Marrying out but keeping the next generation in

Young Australians are proving they can have a strong connection to Judaism regardless of whether they have two Jewish parents. RUBY KRANER-TUCCI reports.

Intermarriage – or “marrying out” – has long been viewed as a threat to the continuity of Jewish life and culture.

But intermarriage is increasing, and bringing with it a new generation of young Australians who are challenging the assumption that without two Jewish parents, a child is lost to the Jewish community.

Some children of intermarriage have bnei mitzvah, participate in Israel programs, are active in Jewish student politics, and go on to bring their own children up as Jews.

Jonathan Iadarola, a 22-year-old university student from Adelaide, grew up in an interfaith household but with no question about where he belonged. “We were very much raised Jewish, but with a sprinkling of Christian upbringing,” he said.

Each year, Iadarola celebrates Chanukah festivities with his Israeli mum and the local Jewish community but also has what he calls “Chrismukkah” – a family meal to mark Christmas with his Italian-Australian dad.

While both cultures play a role in his life, Iadarola identifies more strongly as Jewish. “My mum enforced in myself and my sister a very strong sense of Jewish identity and pride. Whenever we have events that are more Christian, we go out of respect for my dad and for family, [but] there isn’t a religious connection. It never feels to me that I’m not Jewish.”

The Australian Jewish intermarriage rate has steadily risen from 17% in the 1990s to 33% in 2017 and is continuing to increase, according to Gen17: Australia’s Jewish Community Survey.

Perhaps predictably, intermarriage is higher among secular Jews (62%) than progressive (49%) or traditional Jews (13%) and rare in the observant Orthodox community. In Australia it is still well below the US rate of 58%.