First published 1997
Journalist Gabrielle Glaser examines the lives of eleven interfaith couples navigating marriage across religious boundaries. Through candid interviews conducted nationwide, she documents how Jewish-Gentile partners build families while honoring different traditions. Glaser follows couples like Rachel and Eric, who blend Jewish and Episcopal practices in their household, and the Wong family, who weave together Chinese, Hawaiian, and Jewish customs. She explores whether Robin, an aspiring rabbi, can sustain her relationship with Lee, an introverted Anglo-Catholic. With more than half of American Jews now marrying outside their faith, Glaser investigates whether intermarriage threatens Jewish identity or creates opportunities for religious renewal. Her portraits reveal how contemporary couples forge practical solutions to religious differences while building lasting partnerships.
Genres: family-life, american-fiction, contemporary, biography-memoir, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, interracial-romance
265 pages · Hardcover · Houghton Mifflin