Interfaith Families

[PrideFamiliesSteven]

I'm wondering if there are other Interfaith families out there that are working through the issues of multiple faith traditions. My partner is Jewish and I am Christian. We are raising our daughter Jewish but introducing her to Christianity through my faith and traditions.

When we formed our family we did a lot of research on Interfaith issues. We read a lot of books and joined a number of Interfaith blogs/newsgroups. What we found was that "most" interfaith families have one partner that is very observant and one partner that is not very observant so the children were raised, by default, in the tradition of the stronger partner. In our situation, we are both very observant and involved in our faith traditions. We also participate in each others practices - Shabbat on Friday & church on Sunday.

I'm becoming keenly aware that I will soon have to explain my faith and beliefs to our daughter. I am also running interference with relatives that wonder why a Christian would allow his/her child to be raised Jewish.

Are there any families out there that have "found the answers"? We're always looking for insight and input.

Thanks.

[Crazy aka Cheryl]

I'm wondering if there are other Interfaith families out there that are working through the issues of multiple faith traditions. My partner is Jewish and I am Christian. We are raising our daughter Jewish but introducing her to Christianity through my faith and traditions.

When we formed our family we did a lot of research on Interfaith issues. We read a lot of books and joined a number of Interfaith blogs/newsgroups. What we found was that "most" interfaith families have one partner that is very observant and one partner that is not very observant so the children were raised, by default, in the tradition of the stronger partner. In our situation, we are both very observant and involved in our faith traditions. We also participate in each others practices - Shabbat on Friday & church on Sunday.

I'm becoming keenly aware that I will soon have to explain my faith and beliefs to our daughter. I am also running interference with relatives that wonder why a Christian would allow his/her child to be raised Jewish.

Are there any families out there that have "found the answers"? We're always looking for insight and input.

Thanks.
Hi,
I was in an interfaith relationship for 9 years.The 3 children ranged from 3 to 6 when it began.
We, as you do celebrated and observed both religious traditions and holiday's.
Your family that objects should politly be told that your family embraces and believes in God .
That you have as a family unit decided to raise your children to learn both faiths.
That you are not raising your child to be jewish you are affording her
the exposure to your religon to be educated as to your religious beliefs and
respecting the faith and the religious beliefs that the person you cose to spend your life with as well
A good way to explain to your daughter would be starting off with.
You know how families are made up in many ways some MOM's and Dad's some two MOMs and two Dad's.
Religon is like that too.Some people are Catholic and some Jewish that because they call God a different name and celebrate and God
in a different way it is OK.
That she is actually LUCKY cause some people only get to have one religon.
When your child is old enough she will decide which religon she believes and connects with.
At the end of the day when all is said and done
I think the important piece is that your child will be comfortable with it
as long as she feels that you and your partner are Ok with it.
The important fact here is that she has two loving parents that respect and embrace
that the world and everyone in it is diffeernt.
Differnt is OK
Incidentally my daughter who is 17 now is exploring Buddism.
We raised her with Christmas Trees and Menorah's

[Orlylee]

Thought this would be helpful to you and your family during the holidays. Harlyn Aizley's gay parenting blog found on www.parents.com/parents. Here you go...


The 12 Blogs of Christmas: A Partridge In A Pear Tree
Posted 12/4/2007 8:07 AM CST

Welcome to the 12 blogs of Christmas, festively lighting your way to the end of the month - which by the way, may or may not mark the end of this blog’s residence here, a fact I may or may not be at liberty to share. Oops. If this lesbian mom is shuffled off to Buffalo one can only hope another comes to take her place, us gay parents representing over 2 million households in the U.S. alone (with over 22 million dollars a year spent on our beloved children, dear advertisers, but who’s counting).

Oh I’m in a dreadful mood. It’s cold here like the arctic minus the adventure of a dog sled or a midnight sun. I’m awaiting mammogram results. Lucy and I are “struggling” to navigate the blending of family, the blending of lives. A reader accused me of being anti-marriage equality due to my last blog (of course all people deserve the right to have the government intervene in their private coupling, regardless of who they’re coupling with). And I overheard Betsy doing an imitation of me as she put her shoes on this morning. With set jaw and gritted teeth she grred, “I’m not going to brush your hair if you keep yelling at me. Tense. Tense. Tense.”

Geez. If I still got a regular period I could blame it all on PMS.

So pour your self a spiced mull cider, and hum a few bars with me, On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…


(Photo of Keith Partridge on a Christmas tree)


1. A Partridge In a Pear Tree:

In our home Hanukah has become a vehicle for Christmas, a weigh station on the road to bigger and better presents. It’s my fault. Last year I got my first Christmas tree ever. I didn’t get it because – as I told everyone – Betsy believes in Santa. I got a Christmas tree because I’d always wanted one.

What are children for if not excuses to do the things you otherwise couldn’t do as an adult but really want to like swing, trick or treat, eat Fruit Loops, or – if you’re Jewish - get a Christmas tree?

Every year I’d secretly coveted the smell of conifer, the twinkling lights, driving home with a tree strapped to the top of the car, decorating it to the accompaniment of Christmas carols and hot chocolate.

So last year Bets and I went out and got one, by golly. And though I felt dirty, like I had had an affair, this year we’re doing it again. Only now the tree has become larger than life, both figuratively and literally towering above and beyond the little menorah on our dining room table. Hanukah has taken a back seat to that holiday of holidays when a big man in a red suit breaks into your home while you sleep and loads your house with toys, far more seductive to a five year old than the commemoration of a container of oil.

To make matters worse, last year when Betsy’s preschool teachers served latkes on Hanukah, Betsy threw up.

To boost Hanukkah’s image and assuage my Jewish guilt, Betsy and I spent the day polishing our menorah. We worked for an hour until the silver shone like a mirror. Betsy was very proud and placed the menorah front and center on the dining room table.

Then she asked, “How many more days until Christmas?”

“Hanukah’s tomorrow,” I offered.

“How many candles can we light?”

“Just one. Well two if you count the shamos.”

“Aw.”

That’s the other problem with Hanukkah: it’s all long and slow and drawn out.

“But it lasts eight nights,” I tried a glass-is-half-full approach.

I suppose this all has nothing to do with the true meaning of either occasion, which likely is my fault too. For now we’re celebrating light - twinkling electric lights, and candle light, the coming of more daylight. Mine is the religion of light, where you can name a teddy bear anything you want, invite a beautiful conifer tree into your home no matter what, and light a gleaming menorah - all at the same time.