Seeing social media light up in critical response to Avram Mlotek’s June 16 Opinion piece, “Time To Rethink Our Resistance To Intermarriage,” I was reminded of an inconsistency that I frequently witness among people who shun intermarried couples. An oft-sighted reason against intermarriage is that it diminishes the Jewish population and, with intermarriage rates at over 50 percent, this poses an existential threat.
Yet, the same could be said about having small families. A main reason why the ultra-Orthodox community is growing is because child-bearing is a top priority for that community. There are certainly many people in the broader Jewish community who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to have many or any children. But for those of us who can, rather than futilely blame those who marry out for imperiling the continued existence of the Jewish people, maybe we should turn that criticism inwards, to something which we actually can control.
Manhattan
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