Why I Officiate Interfaith Weddings

I’ll start with my standard joke answer: I support Jews marrying outside the faith because after 3000 years of gefilte fish and kugel, we need some people who can bring in some new recipes. Not that I don’t love Jewish cooking--I do. But let’s mix it up a little bit.

I have been asked many times about my stance on performing interfaith weddings and my position comes down to an analysis of the Torah and the role of the rabbi. In the Torah, Jews are expressly prohibited from marrying outside the faith. It was an explicit commandment not to marry among tribes such as the Moabites and the Midianites. Despite that fact, Moses found himself a Midianite wife (Tzipporah) and Ruth (a Moabite) is the Grandmother of King David. Moses was our greatest prophet and King David is the progenitor of the Messiah.

There are several examples of rabbinic acrobatics to explain why it is sometimes prohibited and other times permitted to marry outside the faith in the Torah. We can imagine that Tzipporah converted, though such a process is not mentioned in the Torah. We can assume that though they lived among the Midianites or Moabites, they had Jewish souls. Or we can simply acknowledge that our attitude towards interfaith marriage changes over time.

During times we were at war with Moab or Midian, it was prohibited to marry them. During times of peace it seemed to be ok. Similarly, there have been generations during which it was seen as especially damaging to marry outside the faith.

Had I been a rabbi in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust I imagine my position would be different. With our population decimated and our faith in humanity diminished, I too would be skeptical of marrying outside our religion. But what about times of peace, when we have been living harmoniously with non-Jews?

Search through our history and you will discover that such a time has never existed until now. American Jews are experiencing the longest period of acceptance in history. Yes, there is still antisemitism and bigotry (as, sadly, there will always be). However it is worth taking a step back and appreciating that we live in a time when non-Jews actually want to marry us. When has that ever happened?

As intermarriage rates rose throughout the 70s and 80s, Jewish leaders began to worry that this would lead to assimilation and separation from the community. It was, in many ways, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Marrying outside the faith had such a stigma that newly married couples were turned away by their rabbis and were reluctant to attend a synagogue that was judgmental about their marriage. Studies would show that indeed, intermarried couples were less likely to raise their children Jewish.

But what else could we expect? How many of us would choose to belong to a congregation that didn’t fully accept who we are? In recent decades rabbis started to increasingly perform interfaith marriages. It will be a telling study to assess affiliation rates for

interfaith couples who were married by their congregational rabbi. This is where my role as a congregational rabbi informs my decision. As your rabbi, I want to be there for you and with you during the

significant moments in your lives. Judaism commands that when we go through our joys and sorrows, we do so with the support of our community. A wedding is certainly one of the greatest simchas of our lives and without question, I want to be there with you.

I want to open the gates of our community to you and whomever you marry. I want to share the joys of being part of this congregation and teach the beauty of our tradition at the outset of every new marriage. I believe that being part of synagogue life is a blessing and I hope that new families have every opportunity to share in that blessing.

In short, I hope that we as a community can come together to celebrate every couple, every young family that seeks to be part of Judaism. It is my honor to officiate Jewish wedding ceremonies for all who seek them and it is my hope that it is the start of a lifelong relationship with our congregation. It is my charge as a rabbi to be there with you for your wedding, and support you throughout your marriage.

The Gates Way December 2019

Rabbi David GerberShabbat VayetzeFriday, December 6 6:15 pm Installation of Rabbi Lexi ErdheimSaturday, December 7 9:15 am Brunch & Learn 10:30 am J-FLEx Shabbat

Shabbat VayislachFriday, December 13 6:00 pm Munchkin Minyan 8:00 pm Shabbat Unplugged Saturday, December 14 10:30 am Morning Worship with J-FLEx

Shabbat VayeshevFriday, December 20 8:00 pm Shabbat WorshipSaturday, December 21 10:30 am Morning Worship

Shabbat ChanukahFriday, December 27 8:00 pm Shabbat Worship Sisterhood sponsored Oneg Shabbat for ChanukahSaturday, December 28 10:30 am Morning Worship including the Bar Mitzvah of Emmett Cohen, son of Michael & Natalie Cohen

Fun at the CECE Fundraiser!!

