Drew Barrymore Reveals Plans to Raise Daughter in Jewish Tradition

By Sami K. Martin, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Actress Drew Barrymore recently opened up about her plans to raise daughter Olive in the Jewish tradition. Barrymore and husband Will Kopelman both practice the Jewish faith, but Barrymore has not converted yet, although she has plans to.

The couple has only been married eight months and has one daughter, Olive, who is four months old. During an appearance on "The View," Barrymore opened up about her new life and the plans she and Kopelman have for the future.

"We had a very traditional wedding ceremony with Rabbi Rubenstein, and I did the ketubah. We wore the yarmulkes and we did the chuppah," Barrymore told the co-hosts on "The View."

A ketubah is a traditional marriage contract between the bride and groom, while the chuppah is a canopy under which the couple exchanges vows. Usually friends and family members hold the chuppah for the couple; the chuppah symbolizes the new home the couple will share once they are married.

"I'm a shiksa," Barrymore added. "I do the Seders and we do Passover. I haven't converted yet, but Olive will be raised traditionally. I'm there; I love it! It's a beautiful faith and I love to be around it. It's so family-oriented … The stories are so beautiful and it's incredibly enlightening."

"I'm really happy. I was such a hippie growing up, but I'm like the least loosey-goosey parent. I'm like bedtime, structure, feeding time because this baby is so happy knowing when everything is happy," she explained. "And I as a parent succeed and thrive knowing when everything is happening (under) that type of structure."

"I grew up very differently, which was really fun, but I think kids need structure so I would not just throw caution to the wind and hope everything works out. I will make sure that it does in a very timely manner," Barrymore noted.

Barrymore last starred in "The Big Miracle" with John Krasinski. The movie told the true story of a group of activists who worked to free whales trapped in the Arctic Circle.