Modern Families: Two Religions One Roof
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 07 May 2014 09:30
More and more, being part of a family means finding ways to bring two different faiths together under one roof. According to Pew Research, 60% of all marriages since 2005 are a blending of faiths. A USA Today report found that 22% of all households now have more than one faith.
For Jewish grandparents, it may be tough to determine what your role is as an educator and leader of your family’s religious traditions. Here are a few tips to help:
- Experts overwhelmingly say that it is important to respect your child’s choices. If they opt to raise their children with a different faith, accept their choice.
- As your grandchildren grow older, they will likely take an interest in traditions and customs that are different than the ones they celebrate. Keeping the lines of communication open with your child now might mean you have an opportunity to share more of your beliefs with your grandchild later.
- It might also help if you take an interest in the religion in which your grandchildren are being raised. If the parent who is of a different faith sees your willingness to learn about their beliefs, they may be open to allowing their children to learn more about Judaism.
- Above all, don’t try to persuade or pressure your grandchildren in to going against their parents’ wishes. It will only create problems that could lead to not being able to spend time with your grandchildren at all.
If one of your adult children has an interfaith marriage, here are a few resources that might help you navigate the waters and avoid conflict.
- Mingled Roots: A Guide for Jewish Grandparents of Interfaith Children by Sunie Levin.
- Interfaith Families from MyJewishLearning.com
- Same House. Different Faiths.
- Being Great Grandparents to Children of Interfaith Couples
Are your grandchildren being raised in an interfaith home?
Do you have any advice to offer to other Jewish grandparents that might help?
