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Two more Reform rabbis to marry interfaith couples
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| Rabbi Roger Klein officiates at the 2007 marriage of Sarah and Ben Weiss, who are both Jewish. PHOTO/LCD PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY |
By MARILYN H. KARFELD
Senior Staff Reporter
In
what they call an effort to be more inclusive, two rabbis at The
Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood have decided that they will now
officiate at weddings of some interfaith couples.
Both Rabbi Richard Block and Rabbi Roger Klein say they independently arrived at their decisions, and their change in stance does not affect the policies of other clergy at the Reform temple, one of the largest in the area. The news was announced in a letter Block sent last month to members of the congregation.
The decision is “by far the hardest one that rabbis and cantors confront” as they “seek to embrace our congregants … at pivotal life moments, remain faithful to the principles of Jewish tradition … and contribute to the future of the Jewish People,” Block wrote to congregants.
Marrying interfaith couples is fairly common practice among Reform rabbis in some American cities. In some congregations, rabbis say their willingness to do so is a litmus test for hiring. But in Cleveland, the majority of Reform clergy have declined to marry Jews to non-Jews.
The Central Conference of American Rabbis passed its most recent resolution on the subject in 1973, stating the group’s opposition to rabbis participating in interfaith ceremonies, JTA reports. But the resolution does not forbid them from doing so, in effect leaving the choice up to each rabbi.
The umbrella organization of Reform rabbis considered placing a resolution condoning interfaith officiation on the 2006 conference agenda. However, the resolution was dropped, considered too controversial.
Orthodox and Conservative rabbis are not permitted to perform intermarriages; Reconstructionist, Humanist, and unaffiliated rabbis make their own decisions, JTA said.
There was no pivotal moment or precipitating event that led to his change in position, Block wrote in an e-mail to the CJN. Rather, after a long period of reflection and discussion with clergy colleagues at The Temple, the decision reflects his best effort to balance important considerations, he said.
The rabbis will only officiate at the weddings of couples “in our congregational family” who are “committed to raising Jewish children, creating a Jewish home, and participating in the life of the community,” the letter continued.
To Block, the last stipulation means the couple should commit to joining and maintaining membership in a synagogue. He also will ask interfaith couples to take an introduction to Judaism course, but he will not insist that the non-Jewish partner consider conversion.
However, “I will urge them to do so,” Block says. It’s his experience that a good number of non-Jewish partners in interfaith marriages ultimately choose to become Jewish.
Rabbi Klein says he has thought about this issue for a long time. “It became increasingly clear to me that my refusal to perform marriage ceremonies between a Jew and a non-Jew was simply not the right thing to do.”
He will ask interfaith couples to commit themselves to “a strong Jewish future” by joining The Temple or another synagogue if they live out of town, Klein wrote in an e-mail to the CJN. Like Block, he wants the engaged couple to enroll in an introduction to Judaism class.
While he will discuss with them their commitment to creating a Jewish home and raising Jewish children, Klein will not “require” the non-Jew to consider conversion.
The board of directors at The Temple recognizes that this is a rabbinic decision alone and did not instigate the change in policy, notes Klein. Although he and Block had several conversations on the topic, Klein said he arrived at his decision by first restating his goals as a rabbi: “To do everything in my power to help create and strengthen Jewish families and to assure a vigorous, expansive and sturdy Jewish future.”
A blanket refusal to conduct any and all interfaith marriage ceremonies undermined those objectives, Klein concluded. Instead, he decided welcoming as many couples as he could was the better approach.
Both rabbis say occasionally congregants have asked them in the past to officiate at interfaith ceremonies. But they say their decision to do so was not due to congregational pressure.
Block and Klein will marry interfaith couples at The Temple and at other venues, but neither will co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy, they say.
The feedback from the congregation concerning their decision has been overwhelmingly positive, the rabbis say. One congregant e-mailed Block with his strong support of the new policy, saying that this shows the congregation is “truly inclusive” and recognizes the reality that many Jews choose to marry outside the faith.
Another congregant wrote Block that “this action will mean the difference between children having God in their lives or not.”
