Gateways into Jewish Living - Teshuvah Overview

The Conservative/Masorti Movement is deepening its commitment to intermarried couples and families building a Jewish home, through a new set of rulings from the rabbinic body that sets halakhic policy for the Movement.

 "As rabbis, we enjoy the privilege of being invited into people's lives, and we want to assure them that we care about them." 

The Rabbinical Assembly's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) has authored a teshuvah — a formal rabbinic response to a question of Jewish law — that outlines a continuum of approaches: from basic acts of welcome into the Jewish community, to more formal rituals and ceremonies that recognize and support key moments in the lives of these couples and families.

Among its provisions, the teshuvah:

• Formalizes a public mi shebeirakh (blessing) and a hanukkat habayit ceremony for couples building a Jewish home together
• Welcomes all parents on the bimah during their children's b'nei mitzvah, and affirms that congregations may offer mazel tov and other gestures of inclusion once considered unacceptable
• Affirms that synagogues may hire an intermarried Jewish person for most roles other than clergy
• Affirms full Jewish mourning practices — including sitting shivah and reciting Kaddish — for a non-Jewish parent, spouse, or child, and permits rabbis to officiate at funerals for non-Jewish family members

"We should see each encounter with intermarried couples as an opportunity to guide them to actualize a Jewish present and future, inspired and shaped by Jewish traditions."

The Standard of Religious Practice on officiation remains in place. What continues is the Movement's work to find new ways to welcome and support couples and families beyond that moment.

To learn more, read the full teshuvah, browse our frequently asked questions, or explore the related work of the Rabbinical Assembly Standards Working Group.