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December 1, 2000/Kislev 10, 5761, Vol. 53, No.10
Make identity-building a priority
RABBI JEROME M. EPSTEIN
Special to Jewish News
A recent American Jewish Committee study revealing a growing acceptance by American Jews of intermarriage should be no surprise. Most of us have relatives or close Jewish friends who have married non-Jews.
Although every Jewish institution must play a role in a Jewish renaissance, the synagogue may be best poised to disseminate the message of inmarriage. We must make a commitment to the future by educating all Jews to the importance of marrying within the faith.
Experiential programs for teenagers and young adults create stronger bonds of Jewish living. The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's new campaign to aggressively reach out to unaffiliated Conservative Jewish youth will cost more than $100,000 a year. Our initiative to strengthen Jewish identity through an expanded KOACH and Yeshiva Program for those in college and beyond have also required new allocations of funds that total, minimally, an additional $150,000 a year.
We must find the resources to combat anonymity and strengthen Jewish ties. We must restructure synagogue and other communal agendas to make it a priority for each involved Jew to link with others who are less involved.
People influence people. Those who care about inmarriage must articulate this value. Whether the message is immediately accepted or not, it has import in the creation of the attitude toward intermarriage. Those who reject our message before marriage may be open to hear it later. Those who will not accept this message may nevertheless permit their spouses to raise Jewish children.
The Jewish community is in crisis. We must either accept the data and change our own value system, thereby signaling our surrender, or we must make a renewed effort to strengthen Jewish identity.
Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein is the executive vice president of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America.
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