Daniel Ortner grew up Jewish, but when tragedy struck his family, he abandoned faith altogether. When he found God again, this time as a Mormon, a missionary trip helped him reconnect with his roots.
Jane Kemp grew up in a non-denominational Protestant church, but when she learned her adopted son had Jewish ancestry, it set her on a path to conversion she never could have imagined.
The synagogue is "very important," says an archaeologist, "not only for Jews but all people living in Lithuania." Just 3,000 Jews are left in the capital, compared to some 70,000 before World War II.
Government rabbis decide who is officially Jewish, which affects issues including marriage and divorce. But religious and political rivals have started their own system for conversion.
As the number of religious young people declines, Hillel International is trying to build a "big tent" Judaism for secular and religious students alike. But some say that tent may not be big enough.
Wilderness Torah celebrates the holiday in a setting rooted in heritage. Participants immerse in Jewish culture but also find meaningful personal connections from isolation not felt in everyday life.
Israel's prime minister says the country needs to be officially defined as a Jewish state, but opponents say that would undermine its goal of equality for all.