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Oy gevalt!
Leah McSweeney defended her decision to convert to Judaism after critics said the “Real Housewives of New York” star was just following a fad.
The 38-year-old, who was born and raised Catholic, revealed her plans during Tuesday’s Season 13 premiere, prompting some unsupportive reactions from fans online, including one who commented, “I hope she finds what she’s looking for. But this kinda reminds me of when celebrities got into Kabbalah as a cool trend.”
“Ok I’m not going to respond to every dumb thing people have to say regarding my conversion but this is so ignorant I must,” McSweeney responded on her Instagram Story, sharing the fan’s critique. “Converting and studying Kabbalah are very different. And to compare my conversion and refer to it as a ‘trend’ is highly dumb AF and offensive.”
Stars like Madonna, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have all famously studied kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, at different points.
McSweeney let viewers in to her conversion journey while on calls with her sister and father on Tuesday’s episode. Coincidentally, she told them about her plans on one of the holiest days in the Jewish religion — Yom Kippur.
“I’ve been thinking about converting to Judaism for many, many years,” she explained in a confessional. “Then when COVID hit, I was having, I would say, the only period of my life where I felt very disconnected from a god. I quit drinking again and I got a very deep calling to convert to Judaism.”
She added, “I’m attracted to the challenge. I think I’m attracted to all the rules and the rituals and the prayers. And look, it’s not like I’m going to convert and like, that’s it! I’m a Jew! The conversion is the beginning for me.”
The fashion designer — who is known for her sexy get-ups — told her sister that an Orthodox rabbi was helping her convert, but that she would be more “modern” in her dressing and not “modest” as is tradition. She then asked her dad for forgiveness in the spirit of Yom Kippur and apologized to him for “being a bad daughter.”
“Just because I’m converting to Judaism doesn’t mean I’m going to be the perfect Jew,” she said in another confessional. “I’m not telling my rabbi this, but this is about progress not perfection. Me converting is the beginning of like a very, long spiritual journey.”
Since starting the process, McSweeney has noticeably posted on social media about Shabbat, or the Jewish sabbath, and Hanukkah.
A rep for McSweeney did not immediately get back to us.
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