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Comments on the Statement Keruv and The

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Intermarriage affects Jewish families across all denominational backgrounds, yet current policies meant to address this reality may actually hinder Jewish continuity. By analyzing intermarriage statistics from Mayer and Sheingold's seminal study and examining halakhic interpretations, this research challenges Roth and Gordis's restrictive recommendations in their statement on "Keruv and the Status of Intermarried Families." The methodology combines halakhic interpretation with sociological data analysis to evaluate proposed policies regarding intermarried families' participation in Jewish communal life. Key findings reveal that converted spouses demonstrate higher levels of synagogue involvement than born Jews, with conversionary families showing greater Jewish engagement than endogamous families. Conversion emerges as the crucial factor in maintaining Jewish continuity within intermarried households. Restrictive policies—such as prohibiting non-Jewish spouses from wearing religious garments or barring their children from Hebrew school—may counterproductively discourage conversion. The central conclusion advocates for pragmatic halakhic application that prioritizes conversion facilitation over rigid exclusion, recommending that individual rabbis assess circumstances to determine approaches most likely to encourage spouse and child conversion, thereby balancing traditional Jewish law with contemporary demographic realities.

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    Seymour Siegel