Soc.Culture.Jewish Newsgroups Frequently Asked Questions and Answers URL: www.scjfaq.org/faq/18-04-04.html

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Question 18.4.4:
Fallacy: Reform Judaism encourages intermarriage

Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis has repeatedly opposed mixed (interfaith) marriages. However, it does not feel that once the marriage has occurred, the couple should be shunned, for this serves only to drive them further away from Judaism. This is best illustrated by a resolution (http://www.ccarnet.org/cgi-bin/resodisp.pl?file=mm&year=1973) issued in 1973 by the CCAR:

The Central Conference of American Rabbis, recalling its stand adopted in 1909 that mixed marriage is contrary to the Jewish tradition and should be discouraged, now declared its opposition to participation by its members in any ceremony which solemnizes a mixed marriage.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis recognizes that historically its members have held and continue to hold divergent interpretations of Jewish tradition.

In order to keep open every channel to Judaism and K'lal Yisrael for those who have already entered into mixed marriage, the CCAR calls upon its members:

1. to assist fully in educating children of such mixed marriage as Jews;

2. to provide the opportunity for conversion of the non-Jewish spouse, and

3. to encourage a creative and consistent cultivation of involvement in the Jewish community and the synagogue.

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