One Couple Two Faiths

What happens when things get serious between a couple when one partner is Jewish and one is not? This book is for them-for interfaith couples who are dating, engaged, newly married, already established and for their families. It will enable them to navigate the complexities of an interfaith relationship and create a bond rich in respect, understanding and a life grounded in Jewish identity. Dr. Marion Usher, creator of "Love and Religion: An Interfaith Workshop for Jews and Their Partners," draws on her experience working with 700 interfaith couples over 25 years. Her book follows the struggle and success of couples who have made the journey.

A book on the growing number of interfaith families raising children in two religions Susan Katz Miller grew up with a Jewish father and Christian mother, and was raised Jewish. Now in an interfaith marriage herself, she is a leader in the growing movement of families electing to raise children in both religions, rather than in one religion or the other (or without religion). Miller draws on original surveys and interviews with parents, students, teachers, and clergy, as well as on her own journey, in chronicling this grassroots movement. Being Both is a book for couples and families considering this pathway, and for the clergy and extended family who want to support them. Miller offers inspiration and reassurance for parents exploring the unique benefits and challenges of dual-faith education, and she rebuts many of the common myths about raising children with two faiths. Being Both heralds a new America of inevitable racial, ethnic, and religious intermarriage, and asks couples who choose both religions to celebrate this decision.

A book on the growing number of interfaith families raising children in two religions Susan Katz Miller grew up with a Jewish father and Christian mother, and was raised Jewish. Now in an interfaith marriage herself, she is one of the growing number of Americans who are boldly electing to raise children with both faiths, rather than in one religion or the other (or without religion). In Being Both, Miller draws on original surveys and interviews with parents, students, teachers, and clergy, as well as on her own journey, to chronicle this controversial grassroots movement. Almost a third of all married Americans have a spouse from another religion, and there are now more children in Christian-Jewish interfaith families than in families with two Jewish parents. Across the country, many of these families are challenging the traditional idea that they must choose one religion. In some cities, more interfaith couples are raising children with “both” than Jewish-only. What does this mean for these families, for these children, and for religious institutions? Miller argues that there are distinct benefits for families who reject the false choice of “either/or” and instead embrace the synergy of being both. Reporting on hundreds of parents and children who celebrate two religions, she documents why couples make this choice, and how children appreciate dual-faith education. But often families who choose both have trouble finding supportive clergy and community. To that end, Miller includes advice and resources for interfaith families planning baby-welcoming and coming-of-age ceremonies, and seeking to find or form interfaith education programs. She also addresses the difficulties that interfaith families can encounter, wrestling with spiritual questions (“Will our children believe in God?”) and challenges (“How do we talk about Jesus?”). And finally, looking beyond Judaism and Christianity, Being Both provides the first glimpse of the next interfaith wave: intermarried Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist couples raising children in two religions. Being Both is at once a rousing declaration of the benefits of celebrating two religions, and a blueprint for interfaith families who are seeking guidance and community support.

Naomi Schaefer Riley offers a compelling look at the struggles of interfaith marriages in the United States.

If you are determined to intermarry...

Dating, commitment, kids, and family--it's all hard work, and when you come from different religious backgrounds it's even harder. Jon, a Catholic writer, and Michal, a Reconstructionist rabbi, live out the challenges of an interfaith relationship everyday as husband and wife, and as parents to their daughter Sima, who is being raised Jewish. In MIXED-UP LOVE, the couple explores how interfaith relationships impact dating, weddings, holidays, raising children, and family functions--and how to not just cope, but thrive. This is an engaging and practical resource for singles who are considering dating outside their own faith, couples in interfaith relationships, relatives and friends of "mixed" couples who seek information and understanding, and parents desiring a fresh perspective. With clarity, insight, and humor, Sweeney and Woll demonstrate how to engage with your partner, family, and faith like never before.