Has anyone seen Chelsea near their neighborhood mikvah lately? Have you spotted her at the kosher meat counter? Will she fast for Tisha b’Av tomorrow? Inquiring Jewish minds want to know!
In two weeks Chelsea will become Chelsea Clinton Mezvinsky, bride of Mark Mevnisky, Conservative Jew. The New York Times has a long post on the lack of details regarding the wedding, but they do mention that it is likely a rabbi will participate in the wedding. They also report odds are slim for a Clinton conversion.
But lots of Jewish men want to raise Jewish kids and often must rely on their non-Jewish or recently converted wife to take on a large part of that responsibility. On some ways, Chelsea has a leg up– check out this picture taken before she started straightening her hair. She has real possibility in her ability to “pass”.
More importantly, can she make a good brisket? Will she be on time to drop the kids off at Hebrew school? Will she teach the kids to say the “Shema” before they go to bed? These are the questions that will start to roll in after the wedding but God willing Chelsea and Mark have discussed the faith of their children before they take this big step.
Apparently Mark’s parents are good with the match, Chelsea is a good catch, even if she isn’t Jewish. Chelsea and Mark are a good example of a 21st century young couple who were raised in the age of diversity where everyone is like everyone else. That idea is making “marry only a Jewish person” a tough sell amoung the younger generations who feel it is hypocritical to insist they marry only a Jew.
