Group promotes marrying Jewish

An Orthodox Jewish organization has decided to launch a campaign on Valentine’s Day aimed at persuading young Jews to marry other Jews.

The National Conference of Synagogue Youth, the youth movement of the Orthodox Union, chose Valentine’s Day – which isn’t a Jewish holiday – because it is a time when “the thoughts of young men and women turn naturally to dating,” a Union spokesman said.

“For young Jewish men and women, does this automatically mean dating other Jews? Not always.”

The organization’s new dating Web site (www.whydatejewish.com), which will be officially launched Tuesday, is aimed at reversing the high rate of intermarriage among North American Jews.

Although intermarriage is much less common among Orthodox Jews than it is among those in the Reform and Conservative movements, the entire Jewish community views it as a threat to the future of the Jewish people.

To counter this trend, NCSY just produced a guide for teens called “Dating Jewish” by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, which includes sections derived from traditional Jewish sources.

Additionally, the new Web site will offer a free copy of “Why Marry Jewish?” by Doron Kornbluth.

The campaign will highlight biblical sources that emphasize the importance of a Jew marrying another Jew; the ramifications of intermarriage; and why marrying within the fold is not an example of intolerance or prejudice against non-Jews.

“In our society, people think it’s ‘intolerant’ to refuse to date people of other religions,” Abramowitz said. “But nonsmokers might not date smokers and vegetarians might not date meat-eaters. It’s not intolerant to limit your dating pool to certain like-minded individuals.”