real social cost. And yet—here they are. Chris Wood’s journey began not in a synagogue, but in a hair salon in Toronto. Raised without Jewish community, he encountered Judaism first through people—through Shabbat tables, family warmth, humor, ritual, and a deep sense of togetherness he had been missing his entire life. What began as cultural connection slowly became something far deeper: a spiritual awakening. A realization that Judaism was not simply something he admired—it was something his soul had been waiting for. For Chris, October 7th and the surge of antisemitism that followed did not push him away. It clarified everything. When someone he loved turned on the Jewish people—and on him—he saw, in real time, how ancient hatred still operates. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward. He chose to wear his Magen David. He chose public solidarity. Bezalel Schraeder’s path emerged through trauma, caregiving, and the spiritual exhaustion that comes from witnessing suffering and death. As a nurse, Bezalel watched bodies break and souls unravel—and in that pain, meaning itself began to collapse. Christianity no longer held the answers. Torah did not come to Bezalel as an escape. It came as a rebuilding. Through deep study, honest conversations with rabbis, and unfiltered spiritual struggle, Judaism restored something essential—not only faith in God, but faith in humanity, and in himself. Judaism became a way to stand inside suffering without surrendering to it. And Shifra’s journey carries the weight of history, memory, and a soul that always seemed to know where it belonged—long before her mind did. Raised in evangelical Christianity, she reached a breaking point when she could no longer accept a theology that condemned good people for belief alone. When hell stopped making sense, Jesus stopped being the center—but God did not disappear. What followed was not a rejection of faith, but a return to something older, deeper, and more honest. From a lifelong pull toward Holocaust history to a visceral moment at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum—where she felt, without explanation, “my people”—Judaism had been calling long before she had words for it. Three different lives. Three different paths. One shared truth: Judaism was not something they found. Judaism is something that found them. In a time when it is easier than ever to walk away from the Jewish people, these three chose to walk toward us. In a moment of rising antisemitism, they chose visibility. This is not a conversation about conversion. This is a conversation about what it means to choose a people—and to be chosen in return. Let’s begin. ——🎧 The Avrum Rosensweig Show —— A one-of-a-kind, intimate schmooze-fest, hosted and produced by the endlessly curious veteran radio and TV personality, Avrum Rosensweig. With warmth and wit, Avrum uncovers the secrets, dreams, and innermost thoughts of people from all walks of life. From local shelf stockers, plumbers, food servers, to crossing guards, stars, public figures, and cultural icons. Join this channel to get access to perks: / @avrumrosensweigshow Listen to The Avrum Rosensweigh Show on: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LZFTR0... https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... https://avrumspodcast.podbean.com/ Instagram: / avrumrosensweigshow TikTok: / avrumrosensweig #podcastcanada #storytellingmatters #jewishpodcast #jewishwisdom #jewishfaith #jewishlearning #jewisheducation #jewishcommunity #jewishheritage #jewishtradition #jewishculture #jewishcommunity #jewishhistory #jewishphilosophy #spiritualwisdom #motivationalpodcast #motivationalinterview #fascinatingpeople #engagingconversations #personalgrowth #lifelessons #leadershipstories #faithandwisdom #jewishinspirations #podcastinterview #theavrumrosensweigshow #ChoosingJudaism #JewishConversion #SoulJourney #FindingHome #JewishIdentity #ChosenPeople #Belonging #JewishDestiny #CourageAndFaith #StandingWithJews #AgainstAntisemitism #October7 #TorahLife #JewishPodcast #FaithAndMeaning #SpiritualRebuilding #ModernJudaism #JewishStories #Covenant #LetUsBegin