Welcoming Audubon Wetland

Express for Shabbat Noah

Baby & MeMonday, December 9

10:00 am

Celebrate Chanukah with PJ Library and Mrs. Bonnie Lustig

This free program is open to the public. Please RSVP to the

CECE office - 885-4339

Sisterhood NewsSisterhood supports our synagogue

in many ways.

This month, we are sponsoring the dinner for Rabbi Erdheim’s Installation Shabbat,

helping to run December’s Munchkin Minyan and providing a special Oneg Shabbat for the

Shabbat during Chanukah.

This is a great time to get involved with Sisterhood!

Sisterhood Book Club Annual Chanukah Party

Monday, December 9@ the home of Nita-Joan Sams

Bring a used book for the Chanukah Harry Book Gift Exchange

Brotherhood NewsBrotherhood will be sponsoring the brunch

for “Brunch and Learn” at 9:15 am on December 7th for Rabbi Erdheim’s Installation Shabbat.

Please join us for a morning of lox, bagels, and torah!

Please RSVP through the link on the “Save the Date” on the front page of this Gates Way.

Monday, December 2 12:00 pm

Come celebrate Chanukah!Please RSVP to the

Temple office.Open to the first 70 RSVP’s.

Intro to Musarwith Rabbi Gerber

Wednesdays, December 4, 11 and 187:00 pm

Musar is an ancient spiritual practice that teaches us how to live every day with meaning. Join us as we explore this sacred art.

The General FundIn Memory of:Alfonso Ulysses Orrego Jose & Frida OrregoMary Esral AlhadeffBrina Winer YellinLinda GunterPaula Joseph Marilyn & Marvin BernsteinMorris Arthur Green Howard & Susan GreenStanford K. Blum, Jr. Peggy BlumElsie Goldstein Alan KochIn Honor of:Neil Wolfson’s Birthday Deborah & Sam BrackstoneNita-Joan Sams 90th Birthday Marilyn & Marvin Bernstein

Rabbi’s Discretionary FundIn Memory of:Janet Asher GoldsteinMiriam Levy AsherLinda GunterAdolph Edward Asher Joseph & Marilyn KlineHerb GansarSylvia Isenberg Annette Gansar & FamilyCelia Nemeth GoldenbergAnnie Merl Goldenberg Welsch Marty & Dale RothIn Appreciation of:Rabbi Gerber Susan & Gerald Levin Shael & Laura Lee Wolfson Margery Thomas & Toby Guidry

Rabbi Emeritus Discretionary FundIn Memory of:Myra Fellman Silverman Sue & Harold Singer

The Music FundIn Memory of:Lillian WurtzelSarah Easterling David & Lisa WurtzelFredalee Marsh Barri BronstonRichard Irving AlcusRené Michael LeBlanc Diana & Chip MannDavid Herman Levin Gerald, Susan, Jillian & Carly Levin

The Sarah Winsberg Memorial Flower FundIn Memory Of:Myra SilvermanDoris DavisElaine Rabin Cindy & Avrom DennIgor Vizelberg Heidi, Maxbetter, & Anna VizelbergTheone Millman Halpern Jack & Dori SchulmanIn Honor of:Nita Joan Sams 90th Birthday Cindy & Avrom Denn

