| I always knew my Oriental wife was
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| | schools and converse with her former
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| Jewish; after all, she grew up eating
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| | teachers. Belinda also enjoyed meeting my
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| Chinese food!I grew up in a Jewish
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| | aunts and cousins in Rome. These
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| neighbourhood of Montreal. My mother is
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| | experiences are very special and
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| Sephardic Italian and my father is a
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| | memorable to us.While we cherish both
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| Holocaust survivor from Poland. I speak
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| | backgrounds, when we have to choose
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| Italian with my mother and Yiddish with
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| | between them Jewish holidays and
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| my father and siblings. My wife, Belinda
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| | observances take precedence over Chinese
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| Cheung, was born and raised in Hong Kong
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| | holidays and customs. Belinda finds
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| and came to Canada when she was 17.I
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| | Judaism meaningful and she has learned to
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| married Belinda in 1999. Our marriage has
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| | love it more than Chinese traditions.
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| been working wonderfully well. Despite
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| | Judaism is central to us, and it helps
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| our cultural differences, our worldviews
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| | imbue our lives with meaning and
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| and approaches to life are remarkably
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| | direction..How did we get to this
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| identical. We are busy raising our two
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| | arrangement? From the moment we began
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| young children, and our lives are
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| | dating, we enthusiastically explored each
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| meaningful and fulfilling.Picture frames
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| | other's cultures through visiting many
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| reflecting both Chinese and Jewish
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| | ethnic establishments and participating
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| influences adorn our home. We are keen on
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| | in various cultural activities. Our goal
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| learning about each other's culture. We
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| | was to broaden our horizons and to take
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| make a point to learn each other's
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| | the best of both worlds. However, as my
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| languages through tapes and books.
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| | parents were vehemently opposed to my
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| Although we are both fully fluent in
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| | dating Belinda because my religion
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| English, my wife chooses to speak
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| | prohibits intermarriage, we delved deeper
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| Cantonese to our children, and I speak
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| | into Judaism while also examining other
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| Yiddish. Between us, we converse in
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| | religions. We read voraciously on
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| English. Our children identify with their
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| | different spiritualities. We attended
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| Yiddish and Chinese names, in addition to
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| | Chinese churches, Buddhist and Taoist
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| their English names. Our elder son, Asher
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| | temples; took part in Jews for Jesus,
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| (age 3), seems to handle the different
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| | Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Jewish
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| languages well. We make an effort to be
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| | synagogues and events; visited a Sikh
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| consistent in our use of languages with
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| | Gurdwara, a Muslim mosque; and toured
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| our children. We expose them to both
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| | Israel for a month. It was a long but
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| Chinese and Jewish games, as well as
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| | worthwhile journey. Through it all, we
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| Chinese, Yiddish, Hebrew and English
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| | inspired each other in our spiritual
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| books, songs and videos.With an Italian
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| | growth, and helped shape each other's
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| mother and a Chinese wife, I am likely
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| | outlook on life. Belinda eventually
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| one of the most well-fed guys on earth!
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| | converted to Judaism after more than four
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| On Sabbath, my wife often makes "Chinese
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| | years of exploring and learning. She
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| cholent," which I thoroughly enjoy. She
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| | genuinely loves Judaism. An important
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| shops for Chinese mushrooms, lotus seeds,
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| | reason that my wife and I have adjusted
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| ginseng and various kinds of Chinese
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| | to each other so well is that we had
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| fruits and vegetables in Chinatown. I
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| | developed a common vision for ourselves
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| take pleasure in preparing Italian
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| | before we got married.We are now
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| dishes, and we both like Ashkenazi Jewish
| |
| | connected to a Torah-observant community
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| cuisine. One time, my mother-in-law
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| | where people are accepting of us and our
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| assisted with cooking, and we all had an
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| | Asian-looking Jewish children. We were
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| authentic Chinese meal on Friday night.
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| | forewarned by the rabbinical court which
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| It was a delightful evening and a
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| | presided over my wife's conversion that
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| pleasant cultural shock to my parents.
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| | there would always be some Jews who, out
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| Using chopsticks is still a challenge for
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| | of ignorance of Judaism, look down at
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| me, but it only makes life more
| |
| | converts and their children as being "not
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| interesting!I am fascinated with Chinese
| |
| | really" Jewish. Thank God, we have not
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| history, language and culture. Belinda's
| |
| | experienced this kind of debasement.We
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| roots are almost as important to me as my
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| | hope that as our children grow up, they
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| own. I am constantly looking for ways to
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| | will question, investigate and renew
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| infuse more Chinese culture into our
| |
| | their commitment to our Jewish heritage,
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| lives. Even my favourite ties display
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| | and also respect and honor their Chinese
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| ancient Chinese scripts and I often wear
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| | roots. That they will carry their
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| them on Sabbath. The Chinese and the Jews
| |
| | Jewishness into their own relationships
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| have a lot in common in their ethical
| |
| | and raise their children with healthy and
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| teachings.We keep a kosher diet and
| |
| | life-affirming values and practices.This
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| celebrate all Jewish holidays, including
| |
| | article originally appeared on a member
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| the holy Sabbath. We are grateful that my
| |
| | of the Media Network.Author of Chicken
|
| parents, my Chinese in-laws, as well as
| |
| | Soup with Chopsticks: A Jew's Struggle
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| our secular relatives and friends, are
| |
| | for Truth in an Interfaith Relationship.
|
| respectful of our Jewish observances. My
| |
| | Discover more at Botwinik grew up in a
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| brother-in-law, who is Protestant, had
| |
| | culturally rich environment, speaking
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| joined us on several occasions and
| |
| | five languages. He attained a Master of
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| experienced Sabbath and Sukkot (Festival
| |
| | Arts degree in Political Science from
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| of Booths), and even had a taste of
| |
| | McGill University in Montreal. He worked
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| matzah on Passover. We give lai-si (red
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| | for Toronto's Welfare Department for
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| packets containing money, decorated with
| |
| | several years, before landing a job with
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| characters and drawings symbolizing luck
| |
| | the Correctional Service of Canada.
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| and wealth) to our children on Chinese
| |
| | Jack's experience in dealing with
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| New Year.We may catch a dragon boat race
| |
| | destitute and under-privileged people,
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| during the Dragon Boat Festival, or play
| |
| | and his re-examination of his religious
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| with Chinese lanterns around the August
| |
| | heritage, significantly altered his
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| Moon Festival. When we are sick, we seek
| |
| | outlook on life. In addition to speaking
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| medical treatment and advice from both
| |
| | in public, and appearing on radio and TV,
|
| Chinese and Western doctors. Last year I
| |
| | Jack helps couples in interfaith dating
|
| had the opportunity to meet many of my
| |
| | relationships by listening and talking to
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| wife's relatives and childhood friends in
| |
| | them one-on-one. Jack enjoys spending
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| Hong Kong, as well as to visit her
| |
| | time with his wife and young children.
|
