The Spiritual Transformation of Jews Who Become Orthodox

A psychological study, based on extensive interview data, of Jewish adults who take on a devout lifestyle. Spiritual transformation is the process of changing one's beliefs, values, attitudes, and everyday behaviors related to a transcendent experience or higher power. Jewish adults who adopt Orthodoxy provide a clear example of spiritual transformation within a religious context. With little prior exposure to traditional practice, these baalei teshuvah (literally, "masters of return" in Hebrew)