A Response to "Is Outreach a Dead End?"

Reprinted with permission of the San Diego Jewish Journal. Visit www.sdjewishjournal.com.

Read "Is Outreach a Dead End?" by Micah Sachs

Editor Micah Sachs' article "Is Outreach a Dead End?" is based on an incorrect characterization of both the goals and methods of Outreach, at least within the Reform movement.

As the chair of the Outreach committee for Temple Adat Shalom for the past six years, the Jewish partner in an interfaith marriage, and one who joined and has become a leader in my congregation as a direct result of Outreach efforts, I can assure your readers that the goal of Reform Jewish Outreach is precisely what Dr. Bayme states is needed: "mainstreaming" intermarried families--as well as new converts and returning Jews (Jews who either never were part of or who had fallen away from the Jewish community)--into Jewish life.

The big question is how can we accomplish this goal? Do we simply give up on those who have intermarried (and by extension, their children), or do we offer them a way into a full and rewarding Jewish life? The take it or leave it approach apparently advocated by Dr. Bayme and Mr. Sachs, which pretty well describes the attitude of many Jews toward the intermarried prior to the birth of Outreach, guarantees that a huge proportion of this population will not even draw near enough to our Jewish institutions to find out if there is anything of value behind our doors.

Systematic study of the issue, sponsored by the Union for Reform Judaism-CCAR Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach, shows that even as recently as ten and fifteen years ago, interfaith and conversionary families had only a limited presence in congregational life, and struggled to achieve acceptance within the Jewish community. Is it any wonder that their children are unlikely to consider themselves part of the Jewish people?

"Acceptance of the intermarried," by the way, does not imply that congregations dilute their practice to some sort of compromise between Judaism and Christianity. Likewise, we do not recommend that interfaith families try to "be" both religions. Rather, families are strongly encouraged to choose a single religious identity (preferably Jewish) for their children. The goal of Reform Jewish Outreach has been, and remains, in the Union's words, "to welcome interfaith couples and individuals considering conversion into Reform congregations, to create opportunities for Jewish learning, and to encourage Jewish choices in one's personal and family life."

Moreover, the URJ-CCAR study, "Outreach Families in the Sacred Common: Congregational Responses to Interfaith Families," found that rather than diluting the authenticity of a congregation's spiritual life, the presence of large numbers of non-Jews and new Jews frequently has "served to catalyze a ritual and spiritual re-awakening among congregants who are Jewish by birth."

The Pathways to Judaism program, which is directed specifically to unaffiliated interfaith families, is but one program within a diverse and growing range of Outreach efforts. Programs like Pathways offer interfaith families a safe environment in which to explore the hows and whys of choosing a Jewish life, and many Pathways graduates continue their journeys into Judaism by joining congregations or otherwise continuing to engage with the Jewish community. Outreach also encompasses basic Jewish education, holiday celebrations, discussion groups, support groups, and yes, "inreach" into our congregations, all designed to foster connections between participants and our congregations, the Jewish people, the larger Jewish community, Torah and God.

In short, Outreach is far from being a "dead end." Outreach is the way that we open the door to those who would otherwise be lost to the Jewish people. With all due respect to Mr. Sachs and Dr. Bayme, the antidote to intermarriage and a lack of engagement in Jewish life truly is still more Outreach.