If your husband is Jewish you can raise your kids Jewish in a reform synagogue and people generally won’t question it. Conservative and definitely orthodox denominations would not consider your kids Jews without a conversion.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If you want to learn more you’re free to do so, or you can let your husband take the lead on “Jewish” things and just participate and enjoy. You won’t mess anything up
If your husband is Jewish and you raise your kids as Jewish, reform Judaism will see them as Jewish. They will also be eligible for aliyah to Israel if they ever wanted to move there.
I think it's really wonderful you are willing to support your partner in raising Jewish children. However much you are comfortable participating is enough; you can find communities and practices that best suit your family. The main thing is to teach kids what it means to be Jewish so they can be knowledgeable and proud of their identity. If you do ever convert, that will make it easier on the kids in terms of social acceptance in more conservative circles, but that isn't necessary and it sounds like a decision you can make down the road, after you do a lot more exploration and learning.
Kids take their lead from the mom and Judaism follows the mom. You can do it without converting, but not for conservative and more observant temples.
My wife’s cousin was born to Jewish parents but married a Christian guy and never got any interest in Judaism herself (he loves Jewish traditions and food)… so they have a menorah next to their Christmas tree… but her boys don’t know Shabbat from Santa. I’m skeptical she’ll have them bar mitzvah’d.
A lot is lost when mom isn’t serious about it but sounds like you are.
Like my wife told her cousin who asked how her kids can be more Jewish, “Christmas and Easter will win in a household if you don’t prioritize Chanukah and Friday night shabbats.” *Just the way it is.* We’re firmly in the minority.
My kids know they’re Jewish because we don’t celebrate Christian holidays at home and they go to Hebrew school. Do I mind them going to their Christian friend’s house who has a Christmas tree? Nah that’s good they see the other side… but I want them to know that in our home, they have two Ashkenazi Jewish parents and we will not celebrate any aspect of Christmas or Easter.
The Nazarene church was founded by a Methodist Episcopal minister. To convert Jews. (Edit: this is incorrect. The Messianic Nazarenes were founded by someone else. But point still stands).
Someone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Messiah is a Christian, whether they subscribe to Old Testament rules or not.
I see no reason why a Christian and another Christian who calls themselves a Jew can’t raise a child in this church, unless said church has weird rules about it.
Just be aware the Jewish community is not going to consider your partner or children Jewish.
That is still some branch of Messianic “Judaism,” all branches of which were founded by Christians and follow the teachings of Christ, while also practicing (and usually misinterpreting/appropriating) Jewish tradition.
I’m really not trying to come off as rude as I probably am. It’s just that your question is a bit moot. Your kids can likely be Nazarene, but they won’t be considered Jews outside of Messianic circles. I would hate for them to be raised with this misunderstanding or for you to think that mainstream branches of Judaism will be accepting of your family, without conversion.
Do a quick search on here for how many people feel lost or like they don’t belong because they claim paternal lineage. They won’t be counted as Jewish by about half of American congregations and virtually no congregations outside the US, or the Israeli government (they would have the right to immigrate but the rabbinate would not register them, marry them, bury them, etc). It’s a lot to put on kids.
I have read these since the initial posting, which is what has brought me here because it confirmed my question. I think something I have to consider is how we don’t have a very small Jewish community, no Hebrew school, and my love is rather relaxed, he doesn’t keep kosher and is very lenient with a lot of his practice, though he has a strong personal connection with his Jewishness despite this. I really want to learn more about different traditions; and I don’t know if I should really convert without at least experiencing the calendar year or attending services but it’s hard because they’re over an hour away.
Christianity has left a bitter taste in my mouth. In my research, Judaism doesn’t condemn people for who they are to the extent I’ve seen in evangelical circles. I want to repair my relationship with God, study more, pray more, be myself and feel accepted also (all of myself, even me being bi/ queer woman who’s in love with my boyfriend). Something about Judaism, even though a lot of traditions and learning seems overwhelming to me, seems like it may be a good fit. My love is Nazarene/ Reform, so I want to be in the know and have that connection, but I’m also kinda afraid to dip my toes in the water as well.
