Children of Families Where One Partner is Jewish
Synagogue families where one partner is a member of the Jewish community and the other partner is not are invited to place their young children in our schools, whether they are the children of a Jewish mother or a Jewish father. While the Jewish world wrestles with the question of patrilineal descent, we believe that it is important to begin a child's Jewish education early. It may be helpful to remind potential members that every single child in the congregation is immersed in the mikveh (ritual pool) prior to bar and bat mitzvah, as a regular part of our eucational program. In practical terms, it means that children of Jewish fathers can formalize their Jewish commitments at the same time their classmates are experiencing mikveh in preparation for bar and bat mitzvah. Many have done so, with the support of both parents.
Please open a conversation early along with Rabbi Fitzerman on all of the issues that may be on your mind. We have worked hard to resolve the question of inclusion, particularly in connection with life-cycle events. Every parent should be privileged to take pleasure from their childrens' achievement, and to participate meaningfully in milestone celebrations.
B'nai Emunah honors parents who may not be members of the Jewish community for placing their children within the orbit of the Synagogue. We believe that the experience of authentic belonging to a religious community is one of the essential ways we ground our children in a secure identity. That such parents sometimes set aside their own religious commitments to ensure such belonging is an act of great generosity. The Synagogue does not take such behavior for granted and offers its admiration and thanks.
