Dear Dawn: My dad is my Jewish parent and I was raised Reform. Being a “patrilineal Jew” was never discussed in my shul. My dad did tell me more traditional Jews wouldn’t accept me as Jewish, but honestly he seems more angry than helpful. In college I learned more about my status as I was…
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(This opinion piece originally appeared in the J-weekly on May 20, 2016) I’m looking forward to the “Growing Up Interfaith” conference. It’s still a bit uncomfortable to reveal that I am a so-called patrilineal Jew, but maybe it’s time for more of us to come out. I’m turning 50 this year, and it took…
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(This article originally appeared in my Mixed and Matched column in the J-weekly on June 7, 2019) Dear Dawn: My father is 100 percent Jewish and my mother is Christian. They tried to have an interfaith wedding in the ’70s and the Jews wouldn’t accept them. Unfortunately, my father turned his back on Judaism and…
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(This first appeared in my Mixed and Matched column in the J-weekly on May 15, 2019) Dear Dawn: My father is my Jewish parent and my parents did not raise me and my siblings with either of their religions. Instead they exposed us to the traditions of both. As an adult, I learned that in a…
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(This article originally appeared in my Mixed & Matched column in the J-weekly on 12/1/15) My mom is Jewish, my dad is Christian. Mom never had much interest in Judaism, and my brother and I were raised secular, with holidays from both our parents’ traditions. I’ve always been pulled to my Jewish side, and I…
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Dear Dawn: I was raised Reform and fit in fine at my congregation. But at college I met Jews with a lot of religious education, and when they learned my mom isn’t Jewish, they told me that I’m not Jewish — even quoting halachah to prove it. It was incredibly upsetting. I know now that I…
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