Prominent Rabbi to lead discussion on raising interfaith families
On Monday, Sept. 9, Rabbi Reni Dickman, executive director of the Chicago Board of Rabbis and senior educator of the Jewish United Fund, will be the featured speaker in an interactive community event focusing on challenges and opportunities related to raising interfaith families at the Geneva Public Library.
The event, "Navigating Life as an Interfaith Family," is being organized by Fox Valley Jewish Neighbors. It is free to the public to attend.
Rabbi Dickman intends to facilitate a discussion covering a range of topics, to include how parents can navigate raising interfaith families in today's society, what a truly inclusive community looks like and the current landscape of the Jewish community.
The event, which is open to all, will begin at 7 p.m. in the library's large meeting room area, 127 James St. Donations are welcome.
"Interfaith families are much more widely accepted by society today than ever before, but that does not mean that raising an interfaith family is easy," Rabbi Dickman said. "From determining how to handle holidays and lifecycle events to trying to honor the religious expectations of parents to searching for a sense of community, there are many challenges and opportunities for interfaith families to navigate. I look forward to an open, interactive conversation exploring these and other topics that are on the minds of Fox Valley community members."
Some of the other interfaith dynamics Rabbi Dickman helps navigate include how to work through varying religious priorities with partners and how synagogues and other religious institutions can create welcoming, non-judgmental environments for interfaith families.
Attendees are encouraged to share their personal stories and learn from one another's successes and challenges.
Rabbi Dickman brings extensive experience on the topic, having previously served as director of InterfaithFamily Chicago. She served as the rabbi of Sinai Temple in Michigan City, Ind., from 2004-2017, and during that time also served on the faculty of two Chicago area Jewish day schools.
Rabbi Dickman strives to present Judaism as a compelling, flexible and comforting path to wrestle with our deepest concerns and celebrate our greatest joys, and is dedicated to combining Jewish education with service and advocacy.
Fox Valley Jewish Neighbors, based in Geneva, is an inclusive Jewish community group that seeks to enrich lives, enhance connections and be a resource for the local community. It offers educational, social, religious and charitable programs built upon Jewish values, heritage and character. For information, visit www.fvjn.org or contact Rachel Yackley at rachely@fvjn.org.