Rebecca Davis' Talk

Professor Davis' talk was really interesting. I thought the structure of her presentation was very well thought out; by beginning with background information concerning the split of conservative and liberal sects of religion, new dating habits in the early 20th century, and the different revivals that occured after WWII, I was able to better understand the information concerning the Jewish community and new marriage practices. I liked the way that some rabbis decided to integrate the new social sciences into religion and discuss Jewish practical matters concerning marriage in terms of psychological and sociological developments. I definitely agree that, to a certain exent, the social sciences can help us to grow as a Jewish community. Understanding the subconscious (as God created it) can help us to lead better lives and to better understand the correct answer to our problems.

As far as the Jewish community's focus on interfaith marriages, I guess I have a different view on this issue. For so many years, and even still today, parents and the community considered it an abomination for a Jew to marry a non-Jew. You were upsetting the integrity of the community--you were betraying your culture and your family. Even my grandmother was so upset that my mother married outside of the religion that she made my parents hold two wedding parties and lied to all of the relatives on my mother's side, saying that my parents got married in a temple but that it was just a private ceremony. I personally think, however, that having parents from different backgrounds really helped shape me into the tolerant and curious person that I am today. Although my father never officially converted, I was raised Jewish, and I went through hebrew school and was bat mitzvahed just like everyone else. However, at the same time, I was able to see other people practicing differently on my father's side of the family, and by being exposed to all different kinds of religious practice, I came to appreciate the Jewish community more. I think that if Judaism was the only thing I knew, I might have rejected it--especially since I come from a small town in NH where being Jewish can feel very lonely. Instead, I learned about all different cultures but was still able to identify with the international Jewish community and its spirituality very strongly. And because of my exposure, I was able to successfully teach many others about Judaism in terms they would understand. Naturally, after going through everything they did, my parents have told me that I can marry whoever I would like. I don't have any preference to whether or not I marry someone Jewish, but I do want to raise my children Jewish. I want them to have ties to this amazing community, but I also want them to be free to learn and experience everything they want. This way, when they are older and have the chance to make a decision for themselves, they too can truly appreciate the uniqueness of Judaism.