The strong support – people expressed their “excitement, gratitude and pride in being a member of the congregation” – gives Block hope that his decision will “enable us to draw many couples closer to Judaism and our congregation.”
mkarfeld@cjn.org
To officiate or not? Each rabbi decides
Estimates indicate that about half of Reform rabbis in the U.S. will perform interfaith weddings, and their ranks are growing every year, JTA reported in 2006.
Indeed, two rabbis at The Temple-Tifereth Israel, a leading Reform congregation, have recently decided to marry interfaith couples, although a brief survey indicates other area Reform clergy have not changed their stance on the issue.
Rabbis on both sides of the debate say to marry interfaith couples – or not – will help strengthen Judaism. But a study at Brandeis University’s Cohen Institute indicates that a rabbi’s position on performing interfaith marriages plays no role in whether a couple feels welcome in the Jewish community, JTA said.
An informal CJN survey reveals:
At Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, whether or not to officiate at interfaith weddings is up to the discretion of each clergyperson. Rabbi Arturo Kalfus and incoming Senior Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, who arrives this summer, will perform interfaith marriages, if certain criteria are met. Rabbi Joshua Caruso and Cantor Sarah Sager will not.
Rabbi Alan Lettofsky of Beth Israel-The West Temple has not changed his practice and will only officiate at marriages between two Jews.
Rabbi Stephen Denker of Temple Emanu El in Orange does not officiate at interfaith weddings, nor does Cantor Laurel Barr.
Rabbi Estelle Gottman Mills of Congregation Kol Chadash in Solon says she has officiated at interfaith unions for a number of years. Membership in the congregation is not required. However, Mills will not co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy.
Rabbi Matthew Eisenberg of Temple Israel Ner Tamid in Mayfield Heights has married interfaith couples since he arrived in Cleveland in 1996. This is the best way to “conserve the Jewish people and get Jewish grandkids,” he says.
In addition to raising any children Jewish, the couple must agree to maintain a Jewish home and not celebrate non-Jewish holidays. “The Christmas tree must stay at the grandparents’ home,” Eisenberg says. He also will not co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy.
Rabbi Eric Bram of Suburban Temple-Kol Ami in Beachwood will officiate at interfaith unions at the temple or other venues, but the couple (or parent) must join the synagogue. He does not co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy.
–M. H. Karfeld
Both Rabbi Richard Block and Rabbi Roger Klein say they independently arrived at their decisions, and their change in stance does not affect the policies of other clergy at the Reform temple, one of the largest in the area. The news was announced in a letter Block sent last month to members of the congregation.
The decision is “by far the hardest one that rabbis and cantors confront” as they “seek to embrace our congregants … at pivotal life moments, remain faithful to the principles of Jewish tradition … and contribute to the future of the Jewish People,” Block wrote to congregants.
Marrying interfaith couples is fairly common practice among Reform rabbis in some American cities. In some congregations, rabbis say their willingness to do so is a litmus test for hiring. But in Cleveland, the majority of Reform clergy have declined to marry Jews to non-Jews.
The Central Conference of American Rabbis passed its most recent resolution on the subject in 1973, stating the group’s opposition to rabbis participating in interfaith ceremonies, JTA reports. But the resolution does not forbid them from doing so, in effect leaving the choice up to each rabbi.
The umbrella organization of Reform rabbis considered placing a resolution condoning interfaith officiation on the 2006 conference agenda. However, the resolution was dropped, considered too controversial.
Orthodox and Conservative rabbis are not permitted to perform intermarriages; Reconstructionist, Humanist, and unaffiliated rabbis make their own decisions, JTA said.
There was no pivotal moment or precipitating event that led to his change in position, Block wrote in an e-mail to the CJN. Rather, after a long period of reflection and discussion with clergy colleagues at The Temple, the decision reflects his best effort to balance important considerations, he said.
The rabbis will only officiate at the weddings of couples “in our congregational family” who are “committed to raising Jewish children, creating a Jewish home, and participating in the life of the community,” the letter continued.
To Block, the last stipulation means the couple should commit to joining and maintaining membership in a synagogue. He also will ask interfaith couples to take an introduction to Judaism course, but he will not insist that the non-Jewish partner consider conversion.
