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I didn't even realize there was a forum here for Jewish adoptive parents until I was doing some research to give a d'var Torah next weekend! So I figured I'd say "hi" and introduce myself. My name is Melissa, my husband and I live in Houston. After several years of infertility, IVF, and miscarriage we have decided to adopt. We are pursuing a domestic foster-to-adopt situation and also using a private adoption facilitator. I am a Jew by choice - I did a Conservative conversion 7 years ago, in Israel (yes, I know they don't recognize me, praying for that to change in the future). I am an active member of my synagogue and read Torah regularly in my minyan. I look forward to getting to know some other Jewish adoptive moms! Melissa =)
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Hi Melissa and welcome!!
My name is Rena. My son came home last December from Guatemala and is now 16 months old. We live in Maryland and are in the process of adopting another child from Guatemala.
Nathan recently had his bris, was converted and then named in the synogogue. We have been very blessed with a supportive Jewish community in our area.
I hope that things go well with your adoption plan! Please keep in touch.
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Hi Melissa,
I'm the mother of a 4-year-old girl from India, who came home at 18 months old. Although I was raised in a Conservative Jewish home, I now belong to a Reform Temple--more because of proximity. DH isn't Jewish, but is happy to be raising DD as Jewish. We held a conversion a couple of months after she came home (we used our pond for the mikvah) and had a naming ceremony a few months after that. We light the candles on Friday night and DD has started Hebrew pre-school one morning a month.
Our Temple has a number of families formed by adoption including our Rabbi, who is an adoptive mother AND is raising her grandson.
Thanks for the warm welcome! Our synagogue has quite a few converts, and some mixed race families, so I think we'll fit in okay. We attend the largest Conservative shul in North America, so there is a fair amount of diversity. I can't wait to finally get my baby. We should have our home study finished by the end of January, then we just wait!Glad to meet some other adoptive Jewish parents. Melissa =)
I'm a single Jewish adoptive mother. I adopted a 9 yr old a few months ago. This is my first holiday season with a child and I am finding myself caving in on buying a "Chanukah Bush". My dd is pestering me relentlessly for one, and I didn't ever think I would get a tree, but I have now committed myself that we would go buy one this weekend.
I am not very happy with myself for caving in. But I console myself that I am not the first, she lived with her Jewish (father's side) g'ma last year and talked her g'ma into it too.
It certainly changes holidays to have children around, and it makes Friday night so special.
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Hi, Melissa. We live in Northern, VA and are the adopted parents of a 6 year old. He came to us through a domestic adoption at two weeks old. He had his bris at 2 weeks, and was converted in a mikvah at 5 months. We belong to a Reform shul and he attends 1st grade religious school (he's been going since he was 3).
Welcome!
It's so nice to start meeting you all! We have Xmas issues in our family, since I am a convert. My husband was also raised by a non-Jewish stepmom, and they always had a tree. We will not have a tree at home and will do our best to explain to our kids why grandma and grandpa are different. Howdy, don't beat yourself up over it. It's really tough to be a Jew at Christmas in America.I can't wait until Friday nights with my children! We have doggie yarmulkas (we call them "doggikas") for our dogs, and they have to sit and wear them during kiddush and motzi (then they get a piece of challah too). My puppy gets so excited when she sees her little blue hat and she starts wagging her whole body!
I am also a convert and the adoptive mother to 4 little girls born to Jewish mothers. All have special needs of one sort or another. My first conversion was reform, my second was conservative, and my last was orthodox. My husband and I have worked over the past four years to encourage other Jews, particularly orthodox since there are very few orthodox families who adopt, to consider adopting a Jewish child with special needs. There is a need!
Welcome to this forum!
Yael
mom to 13, one way or the other...
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