RJ Blog

When the founders of modern Zionism hoped that having a country of their own would make Jews like all other nations, they didn’t think that the Jews would adopt any of the despicable traits of the anti-Semites among whom they lived in dispersion. The aim of Zionism was not only to liberate the Jews from their perilous existence as pariahs but also to enable them to live by the highest ideals of their tradition. Yet more than six decades after the establishment of the State of Israel that has indeed afforded Jews who settled here freedom from persecution  – and [...]

by Mark Wendel My Rabbi motions me to come up to the bemah. I am reading a Psalm in front of the congregation. The week before we were worshiping in a church I had actually looked forward to being in a church – the first time in decades. I remember Dad reading Psalms in front of our congregation back when I was a Christian. Because of Dad I am now part of a religion again, I never even cared to talk to him about religion back when I was anti-religious. Last year we had plenty to talk about. This year [...]

by Pat Whitlock “So, how many children do you want?”  Not an unusual question for a man to ask his girlfriend when he is beginning to think about a future with her.  However, when I heard this question, it came from the cute, industrious Israeli I had been dating for about six months and I actually laughed.  “You mean grandchildren, right?”  You see, at 38, I had been a single parent for 18 years, and I was looking forward to the next phase of my life.   But, as we continued to talk, I started to think that parenting with a [...]

by Rabbi Brian I. Michaelson It was Yom Kippur morning.  I had just sat down after doing the blessing of the non-Jewish spouse and introducing the Haftarah portion.  As I sat, I kept thinking about the fact that we have done the blessing of the non-Jewish spouse for a number of years and I know that it was appreciated, but what else were we doing for them?  It was then that the idea came to me that I should set up some kind of meeting with the non-Jewish spouses who are part of the congregation.  This was the moment when [...]

by Marcia Brandt Frezza Several years ago my husband Tony and I moved to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and joined Congregation Beth Yam.  What a blessing for us to find this amazing community!  What is unique about Congregation Beth Yam is that the  we have developed  a culture of caring that is part of the fiber of our congregation.  We believe when it comes to the members of our congregation you cannot talk the talk without walking the walk.

by Annette Powers It was over brunch on our fourth date when I told him, “This can’t go anywhere…I’m Jewish and you’re not.” After years of Jewish camp, Hebrew school and lectures from my parents, I was fairly certain that the eleventh commandment was “Thou shalt meet a nice Jewish boy, get married and have beautiful Jewish babies.” With an ancestral chain of more than 2,000 years I couldn’t bear the guilt of deviating from the plan. After all, my people had been fighting for survival for lo these many centuries. Who was I to go and ruin it all [...]

by Rabbi Joshua Caruso The impending holiday season evokes feelings of joy, faith, and togetherness. Yet, for some it is a time of conflict and struggle – particularly for families that include people who come from different faith traditions. I can identify. My Jewish mother and Italian Catholic father were both fairly disconnected from their faiths when I was born. Yet, Christmastime seemed to wash away any feelings of spiritual ambivalence for my dad. As a child I would spend Christmas Eve with him, helping him decorate the plastic tree in his small Manhattan apartment.  I particularly remember cutting out [...]

by Cantor Regina Lambert-Hayut A few years ago, at an oneg, I was talking to an interfaith prospective family.  The non-Jewish mother wanting to raise Jewish children but was frustrated.  She told me the following story: her husband had grown up in a congregation where his beloved childhood rabbi was still serving the congregation.  They went to see the rabbi hoping he would marry them.  The rabbi told them that he didn’t believe that they should get married since Jews should only marry Jews.  If the bride were to convert, he was happy to officiate.  If she didn’t, he wouldn’t [...]

by Shelly Cyprus My husband and I have six children. Three suffer from adult-onset Gaucher’s Disease, a genetic disorder prevalent among East European Ashkenazi Jews.  While the modern miracle of enzyme replacement therapy has allowed them to live relatively normal lives, we are all in favor of expanding the gene pool.  Several of our children have obliged.  Their interfaith marriages mirror the growing trend in American society today. In fact, in the Reform congregation in Boise, Idaho, where my daughter and her family worship, ALL of the marriages involve a non-Jewish spouse. Until our youngest grandson, now six years old, [...]

by Irene Bolton “Welcome to our religious school.”  I have said these five words so many times in my career as a Jewish educator.  For some families, these words are comforting and connecting.  They bring up images of Jewish family tradition and life cycle events. For other families, these words can sound threatening and even stir up doubt and uncertainty.  For parents raising Jewish children when one partner is of another faith, enrolling students in religious school can be daunting – even when there has been a long standing agreement and commitment to raise Jewish children. Our policy regarding religious [...]