The Beauty of Diversity: My Life in an Interfaith Family

Last updated on: November 21, 2024 at 6:46 pm by Kelley Rouland M.A.

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The Beauty of Diversity: My Life in an Interfaith Family 2024-11-21T18:46:05-07:00 Kelley Rouland M.A.

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In my interfaith family we focus on our common belief in God/ Image by reenablack from Pixabay

If nothing else, religion is about love—love for God, love for each other, and love for ourselves. Yet, so often, people from opposing faiths judge one another, leading to criticism, gossip, and in some cases, hate. I have never understood this.

I have always had a healthy curiosity about other religions, a trait I credit my father for instilling in me. My Dad welcomed diversity long before it was a trending topic. Because of him, I navigate life with an open mind and will always be grateful for this wonderful gift he gave me.

He passed away nearly 15 years ago and I miss him every day. No matter what path I took he always supported me and since beginning my Jewish journey I often think about what he would say. I know he would be proud of me. I can still hear him say, “Follow your heart, and don’t worry about what others say.”

My family has been Christian for generations and so are most of our friends, which, at times, made this trek a bit lonely. Yet, some journeys are meant to be taken alone.

While on these lone pilgrimages, we truly learn who we are and what we want from life. Most importantly, we learn to follow our path, even when others don’t understand. Are you on a similar journey? If so, let me share my experiences on creating a successful interfaith family life.

Sharing Religious Traditions

I consider myself blessed. My immediate family accepted my decision to convert to Judaism with open arms making the transition much easier and helping me to move forward confidently. However, it does make for interesting Holiday celebrations. While creating new Jewish traditions, I am still surrounded by the old ones.

I embrace this. I believe in mutual respect and acceptance between religions which is evident at my house during the holidays. I celebrate Hanukkah while my mother celebrates Christmas. I enjoy the blending of celebrations.

This may be controversial to some yet, I believe it’s key to a successful interfaith family. And why not experience the best of both worlds? A Christmas tree and a Menorah under the same roof sounds like a wonderful time.

Finding Common Ground

My mother is a devout Christian, yet she has accepted my Jewish conversion without hesitation. It may seem strange to some, yet it works. One of the most beneficial ways to interfaith family success is by finding common ground.

In my family, God is the common ground. My mom and I have spent countless hours discussing our belief in God and how we find courage and strength in our faith. We’ve taken this commonality and developed a beautiful connection with each other.

Instead of picking apart the differences in our religions, we focus on the similarities. This is so true among religions. If we focus on what we have in common with people of other faiths instead of what is different, the world would be a better place.

Always be Open to Learn

As human beings, we are often set in our ways. We’ve developed a belief system throughout our lifetime and stepping out of those closely held beliefs can be challenging. That’s why being open is so important.

My mother has been a Christian her entire life and has built a lifetime of beliefs, but by being open-minded she has learned so much about the Jewish faith and gained an appreciation for its traditions.

Since my conversion began she experienced services at my local synagogue for the first time. She’s attended celebrations like the reading of the Megillah during Purim. This is a whole new world for her and she has embraced it while still holding on to her Christian faith.

Despite the obvious differences, there are common threads between Christianity and Judaism. Focusing on these commonalities is vital to a thriving interfaith family life. This means embracing each other’s traditions, finding common ground, and being open to learning. Shalom friends!