Almost a decade the world witnessed an important moment in American Jewish history. Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of an American President and a Secretary of State, married Jewish American Marc Mezvinsky, who was clad in atallis (Jewish prayer shawl) and
The idea that by embracing a couple’s decision to intermarry it will help them to engage in Judaism is not bared out by the facts.
The Pew study clearly shows that only 28% of children born from intermarriages are raised Jewish by religion while 93% of children from marriages where both parents are Jewish are raised Jewish by religion. It is also not clear how many of that 28% are actually Halachically Jewish. A Brandeis study states as its main finding that even though the Jewish community has become more welcoming there is still a lack of engagement on the part of intermarried couples. It is clear that the Torah was right intermarriage pulls people away from Judaism. It is intermarriage that is the issue.
High profile marriages do not make something wrong right and while intermarriage may be popular that should not be the litmus test for morality.
People in general and especially a rabbi must stand up for what is right even if it is unpopular and move their congregants in the right direction. People are looking for the rabbi to set the moral compass please give them that direction!
Thank you for this thoughtful post and for all you and you congregation do to make interfaith families feel welcomed. In these times when it is so easy to form opinions of “the other” it is part of Tikkun Olam to see new pathways where we can all learn from our differences as well as our similarities.
What wonderful reflections. I am a United Methodist pastor and have at times struggled with interfaith marriages. Your thoughts have helped me quite a bit. You as a rabbi have also been very influential in my faith journey. Thank you
Made all the sense in the world to me!
The idea that by embracing a couple’s decision to intermarry it will help them to engage in Judaism is not bared out by the facts.
The Pew study clearly shows that only 28% of children born from intermarriages are raised Jewish by religion while 93% of children from marriages where both parents are Jewish are raised Jewish by religion. It is also not clear how many of that 28% are actually Halachically Jewish. A Brandeis study states as its main finding that even though the Jewish community has become more welcoming there is still a lack of engagement on the part of intermarried couples. It is clear that the Torah was right intermarriage pulls people away from Judaism. It is intermarriage that is the issue.
High profile marriages do not make something wrong right and while intermarriage may be popular that should not be the litmus test for morality.
People in general and especially a rabbi must stand up for what is right even if it is unpopular and move their congregants in the right direction. People are looking for the rabbi to set the moral compass please give them that direction!
Rabbi Evan
Thank you for this thoughtful post and for all you and you congregation do to make interfaith families feel welcomed. In these times when it is so easy to form opinions of “the other” it is part of Tikkun Olam to see new pathways where we can all learn from our differences as well as our similarities.
What wonderful reflections. I am a United Methodist pastor and have at times struggled with interfaith marriages. Your thoughts have helped me quite a bit. You as a rabbi have also been very influential in my faith journey. Thank you