Big Tent Judaism

Bar/Bat Mitavahs and Interfaith Families

Planning a bar or bat mitzvah is one of the most time-consuming and rewarding tasks for families in the Jewish community. Often it takes years of training and preparation by both parents and children – driving to and from lessons, learning to read Torah, writing speeches – to reach this terrific milestone in the life of a young Jew. Today, many intermarried families and children of intermarriage undergo the same rigorous preparations, yet long-held traditions create barriers when it comes to the participation of the non-Jewish parent and his or her side of the family.

Writing in the Cleveland Jewish News, JOI identified five areas where synagogues and communities can include intermarried families in bar and bat mitzvah rituals while still respecting both tradition and Jewish law. Life-cycle events like these are not just a celebration of a single person or family, but a celebration of the entire community. Finding ways to engage intermarried families – and people of all backgrounds – will show that everyone is welcome to stand under our Big Tent.

Happy Father’s Day!

With Father’s Day coming up this Sunday, June 20, the Jewish Outreach Institute created the Father’s Day card below to celebrate men of all backgrounds raising Jewish children. We invite you to share this card with all of the fathers you know who are helping to secure a vibrant Jewish future.