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