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- Hebrew Name: יוסף מארי
- How We Know: Picture(s)
- Date Born: October 18, 1958
- Location Born: Middle Township, New Jersey
- Previous Locations: Columbus, Ohio
- Current Location: Ma'ale Adumim, Israel
Affiliation: Dati Leumi, Modern Orthodox
His own words:
“I began playing football at the age of eight. By my junior year in high school, recruiters from the University of Minnesota, Ohio State, North Carolina State, University of Arizona, and Notre Dame were watching me with apt interest. The legendary Woody Hayes from Ohio State University made the biggest impression on my family and me, and I was offered and accepted a full football scholarship.
The practices were pure torture but the end result was becoming a better man. Little did I know then that the very disciplines Hayes instilled in me and the moral values he taught me would be crucial in my spiritual journey to Judaism some 35 years later.
I lettered all four years at Ohio State, and in 1980 I was honored with being voted Team Captain and Most Valuable Player. In my senior year at Ohio State, I was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. I played two seasons with the NFL before an injury ended my football career. The discipline I acquired from my football career gave me the discipline to take on the myriad of mitzvot that govern a Jew’s daily life. The constant study, practice, and repetitive actions all laid the foundation for the conversion process and for leading a meaningful Jewish life.
Conversion to Judaism impacts all areas of your life – what you eat, what you wear, your worldview, how you conduct your family life. It’s not for the timid or faint of heart; it requires the fortitude to withstand rejection and the strength to stay the course. One of the rabbis of the Beis Din told us, “It’s a marathon, not a race.” Truly, it is not an easy path, but we cannot imagine living our lives any other way.
I was married to Emunah (then Jeri) in 1992, and then began our adventure, of raising six kids, of being youth pastors in a church, and spending our lives mentoring young people. We were committed to raising our five sons and daughter with the foundation of the Bible and relationship with God. However, 12 years into our marriage we got a taste of Judaism through a messianic congregation. This introduction to Shabbos and the Festivals sparked our interest to dig deeper. After eventually being terminated from our youth pastor positions for being “too Jewish,” we studied Judaism in our home. We eventually ended up at a local Chabad, where we spent two years continuing our studies. We finally decided to convert, which we did with the Beis Din of Detroit in 2013. We had a beautiful chuppah and celebration with our new community.
“Read the full article: https://aish.com/from-rose-bowl-to-rashi-my-unique-journey-to-judaism/