N’davotContributions

Condolences

December YahrzeitsDecember 6-7*Jacob S. Aronowitz, *Joseph P. Felix, Dobin Friedman, James D. Gerald, Bernard S. Heumann, Lazard Hirsch, *Naphtali Hirsch Polmer, *Amelia Seelman, Solomon Shushan, Pearl Feinberg, *Abraham Benjamin Korn, *Stella Feitel Polmer, *Leonora G. Diamond, Judith Korn Greenwald, *John M. Mander, Helen Meldon, Jules Moyse, Zelig Wolff Pesses, *L. G. Wilk, *Catherine Leeper Fleishmann, *Coralie Cohn Kaufman, Helen Slipman Kohlman, Beulah Latter, Lester Rosenzweig, Barney Segal, *Myer Sloan, *Herman M. Suffrin, *Eunice Barnett, *Adelaide P. Elsensohn, *Isidore Levitan, Jack Pollack, Vivian Woods, *Sanford Congress, David Jacobs, *Bettie Katz, *Pauline Adels Miller, Hugo Oppenheim, Fay Schachter, Charles Schwarcz, Molly Shefsky, David Varon, Henry Bernard Hirsch, *Morris Katz, Julian Mattes, Julie Miller, *Martha Rosen, Elaine Van der Linden.

December 13-14*Alice Kancher Kisner, Joseph T. Pushker, Ruth Ann Rabin, Abraham Teles, Anna Singerman Yuspeh, Rachel Daughtrey, *Beate Gureasko, *Marjorie Katz, Isidore Rosenzweig, *Rae Leopold Slodov, Solomon Leopold Weil, Selma Liss Rubin, *Jean Avegno, David Bramson, Constance Bramson, *Emile M. Cohn, *Natalie Hayem Kancher, *Hyman Lang, *Mary E. Shamberg, *Joan Levy Sheridan, Ida Weinberger, Solomon Lepow, *Aaron Winstein, *Abraham Zwikel, Michael Aaron Blitz, Tillie Karnofsky, Harold Silverstein, Melvin Simon, *Jules Watsky, *Harold Sherman.

December 20-21Alfred Leon Alaynick, *Lucille Kahn, Emma Kahn Klein, *Mervin Joseph Polmer, *David Winstein, Joseph J. Bashinsky, Harry Bennett, *Julius Bodenger, Dorothy Blitz Goldstein, *Marcel Himmler, Jack Hoffman, Leon Levy, Raphael Leo Robbins, Serena Friedman Rudman, *Susan Share, Kohlman Stabinsky, Rose Weiner Brandt, Eileen Leder Curtis, Max J. Dansky, Pearl Daube, *Marilyn M. Felix, George Kesner, *Sarah Parody Korn, Toby Belfer Pesses, *Nathan Yasnyi, *Rena Rosenthal Burgas, Leon Cornman, Elise Fishman, William Harsha, Solomon David Miller, Bunna Mundt, *Seymour H. Schlackman, *Yale Shamberg, *Eli R. Shapiro, *Harry J. Spiro, *Peter Garrett Williams, *Maurice Louis Crum, Morris Lassen, Solomon Meyer, *Rebecca Morgan, *Berthold Silverman, *Hannah Warnick Singerman, Lena Stone, Charles Anthony Almerico, Harry Balfour, Shannon Gossett Bordelon, *Evelyn Weinstein Green, Sarah Gureasko, *Ernestine Salomon Hyman, Rita S. Leffler, *Jacob Nowak, Milton N. Weinberger, Manuel Denn, Pearl Hesdorffer, Rose Hudson, Pauline Welsch Marks, Ethel Menus Naval, Lester Rothenberg, David Sessler.

December 27-28Harold Albeanise, Sr., *Goldie Carp Katz, *Samuel Katz, *Nettie M. Klinger, *Max G. Levy, Ethel Selekman Stone, *Eva Lesser Stricks, Morris Campell, *Dr. Sam B. Fellman, Minnie Gerall, Michael Glotser, *Jay Julian Levine, Ferdie H. Scharff, *Isaak Sizeler, Samuel Gamsu, Lillian Lobstein Klein, Norbert Presser, *Merrill Dale Seelig, Isadore Antis, *Samuel I. Burd, Barbara Korns Falk, Beulah Latter, Henrietta Z. Levin, Patty Losee, Andrew Weinberg, *Margaret Wexler, *Margot Boraks , Rosalee Presser Familant, Roselyn Gross, Ernst F. Preis, *Samuel Solomon Rosenthal, Isidore Alaynick, *Carl F. Bassham, *Jeannette D. Braun, Katie S. Gomez, *Louis Gureasko, *Jeremiah Kisner, *Perry Mexic, Elsie Morganstern, Enid Trotiner, *Melanie Hainebach, Jennie Hayem Kahn, *Pauline Levy Kahn, *Dorothy “Dot” Kancher, Infant son of Louis and Sarah Streiffer.

