Baby will be Jewish and also Christian?

[Aisforharlot]

I'm Jewish and expecting a baby who, because I am jewish, will also be (by Jewish law).
Dp is protestant and, whilst not religious, I know it's part of his identity.
How do we go about raising a mixed faith child? I don't care much about belief, but it's really important to me that kid has access to the traditions of their Jewish heritage, and has a bar/bat mitzvah.

Ais - I'm with Foo once again. It sounds to me as if your discussions will go:

"Mum - I've heard that Jews have a brit after 8 days. Did I?"
you - no, we didn't bother

"it says here that Jews fast on Yom Kippur - do we?"
you - no - we don't bother

"and Pesach?"
you - no, we don't bother with that either, but you are having a bar mitzvah - that's really important....

@samG76

Ais - I'm with Foo once again. It sounds to me as if your discussions will go:

"Mum - I've heard that Jews have a brit after 8 days. Did I?"
you - no, we didn't bother

"it says here that Jews fast on Yom Kippur - do we?"
you - no - we don't bother

"and Pesach?"
you - no, we don't bother with that either, but you are having a bar mitzvah - that's really important....

This is unfair. OP I get you. I'm Jewish (orthodox), with no religious beliefs. DH is Jewish (reform) and is an absolute Atheist and ardently doesn't want any religion in the home whatsoever. As I have no beliefs either that's fine by me BUT We both believe that our children, who are Jewish as I am, so they would be Jewish even if he wasn't like you say... We believe that they should know about the Jewish culture and heritage and that is important to us. The Jewish heritage to me is so important, especially because of the diaspora. The fight it took to get to the UK for many of our families - I know that ours, as many, had a deeply traumatic time getting away from where they were to come to the UK during the war - means that their religion,/ traditions/ history are really important to me and I want and need my children to know about this. No we won't be fasting and doing all the festivals. Yes we light hanukkah candles because it's a nice thing to do... I know many many Jewish families like us so I absolutely get what you're saying OP.

Thanks @OpheliasCrayon that's exactly my view.
I disengaged from the above because I'm not here to argue that I'm not Jewing correctly or sufficiently to want my kid to be jewish.
The family times and festivals are really important to us regardless of practice.

You say the faith/belief aspect is not as important to you as the heritage and cultural traditions, and as long as that remains true, it probably won't create any big difficulties. The child can participate in aspects of both heritages. But discussing it openly with your partner before the baby comes is so important. It would be quite confusing to expect the child to 'believe' both Judaism and Christianity because they contradict each other.

You may also need to discuss how you would handle it if the child decided they wanted to 'practise' either religion in the future, and what would happen if one or other of you also decided you wanted to practise (it could happen).

Have a look at the autobiographies of Michelle Guinness. She is Jewish but converted to Christianity and married an Anglican vicar. She addresses some of these issues about wanting her children to understand and experience their Jewish heritage as well as a Christian one.

(which he quickly found out when he went to uni and people asked him if he had horns growing out of his head)

wtf? seriously? When was this?

I know a Jewish man married to a non religious woman, they have children. He takes them to a reform synagogue, the boy had Bar Mitza and the women's family attended. A few schoolfriends went and didn't mind wearing the kippar (not Jewish). Neighbours came to the party afterwards. They celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah etc together and the children attended the local C of E school and sang hymns etc.
It has been fine, the children know both cultures and both parents are happy with that. People can find other people's customs very interesting.