“Conversion felt less like becoming someone new and more like excavating a Jewish soul that had always been there.”

That unforgettable line from writer and musician Yona Speidel sets the tone for one of the most moving conversations we have had on Your People Will Be My People.

Yona Speidel shares a remarkable story that spans rural Pennsylvania, New York’s artistic world, Hollywood writers’ rooms, and ultimately the Jewish people.

What began as curiosity during work on Transparent became a thirteen-year journey through study, doubt, political upheaval, and spiritual awakening. Yonah speaks candidly about pausing the conversion process because of concerns about rigid gender roles, then rediscovering Judaism through its ancient tradition of questioning, interpretation, and inclusion.

The conversation takes a profound turn as Yona describes the aftermath of October 7 and the sense of isolation experienced within many LGBTQ spaces. Rather than pushing Yona away from Judaism, that experience intensified a feeling that Jewish identity was already deeply rooted within.

For anyone interested in conversion, Jewish identity, spirituality, or the search for authenticity, this episode offers an honest and deeply human perspective on what it means to find home.

Key Takeaways

1. Conversion can feel like recognition, not transformation. Yona describes becoming Jewish as uncovering something that had always existed rather than creating a new self.

2. Ritual creates structure for the soul

Practices such as Shabbat and Havdalah brought a sense of rhythm, restoration, and clarity that had been missing.

3. Belonging often emerges through struggle

The experience of antisemitism after October 7th did not push Yonah away from Judaism; it deepened the connection to the Jewish people.

Timestamps:

• [00:00] “Excavating the Jewish soul” and the feeling of coming home
• [02:00] Growing up in an ex-Mennonite family in rural Pennsylvania
• [05:00] Discovering Judaism while working on Transparent
• [10:50] Gender, ritual, and why conversion was paused
• [17:00] Returning seriously to Jewish study
• [18:50] October 7th and the rupture within LGBTQ spaces
• [23:00] “Coming out as Jewish” and recognizing an inner truth
• [27:00] Falling in love with Jewish ritual, especially Havdalah
• [30:50] The mikvah, the beit din, and becoming Yona
• [39:30] Life after conversion and building a Jewish home

Links:

• Yona Speidel on Instagram
• Yona Speidel
• Project Ruth Website
• Rabbi Adam Mintz
• Meredith Berkman’s LinkedIn