When the news broke that former Bachelorette Gabby Windey is queer and dating Jewish comedian Robby Hoffman, two thoughts immediately crossed my mind. The first was queer Jews stay winning, and the second was I wonder if Gabby is thinking about converting to Judaism?
Though I would never encourage someone one way or the other about converting (I’m a firm believer that Jews should not proselytize), it didn’t seem like a huge leap to make. On her season of “The Bachelorette,” Gabby dated contestant Jason Alabaster and showed interest in his Jewish heritage, asking him to explain the significance of his mezuzah necklace. Then, after announcing their relationship, Gabby and Robby had one of their first public dates at Katz’s Deli in New York. When Gabby received some pushback for eating a pastrami sandwich with cheese, she playfully responded, “I’m new here!! Will never put cheese on a meat sandwich again swear.”
Folks, I need you all to know that I did in fact call it.
Last Thursday, Gabby and Robby joined Jewish former RHONY Bethenny Frankel on her podcast “Just B” and the subject of religion and marriage came up.
“So what about if you get married? What’s the religion gonna be in the household,” Bethenny asked. (She neglects to acknowledge that interfaith households exist, but we can get into that another time.)
“I’ll convert,” Gabby said without skipping a beat.
“She’s desperate to convert,” Robby added, jokingly. “She’s so into it.”
“I get a Jewish history lesson almost every day, which I love and I die for now,” Gabby continued, more seriously. “And there is, there’s so much culture. I mean, truly, talk about oppression.”
The conversation goes on and features many other Jewish highlights, including Gabby saying “Baruch Hashem,” describing her newfound affinity for the number 18, Bethenny insisting that Gabby have a bat mitzvah so she can plan it and Robby quipping: “Hasidic to scissoring, dreams do come true.”
Again, I am in no way trying to influence Gabby’s decision. But Gabby, from one Jewish lesbian to another (potential) Jewish lesbian, if you do end up going through the conversion process, can I please get an invite to the bat mitzvah?
