Being the Jewish part of an interfaith family isn't without its challenges. Especially when, like me, being the Jewish influence in my family is because I converted after I was married.
"Winterfaith" seems a much more apt description for me than "interfaith." We're not observing two religions; I was raised Jewish, and my partner was not. Together, we are raising our children as Jewish campers, and even after 15+ years of our relationship, 11 of which with at least one child, the winter holidays are when our "interfaith" background proves to be the most challenging.
One of my most treasured memories is of my husband buying Purim carnival wristbands for our children. This act might seem small, but it symbolized a significant shift for us. See, my husband isn't Jewish, but we are raising a Jewish family.
I’ve been pretty open about how I discovered my Jewish heritage and my subsequent decision to convert, in part to reclaim that part of my family’s identity.
You're expecting a baby or perhaps taking on a Hebrew name and looking for some sunny inspiration. Jewish tradition offers a rich array of names that evoke the beauty of summer and the Jewish holidays that fall during the summer months.
When I found out I was pregnant, my mind was immediately filled with questions and plans. When my son Logan was born at 34 weeks, many of those plans quickly changed.
While I think being in an interfaith relationship doesn't affect most of my day-to-day life, it does require an extra level of communication, patience, and respect.
Hanukkah is one of my favorite holidays, partially because it gives me the opportunity to give gifts to my loved ones every night for eight nights! Gift giving with intentionality is one of my favorite ways to express affection while teaching my child about Jewish values and traditions.
Earlier this year, on a beautiful spring day, we drove 30 minutes from our home in Philadelphia to a Thai temple and cultural center to celebrate Songkran, Thailand's Lunar New Year.
As I watched my son play, my mind would drift to mothers in Israel whose toddlers were no longer able to do so. My heart broke for the parents and young children who were caught in the crossfire of the war for no reason other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.