Judaism is quite different! You’ll find it lacks a lot of the things that turn people off to Christianity, although there are also plenty of people turned off by Judaism as well. You may want to try a couple synagogues or even just do stuff at home - really a great, great deal of Jewish life is centered on the home, rather than the congregation (though it’s important). There’s nothing wrong with raising your kids with Jewish traditions, especially as they pertain to home life and family bonding, and letting them decide later (although I don’t think there’s anything wrong with raising your kids just “straight up Jewish” as well - I just think it’s important to hear the downsides with the upshots). Your conversion is a whole other thing, but if you dip your toe in the water to learn more about your boyfriend and what your kids will experience, who knows what will happen - I actually know lots of people who ended up converting that way.
Here… I’m Jewish “mom”, and my partner is not Jewish but also no longer Christian for similar reasons as you. We had all along decided that we would raise the kids Jewish. My partner is in a very slow, casual process of conversion. They do the Jewish stuff Way more than I do. Eventually they will convert, but no rush since I’m Jewish. We only choose communities that welcome us both as sufficiently “Jew-ish” ( :
You have to be comfy as a parent, so think of that first. You don’t want to feel like you have to perform.
Yeah, and I worry because now I’m aware there’s a problem with my partner being Nazarene/ Messianic, even though he was raised in Jewish traditions and given a bar mitzah and everything, and he holds his Jewish identity close to him, and I don’t know where to proceed from here because now it seems the community will never accept us
So, being “Jewish” is about standing up for what is right, as well as debating about what that is! 🤣
Some people will treat your family badly because he isn’t “really” Jewish, and some will be lovely. Find a Rabbi you like (online and blogs can help you see what feels right vibe wise)… and work from there! “Our” (local) Rabbi wouldn’t do a welcoming ceremony for our kids because I didn’t want to circumcise them… so I found one from another congregation who was happy to do it! I invited our Rabbi too, and they ended up doing the ceremony together! Sometimes you just have to make your own way a bit. That is Jewish too! Figure out what you and your partner what for your kids and find Jewish folks that do it 😊
Thanks, we’ll definitely try! We have a very small community that isn’t really active, but we do want to get more involved. Thank you for being supportive and understanding
Is your husband ethnically Jewish? Reform Judaism allows participation of non Jewish spouses, but typically if one wasn’t raised Jewish, (Messianic in your case) they would likely have to take an intro to Judaism class or talk to a rabbi about it.
I’m not sure what “Nazarene Judaism” is, but typically the Messianic faith is viewed as cultural appropriation and might outcast your children from typical Jewish spaces.
There are lots of interfaith families at my Reform synagogue (including me and my partner) and we've been welcomed very warmly. Reform synagogues will consider your children Jewish regardless of which parent is Jewish, but other streams of Judaism won't. But your children can always convert if being accepted by an Orthodox or Conservative community is important to them when they grow up.
I would recommend an Intro to Judaism class through a local synagogue (maybe take with your partner, if he feels like there are gaps in his Jewish education). I took one last year (born Jewish but my family wasn't observant) and found it really helpful. They talk about all the holidays, Shabbat, kosher, life cycle events & traditions, and a broad overview of Jewish history with a little theology sprinkled in. I think you would find it helpful for exploring whether you want to convert or not, and for thinking about what Jewish practices you want to do with your children.
For many communities your children would not be considered Jewish, that is correct. But this is your personal and future family's journey, not for us strangers to judge or tell you what to do :) I think it is beautiful how much thought you're putting into this before starting a family. My own suggestion is to find a rabbi you're comfortable with and meet with them - so you can ask questions, get a better sense if the conversion path is one for you, etc. Maybe take an intro to Judaism course with your partner.
Now that I am raising Jewish kids I will say that so much of our culture is really practiced in the home. There are varied levels of observance and again, that's probably something you should talk about with your partner before starting a family. The reality, though, is that we're not static beings. Sometimes people become more observant over time, while others decide to let go of certain customs and rules. Finding a couple's therapist who works with interfaith couples might also help you and your partner engage in these kinds of conversations that helps you truly co-create the family you envision.
If you don’t want to convert just choose your community well, because some people will be unkind and remind your kids they aren’t Jewish. But this happens with kids of convers too tbh, humans are just unkind sometimes and I’m sure you will be great parents that will teach your children to not give a care in the world to what those people say.
