Improve Your Communication
Relationships come in different stages, from dating to engagement to marriage to kids. And each stage has its own communication challenges.
Dating/Discovery
So you’re in a dating/exploration phase of your relationship, and you’re finding out just how differently the two of you communicate. For instance, your partner may not know exactly what words like “spirituality” or “tradition” mean to you. Defining terms can be helpful!
Book: Finding Spiritual Harmony in Your Jewish-Gentile Relationship
These insights can give hope to Jewish-Gentile couples struggling to overcome cross-cultural challenges. We’ve included interactive sections to help you practice translating your different values and experiences together.
Planning a Wedding
One of the biggest communication challenges you’ll face as a Jewish-Gentile couple will be in planning your wedding. Are you religious or secular–and will your ceremony reflect those beliefs? Think about which cultural symbols you may (or may not) want featured at the event. And how involved will the extended family be? Carefully talking through all the details together beforehand can make your big day go smoothly!
Free Booklet: Take a look at 30 Tips for Navigating Your Interfaith Wedding, a free resource that aims to help you navigate the possible extra challenges if you and your fiancé are from different religious and cultural backgrounds.
Life Together Without Children
So you’re committed to doing life together, and the two of you are forming your own household. What will the rhythms and habits be of your life together? What cultural traditions will you observe? How spiritual and/or religious will your shared life be? Understanding how your cultural identities combine to form one new shared identity will be crucial to your growth as a couple.
Listen to our podcast with the Botbol’s story about how they approach the joys and challenges of being an intermarried couple.
Life Together With Children
If you’ve welcomed one or more kiddos into your family, Mazel Tov! You’ve probably discovered how, in this stage, the question of identity takes on new meaning. And no matter how many decisions and traditions you have talked about, there are always more that come up. It’s not too late… you can start now. You can figure out how to enculturate children in a cross-cultural family.
Free resource: Printable Jewish Coloring Pages. We created a set of 12 unique colorable illustrations that are a great way to learn about the Jewish holidays and celebrate them with your loved ones!
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