The Druze & Keruv (Interfaith Outreach)

by Rabbi Mark Mallach

In October, I led a congregational trip to Israel. On our agenda was a visit to the Druze village of Ossafiya, which turned out to be an exceptional educational and culinary experience (it included a lunch in a private Druze home, fully Kosher). Our Druze docent, a young woman of 22 who is studying as an English Literature major at the University of Haifa, gave us an insightful introduction to the history, religion, and culture of the Druze.

The Druze are Arabs, but they split off religiously from Islam in the late 10th Century. What makes their nationality unique is their rejection of the need for country to be a nation. Therefore, wherever the Druze live, they are fiercely loyal to the government of that country. Today, in Israel, the Druze are drafted into the Israel Defense Forces as all other Jewish, Israeli citizens.

Although as a people, the Druze are small in number, they assiduously maintain their identity. We learned that they do so by a fierce commitment to in-marriage. Coming from the perspective of the American Jewish community for whom, outside of the insular Orthodox community, there is no guarantee that any of our children will in-marry and a high likelihood that many will inter-marry, it was mind-boggling to hear this 22-year-old Druze, who studies in the open liberal community of Haifa, speak so strongly that she will only marry a fellow Druze.

As a Conservative rabbi, I straddle a delicate picket-fence. On one hand, I advocate that we must teach our children that just as they make so many choices in life, one of those choices must be made at the earliest age possible that they will date only fellow Jews, which should lead to a greater possibility of in-marriage. On the other hand, I have spearheaded serious efforts of Keruv (outreach) to those in interfaith relationships with the goal of greater acceptance in our congregations within certain Halakhic parameters and at the comfort level of the partner who is not yet Jewish. I have taught that, for far too long, we have slammed the door shut in face of our children who found a loving partner of a different faith, and the more liberal movements have grown at our loss. I believe, like Avraham Avinu, out tent must be open on all four sides.

Yet, we must ask, how do we strengthen the concept of in-marriage in a society where the boundaries that once separated us are now so permeable? Our trip to the Druze village and a recent study released in October by Brandeis University points the way to an answer that we have long known about but have underutilized: the stronger the Jewish identity we forge in our children, the more likelihood of in-marriage. This study tracked the marriages of participants in Taglit BirthRight Israel trips as compared to those who applied for such a trip but lost out in the lottery for a place on a trip. According to this study, “72% of those who went on the trip married within the faith, compared with 46% of people who applied for the trip but weren't selected in a lottery. Study author Leonard Saxe said the findings show that ‘a high-quality educational experience can alter the trajectory of young peoples’ lives…they learn they can find meaning by being part of an ethnic and religious group.’” (Levits, Jennifer, “Jewish Marriage Tied to Israel Trip,” The Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2009)

Israel — Identity — In Marriage — they are so intricately and intimately connected.

Rabbi Mark Mallach is the rabbi of Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael in Springfield.

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