Jewish & Christian Intermarriage

Though the Jewish community has typically discouraged intermarriage, during the last half of the 20th century the number of marriages between Jews and non-Jews has significantly risen, "The social integration of Jews into American society was indicated by the rate of intermarriage, which rose from 6% in 1950 to over 30% in 1990" (Jews, 2003, 3). In today's increasingly secular and pluralist society, people of different faiths interact at school, work, and in social settings. It is inevitable that people will continue falling in love that are of different faiths, a fact that drives intermarriage. Marriages between Jews and Christians are typically discouraged by the Christian faith and Jewish faith. Issues from what holiday's to celebrate, what church and services to attend, alienation of orthodox family members, and in what faith to raise children are common challenges for marriages between Jews and Christians. The Central Conference of Rabbis adopted a resolution in 1973 that proclaimed "its opposition to participation by its members in any ceremony which solemnizes a mixed marriage", while Hirschberg (1990) argues that "in the Christian community, reactions to intermarriage are possibly more diversified" (21). This research will explore the views of the Jewish and Christian clergy in regard to intermarriage and the challenges, struggles, and successes experienced by Jewish and Christian couples.

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ndividual faiths and letting children choose whichever of them they prefer to follow. Some families practice both religions or a combination of the two. The issue becomes more complex when practice and education become issues for children. Typical decisions include: Will the child go to Synagogue on the Sabbath or church on Sundays? and Will the child go to Sunday school or to midweek Hebrew school? However, even though many of these issues can be resolved with support and tolerance by both partners, Christian and Jewish ideology are in stark contrast on some of these issues. Rabbi Maller (2003) maintains that Jewish history and culture makes it nearly impossible to blend the two faiths in any significant manner, and argues that the "love" of a couple cannot overcome such obstacles: "Most nominally religious Gentiles would think that it's better for children to be Christian than to be nothing at all. Most Jews, however, would prefer that their children be nothing rather than become Christians. Because most Jews are acutely conscious of a long history of Christian anti-Semitism, it is harder for Jews to enter a church than it is for Christians to enter a synagogue" (15). Other issues that are significant after marriage an

Category: Psychology - J