Weird Jews - Page 1 - InterfaithFamily.com

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Weird Jews?

Author: InterfaithFamily.com Editor (---.home.net)
Date: 06-22-00 14:54

Post your responses here to Ed Case's story, "Why Non-Jewish Spouses Sometimes Think That Jews are Weird."

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converting out

Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 06-28-00 15:50

I was a born Jew in an interfaith relationship. I converted to Catholicism out of true belief in it (NO coaxing from my spouse, who was shocked by this). I am happy to see this article. I think indeed that non-Jews in interfaith marriages will not consider conversion TO Judaism if they see this double-standard. If all who convert out of sincere belief are respected, I think you'll see more non-Jews convert to Judaism. The article is very insightful.

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Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 06-29-00 06:56

Kewwl! Hey, maybe one of my kids will intermarry and then publish some statement about Jews being "Weird" where everyone in the world can read it! Won't I be proud then? For goodness sake, people! With Jews like Ed Case, who needs antisemites?

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Author: Sylvia (---.nc.us.ibm.com)
Date: 06-29-00 12:34

I agree with Susan. For 2000 years Jews have been a persecuted and despised minority. We lost 6 million of our people this century, and countless millions more in previous centuries. Why shouldn't Jews feel threatened when we lose even one Jew to another religion? Ed and every other Jew has a right to have a sinking feeling in their stomach when confronted with Jews who convert 'out'. They are our worse nightmare come true. (By the way, I am a convert. Most Christians of my acquantaince don't have a problem with my conversion because there are plenty of Christians.)

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Double standards?

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 06-29-00 13:02

Thank you, Sylvia!

Perhaps the reason Ed feels that sinking feeling in his stomach about Jews converting "out" is that he may have once heard someone bring up the small detail that the Jewish religion considers it a sin for a Jews to practice a religion other than the Jewish one. If our friend who wrote #2 is a Catholic, then surely s/he knows that the Catholic Church considers abortion a sin. Suppose Ms. Rodriguez gets pregnant and decides to give birth to the child but Ms. Hernandez decides to have an abortion. If the Catholic Church is more accepting of Ms. R's "virtuous" action than of Ms. H's "sinful" action, is it being two-faced or hypocritical? Well, I don't think so. I don't agree with the Catholic Church's position on the issue, but I respect its right to stand on its principles.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 06-29-00 13:04

you guys dont get it. You'd throw a party in a minute for a convert TO Judaism! Someone should not be respected for conversion out of true change in belief?

To define Jewish experience by persecution, minority statues, etc. is to sound the death knell for Judaism. Any group that becomes "professional victims" runs into trouble, even if the victim status is totally true (as with Jews and the holocaust or blacks and slavery). I dont propose forgetting these events---indeed we should never forget. BUT, Judaism will only survive, and thrives most in circles today where people concentrate on the positive traditions and practices which exude a vibrance that attracts new people and retains most.

So if someone like me rolls around who was a card-carrying, practicing, enthusiastic Jew, but begins to have legitimate belief in another religion, and really truly has explored those beliefs and the previous ones, what do you and I do? NO prosyletizing, brain-washing,etc. has been involved.

I'd warn you that if you do not respect this type of "convert away" people will wonder about the status of "converts to" and I think you will certainly get less converts to Judaism.

Stop the anger. Show people how much you love God and your religion!

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Mr or Ms Bloom

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 06-29-00 13:26

Please make that "you guys" thing singular. If you read what we wrote, you'll notice Sylvia mentions the persecution argument, and I mention the sin argument. As for your question of whether we should necessarily respect a person for a "true change in belief," I would ask would you respect a geology professor who "truly changed" into a Flat Earth believer? I wouldn't. I can respect a Polish or Irish or Philipino person who grew up with and still believes in the Catholic faith, but if you threw away our Jewish heritage for their religious doctrines, sorry. I find that pretty pitiful.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 06-29-00 16:43

Susan, this is the most bigotted thing I have ever heard. No, I dont expect you to believe Catholicism. But, I do believe. What are you trying to say---that Phillipinos who are born into Catholicism are too dumb to realize how wrong they are? Belief in Jesus is pitiful? Miss, YOU are pitiful.

