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Question: I am married to a Jewish man though I am not Jewish. I am not a religious person, nor do I want to be. Do I have to convert to raise Jewish children and participate in their religious life?

Answer: Ostensibly you do not have to convert to raise your children as Jews. Many interfaith couples have successfully raised their children as committed Jews without a formal conversion of either parent. Although for cogent reasons it would be more advantageous, in childrearing, for the non-Jewish partner to formally convert. The process of formal conversion entails a period of time devoted to studying the basic rubrics of the Jewish faith which can effectively facilitate raising a child as Jewish. Furthermore, a parent who has converted to Judaism concretizes for the child the initial decision for being brought up as Jewish. In Orthodox and Conservative Judaism the child of a non-Jewish mother has to, at some point, formally convert to Judaism in order to be considered Jewish. Depending upon the specific rabbi this can occur a few months or years after birth, before admittance in a religious school or before Bar/Bat Mitzvah. In Reform Judaism a child is considered Jewish based upon upbringing rather than lineage. Since there is a spectrum of opinions on this subject it is strongly advisable to consult with a rabbi/s before any decisions are made.

- Rabbi Stuart Pollack (Har Sinai Temple, Pennington)