i am in an inter-faith relationship, we are raising our child jewish. will a xmas tree confuse the child?

Question

i am in an interfaith relationship. my husband is jewish and I am catholic. we've decided to raise the child to be jewish. i never converted to judism. so while the child will be raised and educated on judiasm, i still want to celebrate the holidays and traditions that i celebrated growing up - like having a christmas tree. my husband worries that this will confuse our child. i think that this exposes the child to other religions and if explained clearly won't confuse the child. Does anyone have thoughts/experiences with this?

Answer 1

Being raised Catholic and my wife is Muslim. We had are different ideas. We agreed that every religion is the same. We have a tree and do the Ramadan thing myself. So its give and take. We made sure we agreed before we got married on a few things. Your already married so you have to work a few things out. She has many different holidays. I just like to think of it as more days with friends and family get together. Yes give him a base or foundation in Judaism but build on it. Teach him to love every part of life. Just because I am American doesn't mean I can't go to Oktoberfest because its a German Holiday. Trust me it does not confuse the kids at all. They only know they are getting more presents each year that's all. Welcome to the 21st century

Answer 2

Since you (the Mother) are not Jewish, they are not Jewish, and will need to convert.
If you choose to raise your child in the Jewish faith they need ot understand that.
However, you can certainly celebrate Chanakah as a religious holiday, and Christmas as a secular holiday. Christmas has become so comercialized. Celebrate St. Nick, not Christ. Explain that the Jewish faith sees Jesus as a great prophet, not the Messiah, so you do not celebrate his birth in the same way his Christian friends do. Your faith tells you you are still waiting for the Messiah to come, Christianity teachs the Messiah has already come. Two very different doctrines.
No matter what, it will be confusing, because you are raising him Jewish, but refuse to let go of your own doctrine, which conflicts with what you are teaching him.
IMO, you need to decide what religion, if any will be practiced in your home, and practice it. Then teach your children secularly about all other religions.
Sorry, but you can't have your cake and eat it, too!

Answer 3

Hmm, I used to teach piano to a boy whose parents were 2 religions - that is, one parent was Jewish and one was Protestant. They celebrated both Christian and Jewish holidays throughout the entire year and said they liked that because then their children understood both religions better and as a family they had more fun and bonding experiences together. That is a rare combination, but it is not impossible as long as people respect each other. I have heard Larry King is Jewish and married to a Mormon (Shawn Southwick King), but I haven't found a lot of details on how they celebrate holidays. That is something you could find out about. I do think since Christians also use the Old Testament, it isn't that big of a stretch to celebrate Jewish holidays.

Answer 4

Well since you both decided to raise the child in the Jewish Tradition..and the father is jewish and you are not Jewish. Your child will confused to being with if a person who is Jewish and religious asks about you the mother...they will consider your child to not be jewish.

I don't mean to pry but does your husband want your child to convert someday??

X-mas trees are not christian they are pagan but I can understand your husband's feelings. I think since you are raising your child in the Jewish tradition...meaning no influences of other religons or customs. I think the tree might actually confuse the child....but you can explain that mommy's family has different customs than daddy.

You can education your child about different cultures and religons. When I was in hebrew day school they taught us about other religons and...plus if your Jewish you know that your in the minority as far as religons go.

The way I see it many people are not informed about what other religons.

Answer 5

I have know parents who were both Jewish who had a Christmas tree and Santa came for their kids. Christmas can be a secular holiday too. And when the kids were in school they didn't feel left out when the others talked about the presents that Santa gave them. You shouldn't have to give up your religion. Go ahead and celebrate it as a religious holiday. I think your child will understand and not be confused. Children are sometimes wiser that we give them credit for. They will understand that mom is Christian and that they and dad are Jewish.

Answer 6

"Do not be unequally yoked." You are a living example of why people need to follow biblical instruction better.

If mommy was a Democrat, Honda lover and daddy was a Republican, Ford lover, THAT would be ok.

Instead, mommy believes that Jesus is God in the Flesh and the ONLY way to get to heaven, but mommy is also OK with her little girl being led away from Jesus. Daddy believes that Jesus lied when He claimed to be God and that's why He was crucified.

Yes, your children will have years of confusion ahead of them.....There's a big difference between teaching or exposing your children to other religions (and explaining what is meant by "false teachings") and raising your child in a faith that you don't believe results in going to heaven.

Answer 7

properly, if the youngster is Jewish might remember on what that is mom is. provided that she is Jewish in accordance to Halacha the youngster may well be Jewish. yet as far as i understand, in case you as Christians undertake the youngster it may well be extreme if the youngster remains considered as Jewish by using Judaism. I say this with the story of the historian Saul Friedländer in concepts. He became into born to German Jewish moms and dads in Prague and hidden in a French monastery throughout international conflict 2. the two his moms and dads died interior the Holocaust and whether he had the two moms and dads being Jewish he had to transform to Judaism as an person because of the fact he grew up with Christians. So having this in concepts, i'm not rather specific if the youngster might in any respect considered as Jewish by using the Jewish community whether that's accompanied and raised by using you. yet i'm not a Rabbi, with the intention to be clean bearing directly to the youngster's prestige, you could ask an Orthodox Rabbi. on the different hand, i don't think of which you would be surely waiting to advance a newborn Jewish in case you're Christian. Judaism isn't basically a faith, that's a subculture besides and you at the instant are not known to that faith nor to the subculture, you do not understand the prayers, you do not understand Hebrew to coach any prayers or songs, you do not understand Brachot or you do not understand the thank you to have a kosher kitchen; you do not understand the thank you to computer screen Shabbat, you at the instant are not conscious of Jewish liturgy nor with that is holiday journeys and their regulations and practices and a minimum of, you could not be waiting to "behave Jewish" or see the international with Jewish eyes - so i don't think of it may well be obtainable to advance a Jewish newborn as Jewish in case you your self are Christians. think of a Muslim could advance a Christian newborn as Christian - do you think of it would artwork? comparable element with Christians and a Jewish newborn.

Answer 8

This is a terrible thing, the bible says that we ought not to be unequally yoked for this very reason. What you show your child is that religion means nothing to you and fidelity is not to be found with you. Do you give up your God and Savior so easily? Are you spitting in Christs face and saying "you suffered for nothing, your blood is not my redemption nor my husbands, and then let your husband play around with sacrificial blood of goats and offer that to your child as holy, while you despise the holy blood of Jesus Christ? What is the point of calling yourself a Christian if it doesn't matter and you are not convinced it is the truth?

Answer 9

I think it would be a wonderful idea, but you probably have to work to respect your husband's view as he has to respect yours.

I think it should help the child to understand where you are coming from.

Yipes, though, doesn't sound like an ideal situation by any means.

Answer 10

no a Xmas tree is not really a religious thing.
I was not brought up with any religious training in any religion, but we still had a Xmas tree,. and exchanged gifts. it had nothing to do with Jesus or God . it was a holiday thing.