The ones who should feel full of shame are people like you ---indeed Jews have endured incredible bigotry---As a victim of this you are now going to spew out the same kind of hateful garbage?

This is the exact weirdness (and weird is a kind term) that the article was addressing!

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Convert

Author: Sylvia (---.nc.us.ibm.com)
Date: 06-29-00 17:26

What makes you think I define Judaism by persecution? Jews have never been perpetual victims - we have been too successful to get mired in the victim status. I do agree with you that Judaism should concentrate on positive attributes and especially Jewish education to counter Christian missionaries. Again, Jews cannot afford to lose more of our people to other religions. If you have found the 'truth' in another religion, then good for you, but don't expect Jews to like it and don't expect acceptance. Apostates have always been looked on with disfavor by the Jewish community. Perhaps that is why you seem so defensive and angry.

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bbloom@lifespan.org

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 06-29-00 19:09

So who called anyone dumb? Not I. Who said anyone's religion is any better than anyone else's? Not I. In fact, you are trying to condemn me for not applauding your decision to abandon the faith of your ancestors. You ask me to agree with your belief that Christianity is better than Judaism. I don't have to do that, because I have a right to my opinion. If Jews all agreed that Christianity was better than Judaism, then we would all convert to Christianity. Is that what you're really asking us to do?

So you've obviously misidentified the bigot. Your self-hatred would be more appropriate on one of those antisemitic sites than here. And by the way, it's not miss. We don't need to add name-calling to our other offenses.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 06-30-00 12:30

you've proved the article to be true with these notes, Sylvia and Susan.
What did I say that was anti-semitic? What did I say that was self-hating? (I kind of like myself,actually).

Yes, I am angry at the Jewish view toward conversion out if it is done with sincerity, whether that is current Jews or the historical view.

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The wisdom of writing about "Weird Jews"

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 06-30-00 12:42

It was not my intention in "Number 3" to spoil Ed Case's Shabbat or to imply that he is antisemitic himself, but to question the wisdom of posting this story and discussion on the web. I thought the purpose of this site was to help keep intermarried Jews connected with the Jewish community on some level. I don't like to see a supposedly Jewish site declaring open season on those "weird Jews." The good news is that when I tried a chicken-hearted search for antisemitic web pages, this one didn't turn up on the list. The bad news is that now any missionary or any hothead with a gripe against Jews or Judaism may see this as an open invitation to express views which are not supportive of the continued existence of the Jewish people. I would not have thought Ed would wish to encourage such people.

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Author: convert/now hothead (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 06-30-00 12:52

I think Mr. Case was brave for posting the article. Realistically, this IS a view expressed by many non-Jews and is VERY frequently an obstacle to success of intermarriage (whether you define that success as merely family peace or as ultimately keeping a Jewish home). If the non-Jewish spouse doesnt think this way, her/his family often does.

The question isnt "are Jews weird?," which WOULD be offensive, but are there certain ways some (many?) Jews handle certain religious issues that are different enough form the view of most gentiles that the gentiles would perceive the views as unusual? If so (I think it is so), then what obstacles might this create in intermarriage, and how can the intermarried deal with these concepts (?misconceptions) to achieve peace, a Jewish home, and possibly even a conversion to Judaism?

Bravo, Mr. Case. No taboo should go unturned! I think this will help many intermarried families.

And, as you can see, I have no deathwish against the Jewish people.

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Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 06-30-00 13:06

Brad:

If your son truly decided to become a Muslim or Buddhist or Hare Krishna or atheist, would you celebrate the news with the same enthusiasm as if he decided to go into the priesthood? If my friend Bob at work told me that his daughter had decided to ignore twelve years of Catholic school and eighteen years of weekly Mass and join another religion, even my religion, I think it would be only natural for him to be hurt. If he told me of his disappointment, would I accuse him of having "double standards," of "spewing hateful garbage," and of saying "the most bigoted thing I ever heard"? Lighten up! Actually, I would respect his right to feel that way. After all, when a belief is your own, by definition it will have more value to you than a belief that isn't your own.

