Religion of adopted child

Hey Mike, Why don't you send me an email and give me what you know. I can work on it and see what I can do- I can't promise you anything since I'm a new search angel. Just click on my name and you should be able to send me an email. In the subject line, please put the line you used here "Religion of adopted child." Cakelady

Mike, not sure how to answer to give you something to hold on too.Many of us who have been adopted in a closed adoption have no idea how we got the talents we may have.In terms of where you are regarding your religion, jewish a-family, attachment to religion, and talents, will probably be left to you to figure out.As an adoptee, it has been my experience no one has answers for many questions, or, the answers are unknown, or the door has closed and there is simply no one around any more.As adoptees, we are left with piecing together scraps of information in the hopes that it will become meaningful. It will be left to us to decide how to live.Rarely will the decisions we make be questioned. People who didn't "get it" in terms of adoption, will recognize that we are "different from" the majority and they don't understand, or we get put in a status as an alien.Often there is alluding to the direction we should take, " answers can be found close to the 2nd star on the right," or, "if you come to a fork in the road, take it."As adoptees, often we expect known answers will be shared because those we ask have the knowledge, when in fact, they don't.I wish you the best.

I'm jumping in here a little late, but maybe you're still watching. I can't speak to being adopted, but I can address the Jewish part of your post (as per my opinion). I was raised as a Catholic, but as an adult I describe myself as agnostic. I married a Jewish man, and we have two sons. Recently one of my sons said to a friend that he is "half" Jewish. I explained to him that it's really not possible to be "half" of a religion, either you believe in it or you don't. His ethnic background should be considered to have Irish and Russian roots. This cleared it up for him. (I hope it helps you)

Not sure if you're still checking in, Mike, but I figured I'd respond in case you are.In my situation, I was also raised in a Jewish household (though I skipped Bat Mitzvah - I didn't much like Hebrew School either), and discovered I was born Catholic. I've had different thoughts on that over the years... but what I've come to realize, in my 30s, is that religion has to be chosen regardless of upbringing. No matter how you're raised, as an adult, you have to choose to continue in that faith (or not). So what you make of the difference between your religion of birth and the religion of your upbringing is whatever YOU make of it. I suggest you give yourself the time and space to think it through. If you're comfortable in the Jewish faith, having been raised there, by all means, it is yours for the taking. (By having been Bar Mitzvahed, you actually ARE "technically" Jewish, if you wish to be.) If you aren't comfortable with it, don't go to temple. If you feel like you need a different religion in your life, try other congregations on for size until you find one that fits YOUR needs, YOUR idea of what you're looking for from religion. If you want to take a break from all religion, do that. You can always re-evaluate any of these choices as time goes on; you're young, and your feelings on religion could change as you go through different stages of life.Basically, when it comes to religious identity, like anyone else, adopted or otherwise, you are what you wish to be.As for the rest, yes, the lack of information makes many adoptees wonder where they came by a skill or trait. You're asking questions that I'd bet most adoptees here have asked at one point or another. I know I have. But nobody else can tell you what to make of it all. Again, that's for you to choose.If you want to get some answers about your biological background, you can choose to search for your biological family. You can choose to try for reunion. You can choose to do it now; you can choose to wait. Keep in mind that you may never get the answers you want, for a variety of reasons. But the only way to find out is to try...People here can be very helpful with suggestions and ideas on how to proceed, if that's your choice.I wish you the best of luck.

emerald23 I wish we had a like button. You gave my thoughts.... "Well your an athletic jewish person" a touch of class. You are what you want to be. If you want to be Jewish be it. If you don't than don't. Even if you were born to a Catholic woman she may not even be that faith now. You never know what you could have maybe been. You know what you are or what you want to be. As far as your talents. It may be genetics it may be your environment or all the above combined. I doubt you are alone in your identity issues. Hell those of us who weren't adopted have these issues. I honestly think some of the "adoption identity issues" are just "identity issues". Both of my parents were athletic (I'm not) and I was raised with them.I think even at 30 you're still discovering your self and who you want to be is up to you! Good luck perhaps if you do get a bit more background info on your first families you will gain some clarity but some of it I think you need to clarify for yourself. Good luck either way!