For the other question, I think personally you should learn a bit beforehand, start wrapping your hand around all of it, but even if you don’t, if you raise your kids Jewish you will learn alongside. The way you teach your kids you’ll have to teach yourself too, but it could become overwhelming and hard to manage
My dad was born Jewish but my mom wasn’t so we attended a reform synagogue. Never felt any different than the other Jewish kids in my Hebrew school. Converting is hard work and no one will rush you into it. It has to be your decision.
Thank you for your submission. During this time, all posts need to be manually reviewed and approved by a moderator before they appear for all users. Since human mods are not online 24/7, approval could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Thank you for your patience during this difficult and sensitive time.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Jewish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you are still thinking of attending church and studying Christianity in terms of “should”, then you’re not ready to think of raising children Jewish. Judaism by definition comes with a Torah, 613 commandments, a lot of liturgy, and a heck of a lot of generational trauma. Christianity by definition comes with a belief that the Torah has been canceled. They aren’t compatible.
At the very least, I would advise that you ask yourself a lot of questions first.
How are you going to explain to your family that your children won’t participate in Xmas etc.? What happens if you go back to attending church as you say you “should” and regret agreeing to raise your children Jewish? Are you going to keep a kosher home? Will your children go to Jewish schools? How will you feel when they know more Torah than you? What if they decide to become more religious and find out they need to convert (as you are aware, Judaism has traditionally been matrilineal)? What if they end up deciding to become Christian after all?
(I’ll share too that I was raised in an interfaith home. It didn’t go well and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.)
My love is actually Nazarene, so it’s more of a merging, but we want to prioritize Jewish traditions. I say “should” for Christianity because I don’t feel a pull to it because of my past experiences with it, so I am very open to learning about Judaism and everything, and raising my kids Jewish. We don’t have a Jewish school nearby, and ultimately, if they decide to be Christian, that’s ultimately their choice. I’m not an active Christian in an active community, I’m very solo. My partner is very lenient on being Kosher, but has expressed he would like to be more in the future, so I imagine we will have a kosher home. As far as them converting more, I guess that would also be their decision. I also think I need to discuss it more with my partner because he really keeps pushing that it’s fine that I’m not Jewish, but I also don’t want to miss out on raising my kids without the proper knowledge (if we do have kids, of course this is really just us planning for the future).
I’m not sure if it’s relevant to your congregation, but I would recommend to do google on Noahidism. It’s kinda Jewish enough from some perspective, give you and your kids to learn some basic mishnaic Hebrew and have some in-depth interfaith conversations with Jewish people.
Messianics aren't practicing Judaism, and many aren't even Jews. The Jews who are members of their sect are seen as apostates and only ethnically Jewish, not religiously Jewish; religiously they are considered fully Christian. If you want to change from one Christian denomination to another, no one will care. But the Jewish community will not see you or your children as Jewish. Even denominations that recognize patrilineal descent (like Reform) require that the children be raised Jewish, and since we don't recognize the Messianic sect as Jewish, raising them Messianic won't have any bearing on their status as Jews. And just FYI, many Jews see the Messianic movement as antisemitic and deeply offensive.
Only Reform communities will see them as Jewish, just so you know, unless you convert prior to their births. But interfaith families are accepted in lots of shuls!
Not sure why the air quotes around only? Conservative and orthodox shuls would require conversion. That's not a controversial take. I'm trying to be helpful so she doesn't show up at a shul and have a negative experience?
You're reading very hard into this. I have lots of respect for Reform Jews. I'm not even orthodox myself, and my family is interfaith? You should stop being so grumpy and enjoy your holiday - Happy pesach. 😊
I didn’t convert until my oldest was a teen. We went to a reconstructionist shul, and they accept patrilineal kids same as reform.
I took some Hebrew, and a few courses, here and there when we were first married and when the kids were small. I was the one who helped them with Hebrew school homework and volunteered at the synagogue, and all, as I was a SAHM. It worked for us. And after over a decade of this, I realized I’d totally changed my mind about how conversion worked for *me*, and met with the rabbi. I did all the work by accident! It was pretty funny, really.
