A damn good question was sent into my Mixed and Matched column in the Jweekly! Why am I not considered Jewish even though my mother converted to Reform Judaism? My father is Jewish by birth. I’m dating an Orthodox Jewish guy, and his mother has asked me what kind of conversion my mother went through,…
Read More »Adult Child of an Interfaith Family
I want to raise Christian kids with Jewish holidays

One of the challenges for people who have grown up in an interfaith family that has created its own little universe is that there’s not necessarily a community that one can join that reflects your choices. Here’s one woman’s difficulty. My mother was raised Jewish and converted to Christianity when she married my Christian…
Read More »Fall 2016 Events
Here’s autumn! Time to consider what we want to do in the upcoming Jewish year of 5777. Here are all the workshops and classes scheduled from Building Jewish Bridges. I hope you’ll find something you like. As always, feel free to email me (dawn@buildingjewishbridges.org) if you have a topic that you’d like to see offered….
Read More »Coming this Fall for Adults from Interfaith Families
Being Black, Asian, Danish…and Jewish — Taking Charge of Your Jewish Identity Adults from interfaith families often have their Jewish identity challenged by both Jews and non-Jews. Having a name that is not perceived as Jewish, like Anderson, Christiansen, O’Toole, or Wong, can lead to questions like, “How did you get to be Jewish?” For…
Read More »Taking Charge of Your Jewish Identity
Taking Charge of Your Jewish Identity Being Black, Asian, Danish… and Jewish Adults from interfaith families often have their Jewish identity challenged by both Jews and non-Jews. Having a name that is not perceived as Jewish, like Anderson, Christiansen, O’Toole, or Wong, can lead to questions like, “How did you get to be Jewish?” For…
Read More »I wish I’d learned about my Jewish side as a child
The following message was sent to me via my monthly column, Mixed and Matched – My dad is Jewish, but my parents raised me with no religion at all. I’ve always been spiritually minded and wanted a connection to God. I found a rabbi who was very kind and sympathetic. I told her that I…
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