Comments on: Facebook Is Not a Waste of Time

By: Avi aka TikkunGer

Avi aka TikkunGer — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:21:54 +0000

Hi Micah:

Thanks for sharing the above with me. To be honest I’m not surprised that most of the people (Affiliated Jews as you put it) are Reform, for the same reasons as you have mentioned above. I myself am a Reform convert, however now self-identify as a Conservative Jew. I asked my question more or less out of a sense of denominational Curiosity. Anyhow your last post “Unsilencing the Intermarried” maybe be a sign of things opening up, which might be a good thing IMO. Anyhow, we should probably be doing more on the topic (of intermarriage) over at www.JewsByChoice.org because three of our contributors are intermarried and I’m sure some of our regular readers are as well.

Oh and on that note, if there is ever anything we can do for you fine people, please just let us know,

Thanks again for the reply.

By: Micah Sachs

Micah Sachs — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:45:02 +0000

We certainly don’t shun Conservative Jews, if that’s what you mean. The affiliated Jews that visit and write for our site tend to be Reform, but that’s due to the Reform movement’s welcoming approach to the intermarried rather than any bias on our part. We welcome Conservative Jews to contribute and visit, and work with some progressive leaders in the Conservative movement–such as Rabbi Chuck Simon, executive director of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Club, and Rabbi Braham David, head of the Boston-based Jewish Discovery Institute–to promote outreach to the intermarried. Obviously, the Conservative movement has particular sensitivities (such as its hardline stance on rabbinic officiation at intermarriages), and we don’t ask or expect the movement to rapidly make radical changes. We’re interested in practical, feasible change–change that simultaneously serves the intermarried, addresses the needs and comfort level of the Conservative rank-and-file and is acceptable to a significant number of the movement’s rabbis.

By: Avi aka TikkunGer

Avi aka TikkunGer — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:25:56 +0000

Hi Micah

Thanks I did notice about the linkage, thanks!!!!!

Also thanks for clarifying the differences between you guy’s and JOI.

Are doing doing in stuff with self-indetified conservative Jews or CJ institutions (although I know you mentioned being more grass roots)? Just curious.

By: Micah Sachs

Micah Sachs — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:01:45 +0000

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I added you to our Blogroll as soon as I found your site.

As for the differences between us and JOI, basically, we’re focused on the intermarried where JOI is focused on all unaffiliated or marginalized groups in the Jewish community: gays, singles, the intermarried, etc. Also, they work with Jewish organizations to train them to do outreach, while we are more grass-roots, with intermarried individuals forming the bulk of our contributors and readers.

By: Avi aka TikkunGer

Avi aka TikkunGer — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 05:23:52 +0000

Hey Micah
Thanks for the mention and I’m glad that you like our blog!

PS a while back we added InterfaithFamily.com to our links section. Would you be willing to add us to your links (if you have them) or maybe your resources (again if you have them).

Oh and one last thing whats the difference between you guys and the JOI people? I’m sure there must be a difference, but I haven’t figured it out yet.