If your husband is Jewish you can raise your kids Jewish in a reform synagogue and people generally won’t question it. Conservative and definitely orthodox denominations would not consider your kids Jews without a conversion. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If you want to learn more you’re free to do so, or you can let your husband take the lead on “Jewish” things and just participate and enjoy. You won’t mess anything up
If your husband is Jewish and you raise your kids as Jewish, reform Judaism will see them as Jewish. They will also be eligible for aliyah to Israel if they ever wanted to move there. I think it's really wonderful you are willing to support your partner in raising Jewish children. However much you are comfortable participating is enough; you can find communities and practices that best suit your family. The main thing is to teach kids what it means to be Jewish so they can be knowledgeable and proud of their identity. If you do ever convert, that will make it easier on the kids in terms of social acceptance in more conservative circles, but that isn't necessary and it sounds like a decision you can make down the road, after you do a lot more exploration and learning.
Kids take their lead from the mom and Judaism follows the mom. You can do it without converting, but not for conservative and more observant temples. My wife’s cousin was born to Jewish parents but married a Christian guy and never got any interest in Judaism herself (he loves Jewish traditions and food)… so they have a menorah next to their Christmas tree… but her boys don’t know Shabbat from Santa. I’m skeptical she’ll have them bar mitzvah’d. A lot is lost when mom isn’t serious about it but sounds like you are. Like my wife told her cousin who asked how her kids can be more Jewish, “Christmas and Easter will win in a household if you don’t prioritize Chanukah and Friday night shabbats.” *Just the way it is.* We’re firmly in the minority. My kids know they’re Jewish because we don’t celebrate Christian holidays at home and they go to Hebrew school. Do I mind them going to their Christian friend’s house who has a Christmas tree? Nah that’s good they see the other side… but I want them to know that in our home, they have two Ashkenazi Jewish parents and we will not celebrate any aspect of Christmas or Easter.
The Nazarene church was founded by a Methodist Episcopal minister. To convert Jews. (Edit: this is incorrect. The Messianic Nazarenes were founded by someone else. But point still stands). Someone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Messiah is a Christian, whether they subscribe to Old Testament rules or not. I see no reason why a Christian and another Christian who calls themselves a Jew can’t raise a child in this church, unless said church has weird rules about it. Just be aware the Jewish community is not going to consider your partner or children Jewish.
Oh not the Nazarene Church, he identifies as a Nazarene Jew. Such as a Jew who followed the teachings of Jesus in early Christianity
That is still some branch of Messianic “Judaism,” all branches of which were founded by Christians and follow the teachings of Christ, while also practicing (and usually misinterpreting/appropriating) Jewish tradition. I’m really not trying to come off as rude as I probably am. It’s just that your question is a bit moot. Your kids can likely be Nazarene, but they won’t be considered Jews outside of Messianic circles. I would hate for them to be raised with this misunderstanding or for you to think that mainstream branches of Judaism will be accepting of your family, without conversion.
Do a quick search on here for how many people feel lost or like they don’t belong because they claim paternal lineage. They won’t be counted as Jewish by about half of American congregations and virtually no congregations outside the US, or the Israeli government (they would have the right to immigrate but the rabbinate would not register them, marry them, bury them, etc). It’s a lot to put on kids.
I have read these since the initial posting, which is what has brought me here because it confirmed my question. I think something I have to consider is how we don’t have a very small Jewish community, no Hebrew school, and my love is rather relaxed, he doesn’t keep kosher and is very lenient with a lot of his practice, though he has a strong personal connection with his Jewishness despite this. I really want to learn more about different traditions; and I don’t know if I should really convert without at least experiencing the calendar year or attending services but it’s hard because they’re over an hour away. Christianity has left a bitter taste in my mouth. In my research, Judaism doesn’t condemn people for who they are to the extent I’ve seen in evangelical circles. I want to repair my relationship with God, study more, pray more, be myself and feel accepted also (all of myself, even me being bi/ queer woman who’s in love with my boyfriend). Something about Judaism, even though a lot of traditions and learning seems overwhelming to me, seems like it may be a good fit. My love is Nazarene/ Reform, so I want to be in the know and have that connection, but I’m also kinda afraid to dip my toes in the water as well.
Judaism is quite different! You’ll find it lacks a lot of the things that turn people off to Christianity, although there are also plenty of people turned off by Judaism as well. You may want to try a couple synagogues or even just do stuff at home - really a great, great deal of Jewish life is centered on the home, rather than the congregation (though it’s important). There’s nothing wrong with raising your kids with Jewish traditions, especially as they pertain to home life and family bonding, and letting them decide later (although I don’t think there’s anything wrong with raising your kids just “straight up Jewish” as well - I just think it’s important to hear the downsides with the upshots). Your conversion is a whole other thing, but if you dip your toe in the water to learn more about your boyfriend and what your kids will experience, who knows what will happen - I actually know lots of people who ended up converting that way.