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Ed and Wendy's question

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 06-30-00 16:48

I'm still puzzling over why Ed and Wendy are asking this question. As I've understood it until this afternoon, they were asking "Isn't it kinda weird how these Jews are pleased when somebody joins, and yet they're not equally pleased when somebody quits?" My answer would be "No, it's not the least bit weird". The only thing that's "weird" to me is why anyone would even ask such a question. So I've gone back and tried rereading Ed's original column, and I now see that he complains that some Jews are "cavalier" toward converts to Judaism.

If it is the case that anyone in Ed's congregation is "cavalier" toward converts, I would agree that that is deplorable and I would argue that the problem lies not with Judaism but with his congregation. True conversion to Judaism is a very serious decision, which can only be made after years of study and a commitment to lead a completely different life than one has in the past. That is why Judaism actually discourages people from converting. We used to have a convert in our congregation, and I remember people expressed awe and deep respect for her having made such a difficult decision. I find it appalling that there could be "rabbis" running around out there telling gentiles "Sure, I'll convert you to Judaism. Why not? It's easy!" Those people who "convert" under such circumstances are not really converting at all.

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lightening up

Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-05-00 09:36

Susan,

actually, you are quite correct about lightening up. I wish you had posted THIS message first. Sure, disappointment is only natural in this situation. Im not talking so much about that, however. what Im talking about is when people start getting openly hostile toward converts out. You say yourself that Jewish conversion takes years of thought and study, and therefore deserves respect. Absolutely correct! Well the same is true for Catholic conversion, which requires alot of formal study---doesnt that deserve respect? (even if coupled with disappointment). I share dismay over rabbis (as well as pentococostal ministers,etc) who do "instant" conversions. While I still think the convert has a right to do this if it is truly voluntary, it does indeed make things more suspect. Maybe indeed that causes some of the suspicion toward more recent waves of Jewish conversion. I also think it contributes to suspicions of conversion to Christianity, because Jews envision (I know I did when I was Jewish), people just walking into a revival tent with no true knowledge of the religion, and getting dunked and saying Hallelujah Jesus! While that dooes happen, I assure you that that is not the norm, and almost never happens in the "liturgical churches" (Catholic, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and more conservative branches of Methodist). Pretty rare in Northern Baptist churches as well.

Anyhow, I apologize especially for any judgementalsim or stereotyping. However, I still think this is a big problem and contributes to the issue at hand (some non-Jews who are otherwise accepting of Judaism finding some Jews "weird").

Regards. Peace be with you.

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Converting to Christianity

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-06-00 13:49

Brad:

I accept your apology.

Christianity and Judaism have a lot in common, because originally, all of the Christians were Jews. Anything Jews see as worthwhile about Christianity was already there as part of Judaism. Despite whatever the Christian missionaries may say, there are some new doctrines in the Christian religion which are antithetical to the Jewish religion, and in order to accept them, one must necessarily reject certain fundamental principles of Judaism. If a Jew has to join one of the other religions, we consider Islam the least sinful choice. We may respect the right of a non Jew to be a Christian, but for a Jew to abandon Judaism to take up Christianity really is a slap in the face to the rest of us.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-06-00 14:11

Right. Judaism and Christianity are NOT the same...the missionaries to whom you refer are being deceptive.Everything Christian is Chritocentric/Christological ultimately. Obviously not something that's part of Judaism (but we still find it worthwhile ! :-) )

I understand the "slap in the face" feeling given all the loaded history. I'll live with that, but I guess I'll never like it.

As for Islam being less sinful---I understand that there is a rabbinic hierarchy here with idolatrous/polytheistic religions being "worse" than monotheistic ones. As a practicing Jew, I always thought that there was too much misunderstanding of Christianity being either polytheistic or idolatrous (particularly with regard to understanding of the Trinity and veneration of saints); now as a Christian I know that it is misunderstood. Anyhow...that's a whole other debate.

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Were those the last words on the subject?

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-13-00 08:24

Well, people I guess we've read the doctor's advice. Forget Judaism. His new religion is better, anyway. Marry whomever you want. If there are only 500 Jews left in the world a century from now, it will be everyone else's fault and but yours.

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Correction

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-13-00 08:26

It will be everyone else's fault but yours.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-13-00 12:46

of course, you missed my point.

