Helping Interfaith Intermarried Couples

Hello my name is Gale Ginsberg and the topic of this video is help for inter religious families. Statistic show that in the United States today half of marriages involving a Jewish person will be to someone of a non Jewish background this is the reality of living in an open diver’s society. There are couples who manage to work out the differences lovingly and creatively other straggle and eventually may even fall apart over these differences a recent article in the New York Times talk about the struggles over the religious identity of children when inter married relationships break up. It takes a sad toll on everyone involve parents and grand parents of inter married couples also can be a help in dealing with this relationships when you fall in love with an individual from a different religious or cultural background you will be in reach and you will be challenge very often couples and families initially try to gloss over the differences hoping that time will take care of it or they will figure it out later.

Even if the non Jewish partner converts to Judaism some of the same issues still remain. This issues can include the wedding it self rabbi, minister, or both holidays can we have a Christmas three birth rituals baptism or briss deciding on the shape of the children’s religious education working trough conflicts with in laws and other family members even down to the placement of religious rituals items in the home I recently heard of one couple who broke up over the Jewish spouses desire to place a bazuza on the door post of there home what to do. I recommend that couples begin by taking the issues one by one find a peaceful time and place to define and discuss the issue respectfully give each other the opportunity to present there prospective and attempt to work out a compromise then promise to stick with the plant if you are not able to come up with a resolution sink out a council who has specific experience in working with inter religious couples.

In my experience helping couples with this very real conflicts I thought I find that the premarital or marital counseling based on the well known and respected prepare in rich inventory is invaluable. Parents and grand parents of inter married couples also may benefit from support of counseling if you have any questions please feel free to contact me at any time and I wish all best to you.


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