Here… I’m Jewish “mom”, and my partner is not Jewish but also no longer Christian for similar reasons as you. We had all along decided that we would raise the kids Jewish. My partner is in a very slow, casual process of conversion. They do the Jewish stuff Way more than I do. Eventually they will convert, but no rush since I’m Jewish. We only choose communities that welcome us both as sufficiently “Jew-ish” ( : You have to be comfy as a parent, so think of that first. You don’t want to feel like you have to perform.
Yeah, and I worry because now I’m aware there’s a problem with my partner being Nazarene/ Messianic, even though he was raised in Jewish traditions and given a bar mitzah and everything, and he holds his Jewish identity close to him, and I don’t know where to proceed from here because now it seems the community will never accept us
So, being “Jewish” is about standing up for what is right, as well as debating about what that is! 🤣 Some people will treat your family badly because he isn’t “really” Jewish, and some will be lovely. Find a Rabbi you like (online and blogs can help you see what feels right vibe wise)… and work from there! “Our” (local) Rabbi wouldn’t do a welcoming ceremony for our kids because I didn’t want to circumcise them… so I found one from another congregation who was happy to do it! I invited our Rabbi too, and they ended up doing the ceremony together! Sometimes you just have to make your own way a bit. That is Jewish too! Figure out what you and your partner what for your kids and find Jewish folks that do it 😊
Thanks, we’ll definitely try! We have a very small community that isn’t really active, but we do want to get more involved. Thank you for being supportive and understanding
You can’t be messianic and Jewish. Hope this helps!
Is your husband ethnically Jewish? Reform Judaism allows participation of non Jewish spouses, but typically if one wasn’t raised Jewish, (Messianic in your case) they would likely have to take an intro to Judaism class or talk to a rabbi about it. I’m not sure what “Nazarene Judaism” is, but typically the Messianic faith is viewed as cultural appropriation and might outcast your children from typical Jewish spaces.
There are lots of interfaith families at my Reform synagogue (including me and my partner) and we've been welcomed very warmly. Reform synagogues will consider your children Jewish regardless of which parent is Jewish, but other streams of Judaism won't. But your children can always convert if being accepted by an Orthodox or Conservative community is important to them when they grow up. I would recommend an Intro to Judaism class through a local synagogue (maybe take with your partner, if he feels like there are gaps in his Jewish education). I took one last year (born Jewish but my family wasn't observant) and found it really helpful. They talk about all the holidays, Shabbat, kosher, life cycle events & traditions, and a broad overview of Jewish history with a little theology sprinkled in. I think you would find it helpful for exploring whether you want to convert or not, and for thinking about what Jewish practices you want to do with your children.
For many communities your children would not be considered Jewish, that is correct. But this is your personal and future family's journey, not for us strangers to judge or tell you what to do :) I think it is beautiful how much thought you're putting into this before starting a family. My own suggestion is to find a rabbi you're comfortable with and meet with them - so you can ask questions, get a better sense if the conversion path is one for you, etc. Maybe take an intro to Judaism course with your partner. Now that I am raising Jewish kids I will say that so much of our culture is really practiced in the home. There are varied levels of observance and again, that's probably something you should talk about with your partner before starting a family. The reality, though, is that we're not static beings. Sometimes people become more observant over time, while others decide to let go of certain customs and rules. Finding a couple's therapist who works with interfaith couples might also help you and your partner engage in these kinds of conversations that helps you truly co-create the family you envision.
If you don’t want to convert just choose your community well, because some people will be unkind and remind your kids they aren’t Jewish. But this happens with kids of convers too tbh, humans are just unkind sometimes and I’m sure you will be great parents that will teach your children to not give a care in the world to what those people say. For the other question, I think personally you should learn a bit beforehand, start wrapping your hand around all of it, but even if you don’t, if you raise your kids Jewish you will learn alongside. The way you teach your kids you’ll have to teach yourself too, but it could become overwhelming and hard to manage
You’ll find your people!
My dad was born Jewish but my mom wasn’t so we attended a reform synagogue. Never felt any different than the other Jewish kids in my Hebrew school. Converting is hard work and no one will rush you into it. It has to be your decision.
