Marriage between people of different religions is common these days, and when a couple with radically different belief systems chooses to marry, one of the most important decisions they must make is how to raise their children. Typically, religious upbringing is more the wife's domain than the husband's. So what happens when a gentile woman marries a Jewish man who would like his children raised in the Jewish faith? Perhaps the Jewish man she marries is divorced or widowed and caring for his young children. Where does a gentile woman get a "crash course" in being a Jewish mother?

Help is Available
According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, The Jewish Outreach Institute in New York estimates there are more than 200,000 households in the U.S. in which gentile mothers and Jewish fathers are raising Jewish children. The challenge of bringing up children in a faith Mom knows little about is made much less daunting by The Mothers Circle, a national program that is dedicated to giving these women the knowledge and confidence to be successful in their endeavor.

Besides serving as a support group for women who find themselves in a world of unfamiliar biblical history and traditions, The Mothers Circle program give participants a basic Jewish education "with an emphasis on holidays and life-cycle events, like naming ceremonies and bar mitzvahs."

Their Web site (www.themotherscircle.org ) offers an eight-month educational course of instruction on Jewish practices and ethics intended specifically for non-Jewish women raising Jewish children. There is also a moderated discussion that allows women to share their experiences with other women like themselves who have chosen to raise their children Jewish. Another goal of the organization is to empower these women outside the home as they "learn to navigate the Jewish community."

The Mothers Circle acknowledges the great sacrifice made and the tremendous commitment undertaken "when a woman raises a child in a religious tradition different from her own." The group is an invaluable bridge between mother and child in what could be an extremely difficult situation and both the mothers, the fathers and the children are fortunate have a resource like The Mothers Circle in their corner.