Insight

Remember
When • •

Survey Says

Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the
Reform movement's Union of American
Hebrew Congregations, said the survey
illustrates the need for the Jewish com-
munity to welcome intermarried families,
something his movement does.
"We can't pretend it's a reality differ-
ent from what it is," said Rabbi Yoffie,
married, compared to 57 percent of
adding, "In the unique climate of this
Conservative Jews, 27 percent of
wonderful, diverse, democratic, open
Reform Jews and 19 percent of those
culture of ours, there's going to be
who said they are "just Jewish."
intermarriage."
But he said the survey
should
not be read as a sign
Intermarriage Rates
that the American Jewish
In 1990, shock waves rippled
community is just assimilat-
through the American Jewish
ing. While there may be
world when the National Jewish
widespread acceptance of
Population Survey reported that 52
intermarriage, there is "also a
percent of Jews who had married
revival of religious life at
between 1985 and 1990 had wed
every level," Rabbi Yoffie
Rabb i Yoffie
non-Jews. That number was dis-
pointed out.
puted as too high by some sociolo-
Rabbi Kenneth Hain, pres-
gists, but most agreed that inter-
ident of the Rabbinical
marriage rates are still significant.
Council of America, an
David Singer, who as the
organization of Orthodox
AJCommittee's director of
rabbis, said he is "saddened,"
research oversees the annual sur-
but not surprised, by the sur-
vey, called the findings "very, very
vey. "From an Orthodox per-
dramatic."
spective, it really does affirm
"This is the amcha speaking,
Rabb i Hain
our resolve to try to do more
and what we hear is rather eye-
to make Jewish tradition
opening," he said, using the
meaningful to people," he said.
Hebrew expression for the grass roots.
The finding reaffirms the need for
"This constitutes a tremendous challenge
more Jewish education, said Rabbi
to people and groups that want to main-
Hain. "To appeal to Jews on ethnic
tain the opposition to mixed marriage."
grounds, or simply sentimental
The AJCommittee has issued state-
grounds, or even family attachment
ments opposing intermarriage.
grounds" not to marry gentiles is "gen-
Rabbi Alan Silverstein, who has writ- erally to no avail."
ten several books for the Conservative
movement on how to respond to inter-
marriage, said he is disturbed, but not
Be Welcoming
surprised, by the survey's findings.
Ed Case, the publisher of
But he noted that statistics on inter-
InterfaithFamily.com , an Internet
marriage can be misleading because there magazine serving 12,000 readers, said
are such sharply divergent attitudes in
he is pleased to learn of the widespread
the Jewish community. Unaffiliated and
acceptance among Jews for the inter-
intermarried Jews, of which there are a
married.
growing number, are far less likely to
"Rather than bemoaning intermar-
oppose intermarriage, he said.
riage, which is just going to be increas-
That obscures, he said, the fact that the ingly common, the smart and produc-
majority of synagogue-affiliated Jews —
tive thing for the Jewish community to
particularly Conservative and Orthodox
do is to reach out," said Case, himself
ones — remain opposed to intermar-
intermarried.
riage, even if they would not disown
He added: "One of the things our
their children for marrying gentiles.
readers say that puts them off is that
"On something in which there's such they have had hostile, unwelcoming
a split between demographic sectors of
reactions from individual Jews or
the population, one overall number is
Jewish organizations." ❑
not helpful," said Silverstein.

U.S. Jews accept intermarriage
in growing numbers: AJCommittee.

JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

New York
n September, Sen. Joseph
Lieberman came under fire
from many Jewish organiza-
tions for telling a radio talk
show host that there is no Jewish pro-
hibition against intermarriage.
But according to a survey released
last week, Lieberman's comments
reflect the beliefs of the majority of
American Jews. In short, according to
the survey, "the Jewish taboo on mixed
marriage has clearly collapsed."
More than half of American Jews dis-
agree with the statement, "It would pain
me if my child married a gentile," and 50
percent agree that "it is racist to oppose
Jewish-gentile marriages," according to
the American Jewish Committee's 2000
Survey of American Jewish Opinion.
It was the first time the annual
phone survey of 1,010 Jews — which
tracks Jewish attitudes about Israel,
anti-Semitism and political issues —
asked for attitudes about intermarriage.
Findings on Israel and political mat-
ters were consistent with recent years
— showing strong attachments to
Israel, concern about anti-Semitism
and generally liberal political views,
with 75 percent reporting they planned
to vote for Al Gore for president.
On intermarriage, 78 percent of
respondents said they favor rabbinic
officiation at Jewish-gentile marriages
"in some form and under some cir-
cumstances," while only 15 percent are
opposed to this.
But the majority of American rabbis
do not officiate at intermarriages:
Conservative and Orthodox rabbis are
forbidden to do so, while an estimated
half of Reform rabbis refuse to officiate.
Only the Orthodox, among the vari-
ous groupings of American Jews in the
survey, maintain strong opposition to
mixed marriage — and they do so by a
large majority. Eighty-four percent of
the Orthodox surveyed said they
would be pained if their child inter-

I

It's Reality

From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

1990

Rabbi Meir Kahane, Jewish
Defense League founder, was assas-
sinated in New York.
New York Gov. Mario Cuomo
spoke at the anniversary dinner of
Yeshiva Beth Yehuda in Southfield.
The Jewish Book Fair at the
Jewish Community Center marked
its 39th anniversary.

A leading Chabad Chasid in Israel,
the Rabbi of Lydda, Shraga
Elimelech Kaplan, died in Lod.
Artist Max Shaye exhibited recent
works at the Preston Burke
Galleries to benefit the Michigan
Cancer Foundation.
Local resident Margaret
Winkelman received the Lady of
Charity Award at a Knights of
Charity dinner-dance.

A center for biblical research and
exhibitions of daily life during vari-
ous biblical periods was dedicated
in Jerusalem.
Sheldon Klein was elected presi-
dent of Hillel Day School's Student
Council.
American Jewish Congress gave
the Stephen S. Wise Award to for-
mer Chief Justice Earl Warren.

IzMit,,,AMMX
Mrs. Pearl Nosanchuk set up a
fund for planting a forest of trees in
Israel in memory of her husband,
Benjamin Nosanchuk.
The Hebrew High School
Department of United Hebrew
Schools enrolled 80 students to
begin its 11th year of operation.

The first shipment to Israel of
British-made radioactive isotopes
left London.
Eva Peron, wife of the president of
Argentina, donated $1,000 to the
Paramount Aid Society, which is
completing construction of a pipeline
for irrigation in Israel's Negev.

— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant

11/1
2001

35