Darhla Miles was born in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Her family did not go to church, nor did they emphasize religion. Her father would introduce himself as a Christian, but largely her parents simply emphasized “being a good person.” Darhla felt that she was always “looking for some religion that fit my ideas.” She claims “Christianity was close,” but she never connected to “the emphasis on Jesus.”
Early on in school, Darhla was fascinated by the atrocities of history, including American slavery and the Holocaust. One of the first books she really enjoyed was The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. In high school, she met a boy who considered himself Jewish but never officially converted. It felt strange to her because she was always told one “had to be born a Jew.” Arriving at University of Louisville, one of her professors helped her realize that one can indeed convert to Judaism.
Soon after, Darhla sent an email to Rabbi Beth Chottiner at Temple Shalom, who graduated from Hebrew Union College where Darhla now attends. Darhla began attending conversion classes, and she and Rabbi Chottiner studied together for about a year. Darhla has very fond memories of this conversion year. Those at Temple Shalom were very “excited that I was there. I felt at home.” She describes Rabbi Chottiner as “one of the nicest people in the world.” Darhla considers her conversion year an intellectual journey. At the start of her conversion process, “I knew very little about the Beit Din and the mikveh, but the mikveh was one of the best days of my life.” Darhla remembers fondly how she saw a rainbow on the day of her Beit Din.
She considers her conversion unique in that she had an adult Bat Mitzvah. The Bat Mitzvah required “a lot of Hebrew preparation.” She was elated when she stood before the Torah scroll for the first time. Additionally, her conversion was public, held for all the congregants at Temple Shalom. All her family responded well to her conversion; “not a single person resisted, though many were confused” since there are not a lot of Jews where Darhla is from.
Currently, Darhla lives in Covington, Kentucky. Sometimes she attends services in Cincinnati, but she often observes Shabbat and holidays at home. She does not eat meat, which makes her commitment to Kosher eating simpler. Regarding Halakhot, Darhla is thankful for the wise words of Dr. Gary P. Zola: “How you practice Judaism should reflect what is meaningful to you.” This has helped Darhla relax and explore her options. For instance, “I am comfortable using electricity on Shabbat, but reserve the day for relaxation.” Darhla claims Sukkot is her favorite holiday.
Currently, Darhla works at the Klau Library at Hebrew Union College. She is pursuing an MA in Judaic Studies at HUC as well. In fact, she received her acceptance letter to Hebrew Union College on the day she converted. She envisions herself living in a Jewish community — “I want to raise my future children in a Jewish environment.”
Darhla appreciates Judaism for many reasons. “Judaism taught me how to be thankful and more loving.” It encourages her to “make the world a better place.” Also, Judaism has “given me more respect for everybody.” Additionally, she now belongs to a large community. She especially appreciates how weekly Torah portions ensure Jews everywhere are considering the same biblical passage. Finally, Judaism’s appreciation for questions heartens Darhla: “I am always asking questions!” She encourages potential converts to lean into the art of asking questions. The conversion process seems like it will take a long time, but “it goes quickly, so enjoy it!”