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Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-13-00 13:52

Yeah. Right.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-13-00 14:03

I think we're done.

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Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-13-00 14:14

Fine by me.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-13-00 14:16

...just that we have left the original debate completely.

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Susan's hostility

Author: --- (---.kcc.com)
Date: 07-13-00 16:35

I think that it is evident that Susan likes to "hear herself talk". Susan, I think that's quite enough of your hostility. Who you think you are preaching to is beyond me.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-13-00 16:58

I dont get it. My computer gives the same e-mail profile for the last mystery guest speaking AGAINST Susan as for Susan herself. ?mistake, ?multiple personality, ?fabricated debate?

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Author: --- (---.kcc.com)
Date: 07-13-00 19:05

No, I am not Susan. Is anonymity so bad? I am a 21 yr old Christian woman involved with a Jewish man who came hear looking for the support this website, for the most part, does not offer. She comes across as scolding Jews who have the nerve to fall in love with non-Jews. She has said, "I don't like to see a supposedly Jewish site declaring open season on those 'weird Jews' (6/30/00)." Well, frankly, I don't like to see a supposed "interfaith family" website declaring open season on those who choose to be in interfaith relationships. Susan obviously feels very passionately about her religion, and about her identity. I do admire that. I am not going to try to pretend to understand the complexity of the emotions which lie behind Jews' views on impending intermarriages. (Personally, I think she is trying to scare people out of interfaith relationships before they actually get married and have an "interfaith family"). Because harping on how bad the decision is to have an interfaith marriage is is too late.

Anyhow. I have read "The Vanishing American Jew", by Alan Dershowitz. The stats are scary, less than 10,000 Jews by 2075 is hardly something that the nation would benefit from. It made me feel guilty. But do you know what? Alan Dershowitz's own son married an Irish-Catholic girl. It happens.

I love my boyfriend. It's as simple and as complicated as that. I am not leaving this relationship or sacrificing my own happiness so that there may be two more little "whole Jews" on the next Census. I am sincerely interested in learning more about Judaism and learning how to someday have a Jewish family. But open hostility against people in my situation does not help.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-14-00 09:11

Agreed with you completely. Just keep your eyes wide open. Interfaith marriages can and DO succeed, but they indeed fail at a higher rate as well. But as long as you have a "religious roadmap" before marriage, and well worked-out before kids, and keep open lines of communication (because minds legitimately change), you should be OK if you have an otherwise solid partnership.

You're probably right that susan and others are very empassioned and are trying to scare people out of these relationships.

Alan Dershowitz is a jerk who has made millions setting the scum-of-the-earth free to kill the rest of us---why should you believe anything he has to say? and what makes him any kind of religion expert?

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To anonymous

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-14-00 15:21

You seem to be an intelligent person. I won't be hostile to you, all right? I don't make it my business to bust up relationships between young people. I see no point in posting on these boards with "Well, that's what you get; you shouldn't've married that person" whenever someone complains, and I don't do it. Wouldn't you agree that it's better to be aware of the problems you'd face before it's too late, though, than to wait until you're fighting over whose holidays you'll let your children celebrate or why the cemetery won't take you and then watch people wag their fingers at you and say "I told you so"?

If you look at the links on the homepage and various other clues, you will notice that this is actually a Jewish site. It is part of JewishFamily&Life and I believe it was designed for that small proportion (20-30%?) of intermarried couples who actually desire to raise their children as Jews and want to reach out to others who are experiencing the same trials and tribulations. If you are interested in a neutral site or one which takes a stand in favor of intermarriage, I know they're out there.

I suppose I should tell you my parents are intermarried, my neighbors when I was growing up, my best friend, and more of my relatives than not. I can certainly sympathize with your being 21 and in love with a Jewish man and I am fully aware that I can't stop anyone from getting married. But I'm afraid that your love story and the others I've read here don't particularly impress me. I was in love at 21 with a man of another religious background, too. I just knew at the time that marriage was something I only wanted to do once, with the one person who was best suited to who I was and who I wanted my children to be. I'm not concerned about whether or not there are two more Jews on the 2010 census, but about whether my grandchildren will be able to find a good enough selection of potential spouses who share their goals and values. I'm also concerned about the young Jewish women I see on a weekly basis who probably have more cause to love your Jewish boyfriend than you do.

