Conference taveng::bagels

    
    Very good friends of mine are also in the process of adopting a
    Korean child.  They are not Jewish and I am not sure what faith
    they plan on bringing up the child in.  What they have told me is
    the adoption agency they are going through strongly advised them
    to read up on Korean history and culture.  They also want them to
    learn how to cook Korean foods.  The adoption agency said it's very 
    important not to deny the child their heritage as they are pretty
    sure at some point when the child grows up they will want to know
    about Korea and possibly the woman who gave birth to him (they are
    adopting a boy).  If you would like me to find out the names/authors
    of the books they were told to read I can easily do that.
    
    Mazel Tov!!
    
    Fredda T.
    

    Thanks, Fredda, Hopefully we will be getting a girl (OY VEY a wedding)
    and our agency (International Adoptions INC) have put us through
    the same kinds of training. ( Culture,Education,Cooking...... )
    
    How does one go about this while integrating Judisism at the same
    time or for that matter and other faith.

Mazal Tov!

You need to talk to your rabbi (if you don't 'have' one, you are
going to need one soon) about conversion, if you want to bring the
baby up as a Jew.  I don't know much about Conservative and Reform
policies on this, and I know only a little about Orthodox, although
I suspect that Conservative probably follows Orthodox more or less...

1) If the baby is a boy, he would need a brit milah (if he is already
circumcized, a 'technical' religious circumcision would still be done,
called 'hatafat dam' = 'a drop of blood').  He would basically be undergoing
a standard conversion.  I'm not sure what is done about the mikvah -
obviously the kid can't make the blessing....

2) When the child becomes an adult (bar-mitzvah or bat-mitzvah) they
sort of re-convert, by immersion in a mikvah, and a formal acceptance,
on their own recognizance, of Judaism.

    Don't think that being Korean in any way conflicts with Jewish values.
    As something interesting, you might wish to investigate the history
    and culture of the Jewish people in Korea.  

    	I don't know where you live but there is a large Korean population
    in the towns around Fort Devens Massachusetts. There may be Korean
    populations around many army bases because the soldiers brought back
    their Korean brides. I live across the street of one of these families.
    There are Korean grocery stores and restaurants in Ayer and Shirley.

    .5
    
    Thats interesting, I live on Groton.
    
    Thanks

    Currently i'm reading a book:

    The Japanese and the Jews

    Written by a Jew living in Tokyo.

    IF I remember, i'll enter the author and other info.

    Interesting book.

    Joel - I know a manager who has adopted two Korean children and
    is about to adopt a third.  He would be willing to talk with you.
    I wasn't able to connect to your node - but I showed him your note.
    He'd be glad to talk with you.  By all means, contact George
    Novoson here in MRO3 at 297-4137.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Trudy

    .8
    Thanks Trudy, I will give George a call on monday.

       There is an adopted Korean boy in the Hebrew Day School here
       in Rochester, NY.  He is in the second grade with my daughter.
       As far as I can tell, he has been well accepted by all the
       kids and parents in the school.  At parties and other social
       functions he is just one of the boys.  
       
       My son is adopted.  We are conservative, and on consulting
       our rabbi when we were adopting him, we were advised to have our
       son undergo a brit milah.  Before he became bar mitzva, he
       underwent a ritual immersion in the presence of a 3 person beth
       din. This took place at our local mikvah under the supervision of
       our conservative rabbi. 
        

    Well it has finally come to pass.(21 months)
    
    My wife and I have just received the word that we are now the proud
    parents of son.
    
    Born in Seoul S.Korea on 2-8-88 (also my birthday)
    
    Name: Corey Lee
    Weight: 3.1 Kg
    Height: 48 cm.
    Health: Excellent
    
    Arrival date here in the states: As soon as the INS gets it act
    togther. (Soon we hope)
    
    A Happy and Healthy Passover from all of us.

    great, Wonderful
    
    and what a coincidence!!

***MAZAL TOV***
(Yid.:good luck -- you have it)

v'HaTZLaCHa TOVaH (Heb.: good luck-- may you continue to have it!)

Bobbi