My house shall be a house of prayer for all peoples. (Isaiah 56:7)

Ahavat ger, welcoming the stranger, is among the most important tenets of Reform Judaism. We welcome interfaith families into our communities and encourage their participation in our congregations.

For over 30 years, the Union for Reform Judaism has been developing innovative resources to help individuals, interfaith couples and families, particularly the non-Jewish partner, feel more comfortable in a Reform setting. We work to empower people to make Jewish choices for themselves and their families and strive to provide resources to inform educated decisions.

We also offer numerous resources to help our congregations become welcoming places for people of diverse religious backgrounds, sexual orientations and ethnic backgrounds. The definition of what constitutes a “Jewish family” has changed. Whether both partners are Jewish or not, your congregation can educate and encourage families to make Jewish choices and support them along their journey.

Read about Rabbi Yoffie's Biennial Initiative to support interfaith families by recognizing and honoring the non-Jewish spouse.

According to the 2000 National Jewish Population Study, about half of contemporary North American Jews today will enter interfaith relationships, one third of them will affiliate with a synagogue and one third of their children will be raised as Jews. Your congregation can be a welcoming spiritual home for these families.

Parents who are not Jewish are often lovingly and supportively raising their children as Jews. They are the heroes of Jewish life, giving us the priceless gift of future generations of Jews. It is vital that your congregations support these parents in their noble work.

Sometimes non-Jewish partners in interfaith relationships feel drawn to Judaism and want to explore our religion. If they choose to become part of the Jewish people, our community must make the effort to welcome and support them.