From: sarah@albnyvms.bitnet
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Interfaith Marriage, Conversion, Internet Access and other stuff
Date: 5 Nov 92 08:02:32 GMT
Reply-To: sarah@albnyvms.bitnet
Organization: University of NY at Albany

Hi!
 
I'm new here and have just waded through several HUNDRED posts that had
accumulated in the past 4 days.
 
I have a few questions to ask, but am going to be going to NYC for a few
and will not be able to log onto my computer account until Monday AM,
so if anyone replies, it will have to be by email, because I won't
be able to sort through a thousand plus messages to try to find the
answers.
 
First, if I sound vague, please understand that I was raised in a VERY
secular reform home. Almost to the point of having an Xmas tree in the
house, but not quite.
 
I'm almost 24 and am in a serious relationship with a man of Methodist
background.  As I am Jewish, I plan to raise my children Jewish, and he
has no objections to that - none of the "half Jewish" nonsense, thank you.
He and I are also discussing conversion (HIM, not me, of course!) and I
wanted to know if anyone could recommend any good, relatively short books
to get him for Chanukah (He works full time AND goes to college full time
so has minimal time).  I also plan to buy him a Yarmulke for Chanukah if
I have the cash...
 
Next question: I find the argument on the children in Alabama who are
being forbidden to interfaith date.  I don't plan to forbid it, I think
it would be RATHER hypocritical of me, but I plan to strongly encourage
them to only date within Judaism.  If I were to break up with my SO,
I can't see myself ever dating another Gentile again, either.  Just one
of those "Coming of Age" decisions, I guess... I think that if he had
been less amenable to my needs, that would have been the end of the
relationship.
 
I can't remember what I was going to say... it's so late at night...
 
His family is really understanding about me (his sister in law is
Jewish as well, one is, anyway - the others are Catholic and Wiccan)
but I haven't sprung the "Conversion" discussion yet... I'm the only
one who cares enough yet to insist.
 
His brother (the one who married the Jewish woman) did something strange
at his wedding... I wonder what the general consesus is on it:
 
The had a very casual non-religious wedding, but at some point took
out two glasses to smash (one for him, one for her) and made a speech
something like : "I'm not sure why we're supposed to do this, something
about the falling of some temple, don't know what that has to do with me
getting married..." and broke them.  Personally *I* cringed.
 
I'm babbling, and can't figure out what else I was going to say, except
that I have to go to sleep...
 
Oh, one more thing.  I have a good friend who is converting (she finishes
next month - her father was Jewish, her mom gentile) and know that she 
would LOVE to read this mail.  She only has access to MCIMAIL, which
connects to internet somewhere via gateways.
Can she read this? I know she'd be thrilled...
 
Anyway, I'd love feedback at SARAH @ ALBNYVMS . BITNET
and my friend's address is: in%"4499330@mcimail.com"
 
Thanks again for being so nice!
Sarah
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish