Is it illegal for Jews and non-Jews to marry?

Answer 1

According to the Torah, Jews are not allowed to marry non-Jews. Possibly in other sects of Judaism, it is not considered against the religion, but in most families it is frowned upon.

Most Orthodox or Conservative Jews would only marry a Jew and a non-Jew if the non-Jew converts to Judaism.

Interfaith marriages outside the traditional realm of Orthodox Judaism are on the increase; the inherent fear is that the Jewishness of their children will be diminished through marriage due to the demands of the competing religions, and that the children of such marriages will be confused by their upbringing. The same fear exists in marriages between Catholics and Protestants.

Orthodox Answer:

A Jew and non-Jew cannot marry. Note that Judaism does not require everyone to be Jewish to go to heaven. A non-Jew need only follow the 7 Laws of Noah, given after the Flood, to be considered righteous. While a Jew must follow all 613 Commandments of the Torah. As their service to God is different so are the requirements of a marriage, therefore a Jew and non-Jew cannot marry.

Another answer:

While, technically, the rule in Judaism is you are only supposed to marry other Jewish people, many Jews don't follow this rule. Many Jews aren't religious. The Jewish identity is a very complex identity and is as much cultural as it is religious.

Note that intermarriage is gradually causing the disappearance of broad segments of the Jewish people.
In addition to the Torah's prohibition against intermarriage, there are very many cases in which the spouses use the religious difference as fuel to add to the flames once they're already fighting over other matters. Maintaining a marriage is hard enough without the interfering factor of different religious backgrounds.
Also, there is the question of how to raise the children. A seemingly kumbaya-type peace-loving interfaith education very often turns out to be confusing to the children, who now have no complete identity. Statistics show that mixed-marriage children are less likely to practice any religion at all, than are their single-faith peers (even those of minimally-religious homes).
In actual practice, intermarriage amounts to assimilation, the product of which is descendants who may no longer see themselves as part of the religious heritage of either parent.

Answer 2

No, but some do it anyway.

Answer:A couple of mixed faith will rarely be married by a Conservative Rabbi. It's not so much that it isn't "allowed", but the vows are specific to Jews and would therefore not apply to non-Jews.

However, I know of a few Conservative Rabbi's who will officiate when one person is not Jewish on the condition that a few things are changed.

Answer 3

Only Reform Judaism allows it, and it's smart to have a JOINT ceremony to avoid disrespect of the other faiths. No matter what the situtation, the rabbi will always insist on breaking the wine glass.

Answer 4

Jews are not allowed to marry non-Jews.Marrying a non-Jew is a Torah offense, punishable by 39 lashes by Bet Din, as codified by all classic Halachic sources.E.g. The Rambam in Hilchot Isurei Biah, Chap 12:1 says:

"A Jewish man who has marital relations with a non-Jew, with the intent of living as husband and wife, as well as a Jewess who marries a non-Jew, deserve 39 lashes for transgressing the Torah prohibition of "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son." (Deuteronomy 7:3) - as Ezra also said " " (Nehemiah 10:30)

Intermarriage is considered to be one of the most severe offenses in Judaism, as it destroys the continuation of the Jewish people.

Note: Once a non-Jew has converted to Judaism, Jews (except for a Cohen) are allowed to marry them.

And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons

It is interesting to note that both Moses and Esther married non-Jews, and neither was punished for it.

Furthermore, a civil wedding between a Jew and a non-Jew today is fully recognized by all denominations of Judaism. Orthodox Jews would still require a Gett (Jewish Divorce) in order to end these interfaith marriages.

Clarification:

A civil marriage between a Jew and non-Jew is recognised as fact by Orthodox and Conservative groups, however, the marriage is not seen as halachicly valid. The non-Jewish spouse cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery, cannot be called up to Torah, etc. A gett would not be required by Orthodox and Conservative groups in an intermarriage divorce because a gett only applies to halachicly valid marriages meaning that both spouses would have had to have been born Jewish.

As for Moshe and Esther. Well, it's accepted that Zipporah converted to Judaism as she lived as an observant Jew. For Esther, she was forced to marry so it was a unique situation.

Answer 5

Everyone has a personal preference and is entitled to conduct their life in the best way they see fit. No one can make decisions about another's life. In Jewish culture, assimilation is not perceived as preferable, but is generally tolerated. Ostracism is rare and depends on the level of Orthodoxy of the community.

Pesach

Answer 6

It would depend upon the degree of orthodoxy that the family or the individual practiced. The same holds for some other religious and ethnic groups that may associate or marry exclusively within their faith.

Answer 7

The Torah forbids it.

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Intermarriage is gradually causing the disappearance of broad segments of the Jewish people.

Link: Decline of non-Orthodox Jewry

In actual practice, intermarriage amounts to assimilation, the product of which is descendants who may no longer see themselves as part of the religious heritage of either parent.

Answer 8

From the religious perspective, Jewish law does not allow Jewish men or women to marry non-Jews. Some Reform Rabbis will perform inter-religious marriages though.