Live Blogging #2: UMJC Rabbi’s Retreat

I guess it’s not exactly live blogging when you don’t have an internet connection in the conference room. But at least I can give you some on the scene notes from this meeting in beautiful Palm Springs, California.

Our topic is intermarriage and the opportunities we have as a Messianic Jewish movement to be of help to the millions of intermarrieds and children of intermarriage in the U.S.

The statistics are staggering. Before 1970, only 13% of Jews intermarried. The figure today hovers at 50%. There are more than one million intermarried couples in the U.S. Add to that the children and also adult children of intermarriage and you quickly see we are talking about huge numbers.

And while Jewish identity is strong, so that many intermarried couples raise their children with some Jewish education, at least in the home, so too the Christian element of these marriages has sticking power. 35% of the children of these intermarriages are raised Christian, 32% Jewish, 11% Jewish plus something else, 10% Jewish-secular, 8% no religion, and 4% other religions.

Interestingly, 95% of non-Jewish spouses of intermarriage do not convert to Judaism. Many resent being pressured to convert.

And even in families where it is decided that Judaism alone will be the faith of the children, eventually there is a tendency for Christian traditions to creep back into the home.

It seems that Jewish identity and faith in Jesus are both hard to shake.

And the tragedy is that Messianic Judaism is the best-kept secret in the intermarried community.

Presenter, Rabbi Dr. David Rudolph gave his opinion that national surveys funded by Jewish agencies have tended to downplay or fail to get specific about the outlook of the intermarried families who pursue Christianity and Messianic Judaism. It would not be in the interest of these agencies to promote in any way another option besides Jewish affiliation.

But consider some of the benefits of Messianic Judaism for intermarried families:
–A solution to divided loyalty among the kids.
–A vehicle for the Jewish spouse to accept Jesus without abandoning Judaism.
–It provides an accepting community for the non-Jewish spouse to learn Judaism.
–It helps promote harmony with extended family, such as Jewish or Christian grandparents.
–Often the Jewish spouse greatly increases in Jewish observance.
–It is easier for a Jewish spouse to raise Jewish children in the supportive community of MJ.
–We offer children a historically rooted community to identify with, the early Jewish followers of Jesus.

And consider what the Messianic Jewish movement is currently missing out on. If 35% of intermarrieds raise their children Christian, there are hundreds of thousands of Christianized Jews out there. Many of them would find a better home in Messianic Jewish synagogues if they only knew about us.

Consider it safe to say, things are changing. I am involved now with other leaders in Messianic Judaism who are working to offer Messianic Judaism to the intermarried community. I will be announcing soon some news about projects I will be working on. One of them will be a new Messianic Jewish site for intermarrieds to learn about Messianic Judaism. And it is going to be big.

Live Blogging: UMJC Rabbi’s Rereat

I am in Palm Springs, California. Out the back window of my hotel room is the San Jacinto mountain range. An 8,500′ peak rises, blocking the horizon. I may have the chance to take a tram up the mountain this afternoon. I’m told the temperature drops 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hopefully I will have wireless internet in the conference room here and be able to send a few live updates on our retreat.

For the moment, I thought I would share a few of my experiences arriving here.

First, I was “evangelized” on the last leg of my plane trip by a brainy, successful Canadian businessman who is an atheist and a devout fan of Christopher Hitchens. It was great. I am almost always up for good dialogue about God.

It started when I noted he had the new Apple Macbook Pro. I asked him a few questions about the changes in the Macbook Pro, since I will likely be getting one in the next year or so.

Then he asked, “What do you do?” Next thing you know, we’re talking about Christopher Hitchens and reasons not to believe in God. I could tell my new friend has not had the chance to talk to a person of faith who knows the issues. As I said to him, “In any complex issue, it is possible for both sides to make a lot of sense.”

The experience was a good one and you never know where you might make a new friend. I certainly didn’t know I would meet and talk to a Canadian businessman. I wonder if he needs a writer to work on any of his company’s projects. Hmmm . . .

Second, on the first leg of the flight, I was reading Jewish Living: A Guide to Contemporary Reform Practice by Mark Washofsky. It is a book I will be reviewing soon here at Messianic Jewish Musings.

Reform Judaism is starting to make a lot more sense to me. I know that sounds strange. Most outsiders from the Christian world looking in on the Jewish world would think Orthodox Judaism is the only authentic voice. I have been enjoying learning more about the Conservative and Reform ways of looking at things.

For instance, and we’ll discuss this in more depth soon, Reform notes that Judaism has always been open to change. Judaism does not have to follow the path Orthodox Judaism has chosen, the conserve every tradition and turn it into law.

While I certainly feel more conservative about things like the authority of God’s commands than Reform thinkers could agree with, still, I like their voice for change, adaptation, and even innovation.

Finally, we start our meetings today. This retreat is about Jewish-Christian intermarriage and Messianic Judaism. I will share a few interesting tidbits with you as the conference progresses.