New York – Jews? Rabbis? Reform Movement Pushes For More Interfaith Couples

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    New York – A task force on intermarriage for the largest branch of American Judaism says the movement should create blessings marking major life events for interfaith couples.

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    The suggestion is one of many by Reform rabbis on making mixed-faith couples feel welcome.

    The intermarriage rate for U.S. Jews has been above 40 percent since at least the 1990s.

    The panel isn’t proposing a change in the movement’s policy on officiating at interfaith weddings. Reform Judaism formally opposes the practice but allows each rabbi to decide.

    Instead, the panel is recommending creating blessings for weddings and other life events involving a non-Jewish spouse.

    The report was released Monday at a California meeting of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.


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    52 Comments
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    joe shmoe
    joe shmoe
    14 years ago

    Guess they are falling apart, they have to look for more ways to boost membership. Nebach

    chief doofis
    chief doofis
    14 years ago

    They can bless all they want. Ess vet zey gornisht helfen. What blessing is there for a Gentile boy of 13 to put on t’fillin? At a wedding, “bikibuts baneha” Nebech the almona bas tzion is crying, these are not my children!

    The only appropriate bracha, is the one for Baloney, only this type of baloney doesn’t merit a shehakol!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The appropriate bracha is “hamavdil”

    berel
    berel
    14 years ago

    #’s 1,2,3,4 are you worried what christian, catholic, protestant,hindu cleregy decide?no, as it doesnt pertain to judaism ,its not our concern..so why the more for these keystone club ‘leaders’.they dont practice judaism dont believe in torah, the written and the oral is min hashumayim, many individual ‘clergy’ dont believe in diety so this has nothing to do with judaism

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    This is a great idea — make a special blessing for when these “interfaith families” light their kratzmach trees.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Largest branch of American Judaism? How exactly do you define or identify a reform jew?

    tisamer saaros roshi
    tisamer saaros roshi
    14 years ago

    These poshei-ochrei yisroel reform clergy don’t realize that no blessing in the world can help someone who is doing something which the very act constitutes a curse.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Here’s a life event to celebrate. When one’s non-Jewish interfaith kid marries a non-Jew with a galach in church and tosses the last fragments of what he deems the silly superstitious ways of his grandparents in the river.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Isn’t it amazing that gedoli Yisroel saw this coming 100 years ago we should trust them on everything else

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Personally, I would make an “asher yotsar”… Flush.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    you really dont see the larger picture the next generartion may see themselves as true jews become religious and marry unless the mother is a jew you now have a problem that may not be found this is a problem we all should recognize

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    No. They don’t all believe in God. In Gates of Prayer, the Reform servicebook, there is an option for a “Non-theistic service.” Nebach.

    Dave
    Dave
    14 years ago

    The nerve of those Reform ‘Rabbis’. Don’t they know that the proper role of a Rabbi is to lobby for Jewish Criminals, and cover up molestation cases?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    If they had faith they’d do what Hashem wants, why call in interfaith? They have no faith.

    Aryeh
    Aryeh
    14 years ago

    How about “Dayan Emes”?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Everyone knows that the Reform movement is falling apart and is begging to get more followers. As they don’t believe in Torah M’Sinai anyway, what difference does it make to them if there is a mixture of everyone and anyone in their followers? They are a mockery and a chilul HaShem, posing as part of Jewish belief when there is absolutely no connection to Judaism. The reason they’re falling apart is because people who seek ‘religious’ faith (as so many American Jews, r’l, are completely ignorant of their heritage) can find nothing spiritual or real in the reform or reconstructionist movements. These are Jews who as we say, are like kidnapped children. We really do need Moshiach NOW!

    A. Nuran
    A. Nuran
    14 years ago

    I have a modest proposal. Maybe the Orthodox should adopt this as a solution to the shidduch crisis, for girls only of course. Before you start screaming, consider the advantages:

    – All those girls would get married. 22 or 23 isn’t past a girl’s “sell by” date in the larger society

    – It would give the quiet and out-of-town girls someone to marry

    – No shadchan to pay, no Q-clearance background checks

    – The crisis would be over. Or at least “out of sight, out of mind”

    – Cheaper. Nobody except some Muslims and Hindus expect dowries

    – The girls’ children would be as Jewish as Rashi. And we could hasten the coming of Moshiach by bringing them to Torah

    Allan
    Allan
    14 years ago

    As one brought up in a traditional but not overly observant family I find the actions of the reform movement to be disgusting. To openly promote breaking of the rules is just pushing the envelope way too far. I am what I am but I don’t encourage others to break the rules as the reform movement does.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Reform have a new blessing on smoking marijuana: …hamotzi marijuana min haaretz.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The founder of the Reform Movement, Geiger YMSVZ, was a Pauline Christian. The Reform Movement’s philosophy was founded totally on Pauline Christian belief. It is in no way a Jewish Movement. We must rescue as many true Yidden from this unholy Movement of Sheker.