What bothers me the most is that by essentially posing the question "Aren't some Jews weird?" Ed Case has opened the discussion to people who are hostile to Jews. Indeed, we see people from other religions who are not married to Jews either and who are trying to argue that Jews don't need to be Jewish. These people have demonstrated no positve feeling toward the Jewish community.

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Susan

Author: Ed Case (---.home.net)
Date: 07-14-00 15:54

I'm the publisher of InterfaithFamily.com. I've restrained myself from responding to Susan's comments on this and other discussion boards until I received an e-mail today from a reader who said the following:

"I am very surprised that no one from the webpage has commented on Susan's remarks. I am a Christian woman, in a relationship with a Jewish man for almost 1 year. I found this site with the hopes of learning more about Judaism, and also learning how to become more comfortable with the possibility of raising my future children Jewish. However, I was under the understanding that this website is meant for people in "interfaith" relationships. Yet, so many of the postings are outright hostile and condemn people who choose to be in interfaith relationships....I question the helpfulness of this site for people genuinely looking for help."

Susan, you are not welcome on this site. The purpose of InterfaithFamily.com is to encourage and support interfaith families who are making or considering making Jewish choices. We want to be as welcoming as we can be to people like the author of the above e-mail. This is a non-Jew who wants to learn about Judaism and wants to be comfortable with raising her children Jewish, and you are turning her away. You are entitled to your views, but we are asking you to please not state them here. Go and state them somewhere else.

To our readers: we do have the capability of blocking and deleting particular postings on our site. It raises censorship issues that are troubling. We usually hope that when statements like Susan's that are hostile to intermarriage are posted, that there will be other responses from other readers that convey the welcoming, encouraging and supportive message that we want the site to convey. For the author of the e-mail, to whom I have responded in person, our usual approach apparently has not worked. I would like to hear from more of you - what do you think we should do about postings on our site that are hostile to intermarriage and contrary to the purpose of the site?

Finally, I want to state publicly to the author of the e-mail: there are many many Jews - I believe many more than Susan and those who agree with her views, and in the future there will be even more - and there are many many synagogues and Jewish communities, who would indeed be welcoming to you and who would encourage you to learn more. We hope that you will not be deterred by Susan and that you will continue to find assistance on InterfaithFamily.com in your journey.

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To Ed Case -- What does "not welcome" me

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-14-00 19:07

As a matter of clarification, I would ask are you forbidding me to post anything here at all ever again? Will you automatically delete anything with my name on it? Or are you asking me to not write anything supportive of traditional Jewish practice? Or are you asking me not to write anything critical of intermarriage?

I don't recall anyone showing up on this particular board stating an interest in learning about Judaism because she wants to raise Jewish children. Had the young woman in question requested information about the Jewish religion or Jewish childrearing, I certainly could have supplied her with what she wanted. I have not seen very much on this site along those lines from anyone else. Actually, I haven't seen very much action on these boards at all, which was one reason I thought trying to stimulate some discussion might be a good idea. Maybe you just don't have the interest here that you thought you did.

I would like to point out to you that you did allow one article (was it by a Mr. George Markley?) which defended the refusal of certain rabbis to perform mixed weddings. It seemed that if you permitted him to state his views here you would not forbid others to express views in agreement with him.

In case we don't hear from each other again right away, I will wish you Shabbat Shalom.

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Susan

Author: Ed Case (---.home.net)
Date: 07-17-00 10:12

I don't think I can make my posting any clearer. Susan, your comments are driving away from this site, exactly the people we want to come to it - people involved in interfaith families who are seeking encouragement, support and positive information. We aren't forbidding you from posting on the site - we are asking you to not to.

You say that you don't recall anyone asking for information. Many people come to the site to read the articles and discussions without ever posting anything themselves.

We do provide a spectrum of views. You mention that we published in our IFF Dialogue and Debate section, an article by George Markely arguing against rabbinic officiation at intermarriages. George Markely has been involved in the Reform movement's outreach efforts for many many years and he is a person who seeks to be extremely encouraging and supportive of interfaith families connecting to Judaism. We also published an article by Rabbi Carl Perkins, a Conservative rabbi, in the Dialogue and Debate section, arguing against a position I had taken about ritual participation by non-Jews. Rabbi Perkins is also a person who is very welcoming, encouraging and supportive of interfaith families.