The Fund for the Louise Hayem Manheim Center for Early Childhood EducationIn Memory of:Martin Burstein Sue & Fred PreisBryna Yellin JoAnn & Larry Katz

The Endowment FundIn Memory of:Beverly LevyStanley S. McCarty Anne Chirinos

The Len C. Joseph Memorial Service FundIn Memory of:Paula Joseph Rhoda & Larry Webber

The Cemetery FundIn Memory of:Samuel M. AlexanderLeonie G. Polskee Lazelle, Amy & Becky Alexander

The Louis Leopold Gertler/PlotkinIsrael Action FundIn Memory of:Sam Plotkin Steven & Lynn Plotkin

The Simon L. & Flo C. StreifferLeadership Development FundIn Memory of:Edward & Charlotte ZerlinHarry & Faye FingerLouis L. Streiffer Rick & Ann Streiffer

The Marcus & Millie Landau Lecture FundIn Memory of:Marcus & Millie Landau Jean Landau Hearst Dan Graf & FamilyGladys & Irving Stetzer Cynthia Stetzer

The Rabbi Nathaniel Share Religious School FundIn Honor of:Phil Gaethe Sue & Harold Singer

Tikun Olam for The New Orleans Women & Children’s ShelterIn Memory of:Elaine Rabin Carole Glazer Jacobson & Family

We gratefully acknowledge a substantial donation in memory of Dora Ferber made to CGoP

designated to the JewCCY Program.

To Rae Sara & Michael Mayer on the birth of their great granddaughter, Rebecca Lee Silver. Parents are Jennifer & David Silver.

To Heidi Vizelberg and Anna Vizelberg on the engagement of their son and grandson, Maxbetter Vizelberg, to Avital Chissick.

To Jennifer & John Ostermann on the birth of their daughter, Alexandra Reece Ostermann. Grandmother is Leslie Miller and great grandparents are Ellen Raye & Sidney Miller.

To Dr. Gayle Baer on the death of her husband, Dr. David Harsha.

To Keri Pollock on the death of her sister, Robyn Gerson Barocas.

Welcome to Our New Members

Amanda & Michael Schleifstein421 N. Bengal RoadMetairie, LA 70003

Children: Annabel & Harry Schleifstein

Julia & Joshua Zuckerman2320 St. Louis Street

New Orleans, LA 70119

Terrye Gilman1213-1/2 Fairway Drive

Kenner, LA 70062

Important D

ates to Rem

ember:

SisterhoodD

ec. 9 - SH Book C

lub Chanukah Party

Dec. 10 - SH

Board Mtg.

BrotherhoodD

ec. 10 - BH Board M

eeting

J-FLExD

ec. 7 - J-FLEx Shabbat Morning

Dec. 15

SeniorsD

ec. 2 - Senior Outreach Lunch

Young Children w

ith Adults

Dec. 9 - Baby &

Me

Dec. 13 - M

unchkin Minyan

Adult Education

Foundations of Judaism:

Dec. 4 - M

eet @ Shir C

hadashD

ec. 11 - Meet @

CG

oPD

ec. 18 - Meet @

Shir Chadash

Intro to Musar

Dec. 4, 11, 18

Installation ShabbatD

ec. 6:Pre-N

egInstallation Shabbat ServiceD

inner w/ Speaker

Dec. 7:

Brunch & Learn w

/ SpeakerM

orning Worship

Havdalah @

Rabbi Gerber’s H

ome