In last week's Y-Press story, three couples reflected on their decision to raise their children in interfaith households. Today, their children discuss their family life and religious preferences.

Alex Dorfman

From the beginning, Alex Dorfman's parents exposed him to the two religions they practiced -- Episcopalianism from his mother, Karen, and Judaism from his father, Larry.

"They don't really force anything on me. All the holidays we have to go to either church or temple, but we don't do anything really special either way," says Alex, who will be an eighth-grader at St. Richard's School in the fall.

Alex says he feels more Jewish despite attending an Episcopal school for years.

"I'm more Jewish because (of my) bar mitzvah. I had to study for that for three years," he explains, adding, "I kind of like Jewish more because it's less demanding, and the holidays are more fun." He also thinks it will be his choice as an adult.

Alex has never had any problems with the way his friends regarded the dual religions in his home. "They always seem jealous 'cause of the holidays, Hanukkah and Christmas, together."

Although Hanukkah and Christmas tend to fall around the same time of the year, Alex says his family has always managed to keep the celebrations separate.

Alex says there is only one challenge to living in an interfaith family: "(You) just have to decide which one you prefer more or which one you believe in more."

The benefit, he says, is learning about two religions in depth.

"You even get to learn a whole new language. I've learned Hebrew."

Jon and Alex Mecker

Jon and Alex Mecker's parents, Mark and Cathy, are Episcopalian and Catholic, respectively. Like the Dorfmans, they have been very open to letting their children choose a religion to practice.

The boys have always gone to Sunday Mass at their mother's parish, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, where they are servers, and attended St. Richard's School, which is affiliated with Trinity Episcopal Church. Neither has felt pressured to choose one faith over another.

"We've lived with it our whole lives, and we've gotten used to it," says Alex, 15, who will attend Cathedral High School, a Catholic school, in the fall.

Even though the family considers itself interfaith, the two religions are very similar. "It's just not the biggest difference in the world," says Jon, 13.

However, there are some differences in the services. "The only thing that I kind of have trouble with is the difference in Masses," Alex says. "In the Catholic Mass, there's like a certain order, and it's done the same each and every time, where the Episcopal (service) changes."

Jon agrees. "It's pretty much the same readings out of the Bible. It's just pretty much the same everything -- it's just that there's some prayers that you do there, and some prayers that you do here," he says.

Both boys see themselves as Catholics because of their regular attendance at St. Joan of Arc. "I think I'd be a Catholic because I'm just used to just going Sunday morning . . . to Mass," Jon explains.

But the boys know their parents left them a choice.

"I think that they pretty much agreed, 'We'll have them be baptized Catholic, and then we'll see later if they want to change, then we'll discuss it,' " Alex says.

But the discussion doesn't come up often. "They really haven't talked to us much about it," says Jon.

The boys appreciate how their parents have handled religion.

"It's pretty much managed pretty evenly. If I was in the same situation as them, I would handle it the same as them," Alex says.

Michael Lenke

Michael Lenke's parents, Joanne and Roger, may have been undecided on religion, but he isn't.

"He'll tell anybody he's Jewish," says Joanne Lenke.

"I feel more Jewish than Catholic," explains Michael, 10. "I go to Hebrew school and I learn more stuff about the Jewish religion than the Catholic religion."

A student at Sycamore School, Michael has no problems with the way he's been raised by his Catholic mother and Jewish father.

"It's pretty easy this way," he says. He especially likes the variety of holidays his family celebrates, particularly the Hanukkah party his family throws every year.

"Hardly any of my friends are Jewish, so they always have questions like 'Isn't so-and-so a Jewish holiday?' and all that kind of stuff," he explains.

In fact, the best thing about being raised in a Jewish-Catholic household, according to Michael, is, "You celebrate more holidays, and you get more presents."

But that doesn't mean everything has been perfect. If he could change one thing about the role of faith within his family, what would it be?

"Not going to Hebrew school so much."

Although his mother identifies herself as Catholic, she participates in activities in his temple.

"She's happy being Catholic, but truthfully she's at my temple even more than me sometimes," Michael says.

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Anna Kostrzewsky, 17; Keisha Mitchell, 14.

REPORTER: Amber Patton, 13.