You’re in an interfaith relationship and considering joining a synagogue, but you’re not sure how you’ll be treated. Many in the organized Jewish community welcome interfaith families with open arms, but many do not. Learn about the Jewish community’s complicated—and often flawed—approach to intermarriage in InterfaithFamily.com’s archive of articles, resources and external links.

Getting Ready for Synagogue

Going to synagogue for the first time can sometimes be a daunting experience. The architecture may be unfamiliar, the ritual items foreign and words are used in languages other than English. Knowing what to expect, in advance of your first visit, will help you feel more comfortable in this space. To that end, we have created a new video, What To Expect At A Synagogue, that takes us inside the building and into the sanctuary.

Articles on Synagogues and the Jewish Community

Synagogues and the Jewish Community Articles Archive

• Synagogues and the Jewish Community

Find Organizations in Your Area

• Synagogues
• Schools and Education Programs
• Jewish Community Centers
• Outreach Groups
• Search all organizations

Documents on Synagogues and the Jewish Community and Interfaith Families

• Report: Young Interfaith Couples Find Welcome in the Jewish Community Through InterfaithFamily.com, A Recent Survey Reports
• A Common Aspiration: The Promise of Peoplehood (PDF) by Barry Shrage, Combined Jewish Philanthropies

Discussion Board

• Interfaith Families and the Jewish Community

Additional Resources

Websites

MyJewishLearning.com for more information on the Jewish community’s approach to intermarriage:

• Attitudes Toward Intermarriage
• Overview: Jewish Continuity
• Reaching Out
• Mixed Families, Jewish Choices

Books

• Friedland, Ronnie and Case, Edmund, ed. The Guide to Jewish Interfaith Family Life: An InterfaithFamily.com Handbook. Jewish Lights, 2001. Read a .
• McClain, Ellen Jaffe. Embracing the Stranger. Basic Books, 1995. This book encourages the Jewish community to reach out to intermarried families.
• Lois Shenker. Welcome to the Family! Opening Doors to the Jewish Experience. White Cloud Press, 2001.

If you know of other resources on synagogues or the Jewish community–or if you’d like to see additional resources on a particular aspect of synagogues or the Jewish community–please email us at network@18doors.org and let us know what you’d like us to provide.