Feeling confident as a Jew can be complicated for individuals with one Jewish parent and one non-Jewish parent. For people who have a Jewish mother, Jewish law (halachah) is on your side. No matter how you were raised, if you decide you want to identify as Jewish, the Jewish world accepts you. But it may…
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A Non-Jewish Mother Reflects on Raising Jewish Children
In January 2014 my Mixed and Matched column addressed the concerns a Jewish Dad had about his wife’s ‘failure’ to raise the kids Jewish. Many people reacted to the article with some anger at his failure to take responsibility for raising his own children. But some non-Jewish spouses had other thoughts. One non-Jewish mother had…
Read More »The Joys and Challenges of Raising Jewish Children in Interfaith Families
For Interfaith, intercultural families and those who love them Children offer us the remarkable opportunity to become our better selves. They challenge our assumptions, our patience, and our certainty. They also fill us with pride, worry, joy and a reason to make sacrifices. In a generation that has tried to balance freedom with discipline, children’s…
Read More »Teach Your Children Well
What do you want your children to remember you for? What values are you working to instill? What cultural and/or spiritual message do you want to impart? Many interfaith couples share core values. This class gives you an opportunity to articulate those values for yourself, your spouse, and especially for your children. What a wonderful…
Read More »Will I feel uncomfortable if my child is a different religion?
One of the concerns that is raised by interfaith couples who are thinking about having children is – will I feel different or separate from my child if they are raised in a religion not my own? This is not strictly a problem for male parents but it is more common for men. I…
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