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| Pâ•qidꞋ Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋ u |
2003.09.17 – Chicago Tribune (RedEye Edition, 2003.09.16) columnist Alison Neumer cites the NJPS 2000-01: "47 percent married a non-Jew, up from 43 percent in 1990, according to the just-released National Jewish Population Survey 2000-01." This, she argues, "makes the disapproving reactions unwise. If intermarriage is so common, it would be better to accept it and work with it. Instead, some Jewish leaders last week told newspapers that it is a 'threat' that requires action before more Jews are 'lost.' "
Ms. Neumer argues the hotly debated question of whether interfaith couples should be "treated amicably," so as not to be turned off to Judaism and the Jewish community, rather than spurned.
Her Reformed 'rabbi' blames spurning [rather than the conspicuous religious conflict and confusion within the family unit] for "Only one-third of children from interfaith marriages are raised Jewish, according to the population report, which was sponsored by United Jewish Communities." She carefully refrains from identifying her 'rabbi' as Reformed, knowing that, to the general public, 'rabbi' is 'rabbi.'
Even her 'rabbi' states that "Ninety-five percent of the time, when children are exposed to both religions, they ultimately identify with neither."
Then she indicts her own sister. "My sister set the example a few years ago: She puts up a Christmas tree with her Episcopalian husband, and they share responsibility for their children's bi-religious education. We also belong to a synagogue that warmly receives interfaith couples."
She admits in her article that her boyfriend is Catholic – the voice of 'the lost in ignorance' to 'the lost in ignorance,' arguing that 'lost in ignorance' is ok. Yet, according to her article, "no one has scolded me yet."
She is now firmly scolded.
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