WHAT IS THE HALF-JEWISH NETWORK?
The Half-Jewish Network is a social, networking, support, cultural, research and advocacy organization for adult children and other interested descendants of intermarriage and interfaith/intercultural relationships. It was founded in 2005.
The Half-Jewish Network is willing to provide advice and guidance to spiritual and secular organizations that seek effective ways to welcome the adult children and other descendants of intermarriage.
The Half-Jewish Network welcomes adult children and other descendants of intermarriage from all religious, secular and cultural backgrounds.
WE WELCOME . . .
We cordially invite the adult children and other descendants of either a Jewish father or a Jewish mother to join us. We make no distinctions between them.
Adult children and other descendants are welcome whether they identify as Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, agnostics, atheists, “both,” “neither,” “uncertain,” “secular,” and many other self-identifications.
No one is required to either adopt or renounce any particular spiritual or cultural identity in order to join and remain a member of the Half-Jewish Network.
We welcome biracial, multiracial and mixed heritage adult children and other descendants of intermarriages.
We greet “DNA half-Jewish people,” who have learned that they have partial Jewish ancestry from genealogical searches and DNA tests.
We are glad to see adult adoptees, stepchildren and other non-biological descendants of intermarriages.
We extend greetings to GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) adult children and other descendants of intermarriage.
We cordially receive adult children and other descendants raised in interfaith households created by GLBT same-sex holy unions, domestic partnerships and relationships.
WHY DOES THE HALF-JEWISH NETWORK EXIST?
Astonishingly, at the present time — despite the fact that there are thousands of us living in countries all over the world, including Israel — there are almost no resources for us of any kind.
We have very few opportunities to network — talk, meet, share stories and information and form friendships and relationships.
There is very little known about us. There are few research studies on us or brochures and literature for us or groups engaged in outreach to us.
We also have almost no public “voices” or spokespersons to give feedback or comments when decisions are made about us in the Jewish world and in other faith-based and secular communities.
This neglect is in glaring contrast to the huge amount of research on — and numerous organizations and spokespersons for — interfaith couples (our parents) — and the related support groups for the parents of interfaith couples (our grandparents) — within both Judaism and Christianity. (We have not yet found such groups within other cultures yet.)
We hope that the existence of the Half-Jewish Network will be one of the first steps in filling that huge gap in networking, information sharing, support and public advocacy for us.
WHO STARTED THE HALF-JEWISH NETWORK?
The Half-Jewish Network was organized by Robin Margolis, our Coordinator, assisted by a volunteer Board. We also welcome advice and assistance from other adult children and descendants of intermarriage. (See “About/Our Leaders” on this website for more information about our history and leadership.)
WHAT ARE WE CURRENTLY DOING?
We run a Message Board where we encourage adult children and other descendants of intermarriage from all over the world to post questions, ideas, news, jokes and information. (See “About/Message Board” and “Survey” pages on this website.)
We are also gathering the names and email addresses of adult children and other descendants of intermarriage for a survey that we plan to do in the near future. (See “About/Message Board” and “Survey” pages on this website.)
We advocate for adult children and other descendants of intermarriage with Jewish, Christian, and other faith-based and secular organizations reaching out to interfaith and intercultural families. We advocate through emails, phone calls, message board postings, comment sections of online news media and through writing articles.
We are willing to advise adult children and other descendants of intermarriage on how to do the same things. We have also started a Half-Jewish Network blog on this website, which also functions as our email newsletter. To receive our free email newsletter, please to go to the “Email Subscription” on the upper right hand corner of this web page and sign up.
For more information about us, please visit our “About/Our Leaders” and our “About/Contact” page.
