Relationship Challenges Archives

Conversation Starters for Passover and Easter

By Molly Kazin Marshall

How do we effectively communicate about the holidays of Passover and Easter as interfaith couples? Read on...

Easter, Marriage Tips, Newlywed, Passover, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Should He Wear a Yarmulke?

By Samantha Meyer Gallegos

I don’t know why a simple question became such a significant issue. The...

Jewish Catholic Relationships, Marriage, Newlywed, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Living Our True Selves: Queer, Interfaith and in Love

By Ezra Samuels

I don’t remember all of the lessons my mother tried to teach me as a child; let’s be honest, most of us don’t....

Dating, Identity, LGBTQ, Relationship Challenges, Relationship Successes, Relationships

December Holidays Conversation Starters

By Rabbi Robyn Frisch

The December holidays bring up more questions and tension for many couples than any other time of year. Because...

Hanukkah, Hanukkah & Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Relationship Challenges

How to Talk About Christmas Trees in an Interfaith Relationship

By 18Doors

Tree or no tree? Little tree or big? Only at the grandparents’, or at home, too? More than perhaps any other...

Hanukkah, Hanukkah & Christmas, Parenting Hanukkah, Relationship Challenges

Getting Married Without My Parents’ Blessing

By Becca D'Onofrio

All I heard growing up was: “You’re going to marry a nice, Jewish doctor when you’re older.” And I honestly...

Relationship Challenges, Relationships, Wedding Stories, Weddings

Our Hanukkah Fight Wasn’t Really About What We Teach Our Kids

By Anna Keller

I took a seat at my computer while the girls were doing crafts in the kitchen and the baby was toddling around...

Hanukkah, Parenting, Parenting Hanukkah, Parenting Stories, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

How I Got into a Long-Distance Interfaith Relationship…After I Became Jewish

By Elle Henderson

Elle and James at the Trinity College Dublin library during her first visit to Ireland In a lot of ways, I never...

Dating, Mikveh, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

How I Knew He was Husband Material

By Laura Drescher

Zach and his great aunt Thelma When did I know Zach was husband material? It dawned on me during a trip to New...

Dating, Mikveh, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Should Our New Home Have a Cross or a Mezuzah (or Both)?

By Laura Drescher

Laura hanging the crucifix Zach and I just moved into a new, smaller apartment at the end of April. Our last...

Marriage, Newlywed, Relationship Challenges

Why Choosing Love Didn’t Mean Conversion for Me

By Emily Mace

Although I am the half that’s not Jewish in an interfaith marriage, my husband never put conversion on...

Conversion, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Our Most Important Difference

By Kelly Banker

I had been living at Moishe Kavod House (a home-based Jewish community for young adults) for about a month...

Dating, Identity, Multiracial, Race, Relationship Challenges, Relationships, Religion

The Mindful Bride

By Emily Golomb

Jose and I have recently incorporated a new practice into our lives to help prepare for our marriage. We have...

Relationship Challenges, Relationships, Religion, Wedding Stories, Weddings

Why I #ChooseLove: In Sickness & In Health

By Jordyn Rozensky

I’ve been absent from the IFF blog for the past month or so, dealing with some health issues that kept me a...

Love, Relationship Challenges, Relationships, Wedding Stories, Weddings

How to Tell Your Parents…

By Wendy Armon

…that you are involved with someone of another religion (race, culture or gender) By Wendy Armon and Joycellen...

Family, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Navigating the Narrow Places: Interfaith Arguments

By Matt Rice

When Shannon and I fight, I assume the worst. We’re going to break up. We’ll never speak again. We’ll be torn...

Conversion, Relationship Challenges, Relationships, Wedding Stories

When Interfaith Meets Same-Sex, Assumptions Get Challenged

By Susan Goldberg

But will the children be Jewish? “Of course they will,” I thought. So, I’m sure, did many...

LGBTQ, Love, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Video 12: working on the marriage not just the wedding

By Yolanda Febles

It’s been awhile since we last vlogged and there’s good reason for it. Yes, Arel and I are now officially...

Marriage Tips, Relationship Challenges, Wedding Stories, Weddings

Taking the Plunge

By Andrew Glatter

1283 June 30, 2010 I always knew I wanted to have a Jewish family. My family had been profoundly ambivalent...

Dating, Identity, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Can You Call It Interdating When Your Partner is Agnostic?

By 18Doors

1193 Originally published March 23, 2009. Republished March 17, 2011. Dear InterfaithFamily.com Readers, I...

Relationship Challenges, Relationships, Shabbat, Shabbat Rituals

If You Love Each Other Enough … Marriage Is Still Not Easy!

By S. Courtney Nathan

201 This article is reprinted with permission of JTA and may not be reproduced without its permission....

Marriage, Marriage Tips, Relationship Challenges

Southern Comfort

By 18Doors

21 They had me at ham. As my first Christmas with my fiance’s Italian Catholic family approached,...

Food, Hanukkah, Hanukkah & Christmas, Hanukkah Rituals, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

My Interfaith Relationship

By Rabbi Lev Baesh

144 When I accepted the position of rabbi at Temple Israel in Dover, New Hampshire in 1994, I never expected...

LGBTQ, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

Rationing Minutes: Maintaining a Long-Distance Interfaith Relationship

By Erin Russ

1056 As New Year’s resolutions go, ours is fairly ambitious: We’re planning our wedding, but...

Dating, Relationship Challenges, Relationships

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