7. Flannery’s Jewish father and Catholic mother divorced when she was young, but she continues to engage with both sides of her family.
“Having a non-Jewish parent has made me much more open to different perspectives,” Flannery said. “I think I understand both sides of the Middle East conflict better because of it.”
Flannery’s mother is supportive of her Jewish identity and helps her understand both Jewish and Catholic traditions. Flannery, who lives in Arlington, Massachusetts, says her mother has brought up the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in conversations and has even encouraged her to attend programs that discuss the situation.
“I’m really grateful that I have a parent who’s open to having those conversations,” Flannery said.
As she’s navigated discussions about Israel this fall, Flannery says she has come to appreciate her interfaith background more than ever before. “It’s made me so much more comfortable in my identity,” she said. “I see it as a strength in a way.”
Her strong Jewish identity has also led her to take a more active role in advocating for Israel. “I’ve started to feel like I have more of a responsibility to speak out,” she said.
Flannery’s mother has also been reading more about the war and the conflict in Israel. “It’s helped me to see that there are two sides to every story,” Flannery said. “It’s made me more empathetic towards different viewpoints.”
Despite the challenges of navigating her identity and opinions about Israel, Flannery is grateful for the unique perspective her interfaith background provides. “It’s given me a more nuanced view of the world,” she said. “It’s made me more empathetic and understanding.”
For Girzone, Haber, and Flannery, being from interfaith families has shaped their views on Israel and the war with Hamas. They each bring a unique perspective to the table, informed by their diverse family backgrounds and the conversations they’ve had with their loved ones. As they continue to navigate their identities and beliefs, they are learning to appreciate the complexities of the Jewish world and the importance of engaging with different viewpoints.
Header image caption: Teens from interfaith families like Romy Girzone, Mira Haber, and Ella Flannery have unique perspectives on the war in Israel. (Photo/Silvia Razgova)
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Knowing that some of her non-Jewish family care about Israel provides her with a broader scope to the conflict. “It shows me [that] other people care about the issue,” Flannery said, and it shows her she isn’t alone in her beliefs. Even though she doesn’t unconditionally support Israel’s actions, she believes Israel is an important place for Jewish people, and it is important to her.
Her mom, who was raised in a non-denominational Jewish home, helps balance her emotional instincts with factual grounding that provides a “historical and symbolic” understanding of the importance of Israel to the Jewish people.
The multiple perspective approach is working for Girzone in Yonkers. She will continue talking with her Jewish mother and Christian father about the war in Israel, because they help her figure out the right way forward.
“I want what’s best for Israel,” she said, but “I don’t know what is best for Israel.”