Welcome! For interfaith couples and families in formation, we help you build confidence in your relationship with Jewish. We understand Jewish interfaith relationships – and deliver knowledge and connection to help you open the door to Jewish in a non-judgmental way.

Our Mission

18Doors empowers people in interfaith relationships— individuals, couples, families and their children—to engage in Jewish life and make Jewish choices, and encourages Jewish communities to welcome them.

Our Vision: People in interfaith relationships are welcomed and embraced by Jewish communities and contribute to Judaism’s enduring strength and continuity.

What We Bring To The Table

We understand Jewish interfaith relationships and are here to help you connect with Jewish. From digital content and in-person offerings that help couples and families – to our fellowship and learning opportunities for Jewish professionals and clergy, we deliver helpful, non-judgmental information with a warm welcome. Need to connect with a rabbi or cantor to officiate your wedding, baby naming or other lifecycle event? Find someone in your area with the click of a button. 18Doors has interactive and informational tools and guides to help familiarize you with Jewish holidays and lifecycle events, plus essays, recipes, email series and more to help you navigate being a Jewishly diverse couple or family. We are here to support you.

Our History

From a simple online magazine launched in 1998 focused on helping Jewish interfaith families, a non-profit mission has evolved. Edmund Case founded InterfaithFamily in 2001 which has grown beyond its internet beginnings to provide content and connections, both online and in local communities. Interfaith couples and families continue to gain understanding of Jewish for their lives. Clergy and program providers access resources and trainings to engage and connect effectively with those couples and families. Now as 18Doors, we continue to welcome and lead the way for Jewish interfaith communities.

A New Name

18Doors changed its name from InterfaithFamily in February 2020. Wondering what 18Doors, with the tagline Unlocking Jewish, means? The number 18 and the doors evoke:

  • The diversity of interfaith couples and families
  • The many journeys and entry points for interfaith families into Jewish life
  • How we help open doors (“unlock Jewish”) for couples and families—and for Jewish organizations and communities in figuring out how to create inclusive spaces
  • The Jewish homonym “L’dor v’dor,” and the importance of passing Jewish values from generation to generation
  • That we are a Jewish organization, with the subtle reference to chai by using the number 18 (the Hebrew word chai means “life” and is represented by the number 18)

At the same time, these are not symbols that are necessary for someone to recognize in order to see that we are here to open doors, and that there are many ways to unlock Jewish.

Impact


Jewish Journeys Unlocked

8.5 Million

Website Visitors Since 2006

Communities Served

23

Communities Served Across North America in 2021

Hands
Held

Over 23,000

Connections to Inclusive Jewish Clergy since 2005

Jewish Journey Guides

525

Rabbis and Cantors in the 18Doors Clergy Network

Uncovered Jewish

22,445

Participants in In-Person Jewish Experiences since 2013

Doors Opened

5,718

Jewish Professionals Trained since 2013

We love 18Doors!!! We’ve been going to monthly meetups and they’re wonderful!  It’s been such a blessing! And we love the rabbi who leads it so much we are probably going to join his temple! My favorite thing is how different every couples’ situation is and to be completely frank, how comfortable I’ve felt being open regardless, and being able to talk without judgement. It’s just a great program.

-Sarah S., a Boston meetup participant

Oh, my gosh!  That is fantastic information!  We are feeling so much better about our options.  I was so afraid we would have to bring in a rabbi from so far away. We will be in contact with “our Rabbis” as soon as possible. Your service and response time rock!

-Leslie from Missouri, Officiation Referral Service user

Finding 18Doors was an emotional lifesaver for me. The resources and information provided through the site are easy to navigate, extremely helpful and validating. I am proud to refer people to the site and have received many expressions of gratitude from other interfaith couples who did not know such a wonderful resource existed.

-Julie P.