A non-Jewish lesbian mom joins the Mikveh (a conversion ceremony) for her son
”For the Jewish clergy, the issues were different. They loved the gay thing; the interfaith thing was an issue. That was a surprise. Reason #37 on the list of “Why I love Jews” is that when it comes to fighting for civil rights, the Jews are always right there at the forefront. The synagogues in our area have always been heavily represented in the gay pride parades–even as the Christian denominations were still trickling in. The Jews (except for the most Orthodox) couldn’t have been happier we were gay, wished us much mazel with our union, but were so sorry, would be unable to participate in an interfaith service, or marry us unless I was willing to convert. To be fair, we have since met a number of rabbis who would have happily presided at our ceremony but we didn’t know them at the time.”
Johanna Hammer describing her marriage process to her Jewish partner, Rebecca, and the issues involved in having their baby son accepted into the Jewish faith. (InterfaithFamily)
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