Your views are interpreted by our readers as being hostile and condemning of those involved in interfaith relationships, to the point that they don't want to come to this site. So I ask you again to please go away.

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discussions on InterfaithFamily.com

Author: Ronnie Friedland (---.home.net)
Date: 07-17-00 11:38

Dear readers,
These discussions really were created for interfaith family members, those who work with them, and those who want to encourage their participation in Jewish life. It is NOT helpful to have the viewpoints of people who oppose the existence of interfaith families posted here.

We in interfaith families, and I am one, want to have a space where we can discuss our issues, share ways of handling things, and get feedback and support, without being insulted or lectured.

I agree with Ed in requesting that people who are opposed to the existence of interfaith families do not participate in these discussions.

If you persist in adding your opposition to interfaith families, we will have to block you.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation and understanding,
Ronnie Friedland, Editor

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I'm taking my leave of you.

Author: Susan (---.milwaukee.k12.wi.us)
Date: 07-19-00 11:30

Ronnie & Ed:

Since I am myself a member of a mixed family, you err when you infer that I am opposed to "the existence of interfaith families." (In fact, if I had any intention of returning here, I might even challenge you to support such claims, but I won't bother, so you needn't either.) I would have thought people could understand the difference between an actual, existing family and a 21 year old who's in love with a Jew or "a relationship with a Jewish man for almost 1 year. " I hardly see how anyone considering the formation of a family can be helped by your efforts to censor people who advocate facing reality. I only mentioned the Markley piece because the woman did convert to Judaism, which pretty effectively refutes your contention that we'll drive people away if we have the integrity to tell them what Judaism has to say about their behavior. In any case, it's obvious that I'm wasting time here. I'm sorry. I'm gone. You won't have me to kick around anymore ;-)

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censorship?

Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-19-00 11:36

I guess I'd like to propose a middle ground here. Im always wary of outright censorship, but I agree that when you consider this site as a quasi-counseling relationship, some censorship may become appropriate.

Nonetheless, I agree with Susan that some "reality check" is healthy for interfaith couples. You may argue that we all get enough of that, who needs it here? But I agree with her that when you get "young lovers" here especially, that they often have "eyes wide shut." While abusive language, etc. is totally inappropriate, I think phrasing things as something like "well, you know that traditional Judaism says..., so you may face serious opposition in this matter from family, community, etc." would be helpful. I know that you indeed have published articles like that.

Just a thought...

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Response to convert

Author: Ed Case (---.home.net)
Date: 07-21-00 11:44

Dear Convert,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. We agree that it is appropriate to convey a realistic message about the attitudes of traditional Jews towards intermarriage, though we also agree with you that couples probably get a lot of that "reality check" elsewhere. We think that we have conveyed that message in articles and will continue to do so.

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Author: convert (---.lifespan.org)
Date: 07-21-00 12:15

Agreed and fair.

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Thank you!

Author: Carol B (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 03-23-01 20:23

I would like to thank the keepers of this website for taking a strong stand on the hostile, nonsupportive postings by some people. I came to this board originally seeking support from other people who had been raised in interfaith families. I left this board a year ago because of the fundamentalist vitriole posted by some individuals who claim to have the final word on Judaism. I returned briefly, out of curiousity, only because a friend of mine, involved in an interfaith relationship, was amazed at the negativity he had encountered. I wasn't surprised to see that nothing had changed.

As Ed pointed out, there are other, more appropriate forums for people who wish to advance their own exclusionary agendas. Let them post there.

I think it would help if a brief site mission statement was posted on the message board pages, reminding people of the supportive purpose of this site.

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test of software

Author: InterfaithFamily.com editor (---.ne.mediaone.net)
Date: 09-13-01 11:27

ignore this posting--testing software

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Ignore, this is just a test.

Author: IFF editor (---.ne.mediaone.net)
Date: 12-18-01 10:41

Ignore, this is just a test.

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software test

Author: Ronnie Friedland (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 02-14-02 11:26

ignore

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