Learned Torah by heart and converted

Sergei Birgman became blind at 16 in a car accident that also damaged his ability to read Braille. But despite all difficulties he managed to convert in Israel after memorizing Halacha, mitzvot and prayers
Idan Avni

The judges at the rabbinical court could hardly believe their eyes: The candidate for conversion who stood before them has never seen the bible, and could not even feel it with his fingers.

 

Nevertheless, he was evidently well-versed in the Halacha and mitzvot, and was able to recite all the prayers by heart.

 

The man, Sergei Birgman from Nazareth Illit (33), became blind at the age of 16 following a car accident in Ukraine. Due to the crash he also lost sensation in his finger tips, a fact that prevented him from leaning to read Braille.

 

Four years later, after he married Inesa, the two immigrated to Israel. However, upon their arrival in the country it became clear that not only was Inesa not Jewish, but that Sergei was also considered not Jewish according to Jewish law, because his mother was a non-Jew.

 

Sergei and Inesa then started the long and difficult process of conversion, which was even harder for Sergei, who had to memorize all the texts he studied without being able to read them.

 

Despite the difficulties, the two successfully passed the conversion exams, and Sergei underwent circumcision. Following the conversion, they also changed their names to Boaz and Ruth.

 

Erez Halfon, director-general of the Immigration Absorption Ministry said that “despite the difficulties, the Ministry makes efforts to help all those who wish to become Jewish. Our objective is to increase the number of converts.”

 

Yisrael Moshkovitz contributed to the report