jewish name after conversion and having a jewish father

Hey everone,

So I’ve been reading a lot lately about converting to judaism.

I found out there a many people like me… growing up feeling connected to the jewish tradition, even having a Brit Milla, speaking Hebrew and knowing many things about the Religion – but at the end of the day not being recognized as being a jew, because I’m only patrilineal jewish, which is the definition of being jewish to 0%, in terms of halacha/ orthodox judaism – so basically in Israel.

Besides being matrilineal jewish, the halacha tells us that a conversion is possible.

I always thought with a jewish father it wouldn’t be like a traditional conversion, but more like a “confirmation” that I “found back to my roots” – not that I wish to have a easier way to “convert” – but more like to have a recognition of my ancestors.

But if it’s not possible, it’s not possible. I want to be a part of the jewish people. Thats all. I want to convert.

But then I found out about my new name I would get – and this is like my actual issue and question for this post.I already have a jewish name, so I know I can use that name.

But my last name would be “Ben Avraham” and that is actually something that I don’t know what to think about.

I already know there is a possibility to ask for example a rab to call me by another name for aliyah, but for every document (wedding etc.) I would be called by my “new spirituell parents Ben Avraham V’Sarah”.

What came into my mind is now – would this also be my name on my Tombstone? Or am I able to choose the name like for aliyah? Like would “Ben Avraham” really be only for jewish documents?But still… I find it strange to marry without having my real name on the document. Would there also be my real name, or only jewish name?

Is there any way to have my biological parents name when I convert? My father has a jewish name, my mother not – but so what?

I found some articles stating that Reforms offer you naming you after your real parents, when one of them is jewish. If so you can name yourself after your jewish and non jewish parent.

The thing is I want to convert Orthodox – but if they wouldn’t allow naming me after my real parents, is it possible to like “first convert to reforms and using that already existing name to again convert in orthodox”? I bet thats a strange questions haha

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Thanks 🙂