However, “I will urge them to do so,” Block says. It’s his experience that a good number of non-Jewish partners in interfaith marriages ultimately choose to become Jewish.
Rabbi Klein says he has thought about this issue for a long time. “It became increasingly clear to me that my refusal to perform marriage ceremonies between a Jew and a non-Jew was simply not the right thing to do.”
He will ask interfaith couples to commit themselves to “a strong Jewish future” by joining The Temple or another synagogue if they live out of town, Klein wrote in an e-mail to the CJN. Like Block, he wants the engaged couple to enroll in an introduction to Judaism class.
While he will discuss with them their commitment to creating a Jewish home and raising Jewish children, Klein will not “require” the non-Jew to consider conversion.
The board of directors at The Temple recognizes that this is a rabbinic decision alone and did not instigate the change in policy, notes Klein. Although he and Block had several conversations on the topic, Klein said he arrived at his decision by first restating his goals as a rabbi: “To do everything in my power to help create and strengthen Jewish families and to assure a vigorous, expansive and sturdy Jewish future.”
A blanket refusal to conduct any and all interfaith marriage ceremonies undermined those objectives, Klein concluded. Instead, he decided welcoming as many couples as he could was the better approach.
Both rabbis say occasionally congregants have asked them in the past to officiate at interfaith ceremonies. But they say their decision to do so was not due to congregational pressure.
Block and Klein will marry interfaith couples at The Temple and at other venues, but neither will co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy, they say.
The feedback from the congregation concerning their decision has been overwhelmingly positive, the rabbis say. One congregant e-mailed Block with his strong support of the new policy, saying that this shows the congregation is “truly inclusive” and recognizes the reality that many Jews choose to marry outside the faith.
Another congregant wrote Block that “this action will mean the difference between children having God in their lives or not.”
The strong support – people expressed their “excitement, gratitude and pride in being a member of the congregation” – gives Block hope that his decision will “enable us to draw many couples closer to Judaism and our congregation.”
mkarfeld@cjn.org
To officiate or not? Each rabbi decides
Estimates indicate that about half of Reform rabbis in the U.S. will perform interfaith weddings, and their ranks are growing every year, JTA reported in 2006.
Indeed, two rabbis at The Temple-Tifereth Israel, a leading Reform congregation, have recently decided to marry interfaith couples, although a brief survey indicates other area Reform clergy have not changed their stance on the issue.
Rabbis on both sides of the debate say to marry interfaith couples – or not – will help strengthen Judaism. But a study at Brandeis University’s Cohen Institute indicates that a rabbi’s position on performing interfaith marriages plays no role in whether a couple feels welcome in the Jewish community, JTA said.
An informal CJN survey reveals:
At Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, whether or not to officiate at interfaith weddings is up to the discretion of each clergyperson. Rabbi Arturo Kalfus and incoming Senior Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, who arrives this summer, will perform interfaith marriages, if certain criteria are met. Rabbi Joshua Caruso and Cantor Sarah Sager will not.
Rabbi Alan Lettofsky of Beth Israel-The West Temple has not changed his practice and will only officiate at marriages between two Jews.
Rabbi Stephen Denker of Temple Emanu El in Orange does not officiate at interfaith weddings, nor does Cantor Laurel Barr.
Rabbi Estelle Gottman Mills of Congregation Kol Chadash in Solon says she has officiated at interfaith unions for a number of years. Membership in the congregation is not required. However, Mills will not co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy.
Rabbi Matthew Eisenberg of Temple Israel Ner Tamid in Mayfield Heights has married interfaith couples since he arrived in Cleveland in 1996. This is the best way to “conserve the Jewish people and get Jewish grandkids,” he says.
In addition to raising any children Jewish, the couple must agree to maintain a Jewish home and not celebrate non-Jewish holidays. “The Christmas tree must stay at the grandparents’ home,” Eisenberg says. He also will not co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy.
Rabbi Eric Bram of Suburban Temple-Kol Ami in Beachwood will officiate at interfaith unions at the temple or other venues, but the couple (or parent) must join the synagogue. He does not co-officiate with non-Jewish clergy.
–M. H. Karfeld
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