Choosing to Be Chosen by Kylie Ora Lobell

Choosing to Be Chosen

From Being an Atheist Non-jew to Becoming an Orthodox Jew

Kylie Ora Lobell

Wicked Son · Print & ebook · February 17, 2026

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Who it’s for
Kylie Ora Lobell recounts losing her childhood faith and pursuing Orthodox Jewish conversion.
Themes
Loss and rediscovery of faith, Conversion to Orthodox Judaism, Romantic relationship conflict
Genres
Religious Lives, Orthodox Judaism, Jewish Lives

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About this book

Choosing to Be Chosen is journalist Kylie Ora Lobell’s journey from a broken, secular Christian home, to teenage atheism, to a chance encounter with a lapsed Jewish stand-up comedian—culminating in a spiritual quest for conversion to Orthodox Judaism. Kylie Ora Lobell grew up in a typical American home: religiously lukewarm, where they only went to church on Christmas and Easter.

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Though she believed in God when she was a child, after her parents’ divorce and her grandmother’s untimely death, twelve-year-old Kylie lost her faith. She began experiencing depression and anxiety, and constantly asked herself, “What am I living for?” In college, she meets Danny, a stand-up comedian who is Jewish but gave up practicing Orthodox Judaism after some negative experiences. The one event he still attends is Shabbat for Friday night dinner, and once they start dating, Kylie comes along. Sitting at the Shabbat table, Kylie has an epiphany: This warm feeling in her chest is none other than God. God is real, and she wants to convert to Judaism with the help of an Orthodox rabbi. But Danny vehemently rejects her decision to pursue an Orthodox Jewish conversion, which threatens the future of their relationship. Despite the many challenges—including potentially losing the love of her life—Kylie knows she must move forward. In Choosing to be Chosen, she details the spiritual journey she must take to become the person she was meant to be all along.

Shabbat and Conversion

Kylie Ora Lobell recounts losing her childhood faith and pursuing Orthodox Jewish conversion.

Come here for

  • A Shabbat dinner that prompts a return to faith
  • The challenges of pursuing Orthodox Jewish conversion

Expect

  • A personal account of faith and conversion
  • Tension between her conversion decision and her relationship

Where it sits

Jewish Lives51%
Religious Lives41%
Orthodox Judaism35%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Personal Memoirs
  • Orthodox Judaism
  • Spirituality
Authors
Kylie Ora Lobell
Publisher
Wicked Son
Published
February 17, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Loss and rediscovery of faith · Conversion to Orthodox Judaism · Romantic relationship conflict
Reading lane
Personal Memoirs