In the summer of 2020 the question whether liberal rabbinic seminaries should admit and ordain students in interfaith relationships once again became a subject of attention, as it had been since a 2002 CCAR Responsa, the 2009 article “The Coming of the Intermarried Rabbi,” the 2013 debate over Hebrew Union College’s policy, and the 2015 Reconstructionist and 2023 Hebrew College affirmative answer to the question.
Our own view is expressed in Why Hebrew Union College Should Revoke Its Policy Not To Admit or Ordain Rabbinic Students Who Are in Interfaith Relationships.
The Center created a resource for those interested in this question or involved in its resolution. In these pages you will find a reading list (PDF) of statements on the question, and a history (PDF) of the discussion to date. We welcome suggestions for additions to the reading list and to the history.
The Center solicited new essays (PDF) on the question, some of which would be published as guest posts on the Center’s blog. We are particularly interested in hearing from people who wanted to become rabbis but were deterred by the existing policies, as well as from rabbis who are or have been in interfaith relationships.
To suggest additional reading, additions to the history, or if you are interested in writing a new essay, please email info@cfrij.com.