Many interfaith families in Chicago want to engage meaningfully in Jewish life. 18Doors partners with Jewish organizations, educators, and clergy to create innovative programming to support them.
"These families are looking for spiritual and religious connection, but there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach in terms of how to engage them," said Andy Kirschner, 18Doors' Chicago Director.
Formerly known as InterfaithFamily, 18Doors is a national nonprofit that serves interfaith couples. In 2020, the organization rebranded itself to reflect both the multiple potential pathways for entering Jewish life and the diversity of interfaith communities themselves.
18Doors has conducted focus groups and surveyed families to find out where they are located on the map, and what support they would most value. Since 65% of interfaith households are concentrated in Chicago's western suburbs, Kirschner developed targeted programming for interfaith families, including a Sukkot party last year at his Oak Park home.
Andrea and Peter Lee said their family thoroughly enjoyed the celebration, making colorful sukkah decorations. The Lees are regulars at Friday night services at Temple Har Zion in River Forest, but admit it's not always easy to find time for socializing. Kirschner's events, however, offer expanded opportunities for them and other interfaith families to connect.
Last summer, they participated in a panel on Jewish diversity that Kirschner hosted at Har Zion. Peter, whose family emigrated from Taiwan in the 1970s, said that he's been to synagogues in different cities and always felt welcome.
"I never grew up with much religion, or in areas with a lot of other Asians. But, when Andrea and I got married, I started taking classes and studying Torah," he said. "I've also been interested in the cultural aspects too-what it's like to grow up Jewish in America and different traditions within families. I've found that people are open and willing to share their experiences."
To better serve diverse interfaith families, 18Doors has assembled a new advisory council of 12 members, chaired by Kenneth Lyonswright and Nikki Kothari.
Lyonswright, senior director of liturgical music and pastoral care at Congregation Sukkat Shalom in Wilmette, said each member brings a unique perspective.
"We get to experience what 18Doors is providing to the community at large and say, based on our own experience, 'Here's what we feel is working, and here's what we feel could be more impactful,'" he said.
Kothari, who was raised in a multicultural Indian and Hindu-Jain household, is engaged to Jacob Gold. She completed her conversion to Judaism last summer. She credits the couple's decision to join Mishkan, a progressive Jewish community in Lincoln Square, with unlocking their understanding of what it means to live a spiritual life.
"I love matzah ball soup. I know what a seder looks like," she said. "But I didn't know what it looked like to be Jewish in the religious sense."
Then Kothari took Rabbi Steven Philp's yearlong Blueprint course to explore Judaism, which led to her leadership roles at 18Doors.
As co-chair of the advisory council, she is passionate about the organization's role in helping interfaith couples deepen their relationships with Judaism. "Whether they live in Naperville or Lakeview, we want to make sure they have welcoming and inclusive spaces."
Based on his outreach work in Chicago, Kirschner has learned that interfaith communities want Jewish connection so much that they are willing to organize themselves. One example is the Jews of Beverly, which was co-founded in 2018 by Emily Lambert and Arnie Bernstein.
In 2018, Lambert--who belongs to KAM Isaiah Israel and is in a Jewish-Catholic marriage--thought she was the only Jew in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. That changed when she met Bernstein, who suggested they create a Jews of Beverly Facebook group. The group now has 59 members and include individuals of all ages, interfaith families, and unaffiliated Jews. They gather for Chanukah parties, Shabbat in the Dan Ryan Woods, and other events.
Kirschner has provided the group with operational support by referring new people. He also introduced Lambert to JUF's PJ Parent Connector Alice Mintz, who is planning a Purim event for kids. "Andy pointed out to me that this a real group that has meaning for the people who are in it," she said. "That recognition has shaped the way I think about the group and its importance."
Through programs and partnerships, 18Doors is helping interfaith families and couples in Chicago Jewish seeking connection and unlock life-changing opportunities.
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Jennifer Brody is a freelance writer living in Chicago.
