rosh hashanah
Keith and Tara Schonberger
with sons Eli and Adam
Interfaith Holidays
Local couples find welcoming places in Metro Detroit.
JACKIE HEADAPOHL MANAGING EDITOR
A
ccording to the Pew Research
Center’s October 2013 “A Portrait
of Jewish Americans” survey, 58
percent of Jews marry outside the faith,
up from 46 percent in 1990 and 17 percent
before 1970.
Those statistics are no different
in Metro Detroit, where last year,
Federation’s NEXTGen Detroit started an
Interfaith Couples Group to ensure that
interfaith families can find a warm wel-
come in the Jewish community, especially
during times of importance, such as the
High Holidays.
“The High Holidays provide our diverse
family with the opportunity to learn more
about Jewish religion and culture, develop
lasting memories and appreciate our
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September 21 • 2017
jn
many blessings,” said attorney Jonathan
Schwartz, co-chair of the Interfaith
Couples group. “My wife, Stacy, has partic-
ipated in the High Holidays, in one form
or another, for over a decade. Sometimes
she attends religious services with me and
my Grandmother Beverly, but we always
make sure to come together in the eve-
ning with our extended family and lots of
Jewish food.”
The Schwartz family does have crite-
ria for where and with whom they will
celebrate. “We do insist that any services
we attend are inclusive of different types
of families,” Schwartz said. “If interfaith
couples and their children are not wel-
come and embraced, or a rabbi markets
him/herself as interfaith-friendly, but still
refuses to perform interfaith weddings,
count us out.
“In addition,” Schwartz added, “we
appreciate services that are understand-
able to people with varying levels of
Jewish religious experience and provide a
positive message that challenges us to do
something worthwhile with our lives.”
Schwartz’s co-chair at the Interfaith
Couples Group, Keith Schonberger,
grew up attending High Holiday services
with his parents and brother at Temple
Beth El. His wife, Tara, was raised in the
Presbyterian faith and had never been to
a High Holiday service (or any Jewish ser-
vice, for that matter) until she and Keith
started dating.
“At first, there was an unusual feeling
about experiencing a High Holiday service
with someone who did not understand its
significance,” Schonberger said. “Whereas
I recognized the importance of these holi-
days and the opportunities they provide
to reflect on our lives, Tara came along
because she recognized how important
they are to me.
“Over the years, the significance of
these holidays has become apparent to
her, too,” he added, “and she has become
more and more engaged as a result. I have
loved experiencing that greater engage-
ment with her.”
FINDING A WARM WELCOME
Thankfully, Schonberger said, he and Tara
have found plenty of people and organiza-