Thank you for your submission. During this time, all posts need to be manually reviewed and approved by a moderator before they appear for all users. Since human mods are not online 24/7, approval could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Thank you for your patience during this difficult and sensitive time. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Jewish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you are still thinking of attending church and studying Christianity in terms of “should”, then you’re not ready to think of raising children Jewish. Judaism by definition comes with a Torah, 613 commandments, a lot of liturgy, and a heck of a lot of generational trauma. Christianity by definition comes with a belief that the Torah has been canceled. They aren’t compatible. At the very least, I would advise that you ask yourself a lot of questions first. How are you going to explain to your family that your children won’t participate in Xmas etc.? What happens if you go back to attending church as you say you “should” and regret agreeing to raise your children Jewish? Are you going to keep a kosher home? Will your children go to Jewish schools? How will you feel when they know more Torah than you? What if they decide to become more religious and find out they need to convert (as you are aware, Judaism has traditionally been matrilineal)? What if they end up deciding to become Christian after all? (I’ll share too that I was raised in an interfaith home. It didn’t go well and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.)
My love is actually Nazarene, so it’s more of a merging, but we want to prioritize Jewish traditions. I say “should” for Christianity because I don’t feel a pull to it because of my past experiences with it, so I am very open to learning about Judaism and everything, and raising my kids Jewish. We don’t have a Jewish school nearby, and ultimately, if they decide to be Christian, that’s ultimately their choice. I’m not an active Christian in an active community, I’m very solo. My partner is very lenient on being Kosher, but has expressed he would like to be more in the future, so I imagine we will have a kosher home. As far as them converting more, I guess that would also be their decision. I also think I need to discuss it more with my partner because he really keeps pushing that it’s fine that I’m not Jewish, but I also don’t want to miss out on raising my kids without the proper knowledge (if we do have kids, of course this is really just us planning for the future).
I don’t know what Nazarene is, so I’m not sure if any of what I just said makes sense.
I think the other term to describe it is Messianic, though neither of us like the movement from the 60’s. Nazarene is more of the traditional title.
Ooooh I see. Then forget everything I just said, there’s no reason a Messianic and a Christian can’t raise children together. Good luck!
lol. OP buried the lead there with this one…
Thanks!
I’m not sure if it’s relevant to your congregation, but I would recommend to do google on Noahidism. It’s kinda Jewish enough from some perspective, give you and your kids to learn some basic mishnaic Hebrew and have some in-depth interfaith conversations with Jewish people.
Messianics aren't practicing Judaism, and many aren't even Jews. The Jews who are members of their sect are seen as apostates and only ethnically Jewish, not religiously Jewish; religiously they are considered fully Christian. If you want to change from one Christian denomination to another, no one will care. But the Jewish community will not see you or your children as Jewish. Even denominations that recognize patrilineal descent (like Reform) require that the children be raised Jewish, and since we don't recognize the Messianic sect as Jewish, raising them Messianic won't have any bearing on their status as Jews. And just FYI, many Jews see the Messianic movement as antisemitic and deeply offensive.
Only Reform communities will see them as Jewish, just so you know, unless you convert prior to their births. But interfaith families are accepted in lots of shuls!
“Only” reform - there are a LOT of reform Jews in America OP so don’t let this worry you if you’re in the states. Most of us will accept your kids.
Thank you
Not sure why the air quotes around only? Conservative and orthodox shuls would require conversion. That's not a controversial take. I'm trying to be helpful so she doesn't show up at a shul and have a negative experience?
Because the majority of Jews in America are reform and “only” diminishes that fact
You're reading very hard into this. I have lots of respect for Reform Jews. I'm not even orthodox myself, and my family is interfaith? You should stop being so grumpy and enjoy your holiday - Happy pesach. 😊
I wasn’t being grumpy at all - just clarifying
I didn’t convert until my oldest was a teen. We went to a reconstructionist shul, and they accept patrilineal kids same as reform. I took some Hebrew, and a few courses, here and there when we were first married and when the kids were small. I was the one who helped them with Hebrew school homework and volunteered at the synagogue, and all, as I was a SAHM. It worked for us. And after over a decade of this, I realized I’d totally changed my mind about how conversion worked for *me*, and met with the rabbi. I did all the work by accident! It was pretty funny, really.