Archive-name: judaism/reading-lists/intermarriage Posting-Frequency: Monthly Selected Sources for Additional Reading on Judaism Part X: Intermarriage [Last Change: $Date: 1993/06/08 18:01:05 $ $Revision: 2.1 $] [Last Post: Sun May 9 11:00:52 1993] This list provides a collection of sources on the subject of intermarriage for the readers of soc.culture.jewish. This list is not attempting to present a position either for or against intermarriage; that is up to the individual to decide in consultation with their Rabbi. This list does attempt to include books from all sides of the spectrum, so that educated consideration can be given to the subject. Intermarriage is a serious concern in the Jewish community. According to the 1991 issue of Newsweek, 52% of men and women who have married since 1985 took gentiles as spouses (in 1964, the number was 9%). Furthermore, 3 of every 4 children of intermarriages are being raised either as Christians (41%) or with no religion at all (31%). The issue stated that 60% of Reform Jews, 50% of Conservative Jews, and 25% of Orthodox Jews are intermarried, and at many Reform Shabbat services a third or more of the participants are unconverted spouses. Now these numbers may have inaccuracies, but the concern and trends remain the same regardless of the exact value of the numbers. Information on where to obtain these books, including an explanation of the and notations, may be found in Part I of the Reading List (judaism/reading-lists/general). This list is organized as a digest; it may be successfully undigestified by programs such as "gnus". ------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Archival and Credits This list is based on a list developed by Dan Berleant (djb@engr.uark.edu), moderator of the Intermarriage Mailing List. Contributions to the list have also been made by: Chris Bertholf, Dave Rabinowitz, Ari Epstein, Anthony Fiorino and David Kaufmann. As usual, suggestions for additions or deletions are welcome, as are *brief* annotations for any entry. All portions of the FAQ and of the reading lists are archived on israel.nysernet.org [192.77.173.2] in the directory: ~ftp/israel/lists/scj-faq They are available in the rtfm.mit.edu archives in the directory: pub/usenet/news.answers/judaism The following files make up the reading lists and are in the "reading-lists" subdirectory: general, traditional, chasidism, reform, conservative, reconstructionist, humanistic, zionism, antisemitism, intermarriage, periodicals. The following files make up the FAQ and are in the "FAQ" subdirectory: 01-FAQ-intro, 02-Who-We-Are, 03-Torah-Halacha, 04-Observance, 05-Worship, 06-Jewish-Thought, 07-Jews-As-Nation, 08-Israel, 09-Antisemitism, 10-Miscellaneous. The files may also be obtained via Email by sending a message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the following line in the body of the message: send usenet/news.answers/judaism/(portionname) Where (portionname) is replaced by the appropriate subdirectory and filenames; for example, to get the first part of the reading list, one would say: send usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists/general ------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: X.1. SO YOU'RE CONSIDERING INTERMARRIAGE? [Kem87] Kemelman, Harry. _Conversations with Rabbi Small_. Ballantine Books. 1987. [Pet88] Petsonk, Judy and Jim Remsen. _The Intermarriage Handbook: A Guide for Jews and Christians_. Quill/William Morrow, New York. 1988. [This book explains basis of each other's culture, and guidelines on how to proceed.] [Rom??] Romanoff, Lena. _Your People, My People -- Finding Acceptance and Fulfillment as a Jew By Choice_. ???. [Focuses on conversion, but gives insights on intermarriage and how to make conversion work. Non-Orthodox] [Sel??] Seltzer, Sanford. _Jews and Non-Jews: Falling in Love_. UAHC Press #164050. [Informal guide on intermarriage for couples and their families. Non-Orthodox] [Sel??] Seltzer, Sanford. _Jews and Non-Jews: Getting Married_. UAHC Press #164055. [Discussion for couples contemplating intermarriage on the Reform Jewish perspective. Non-Orthodox] B'nai B'rith's quarterly publication, _Women's World_, regularly has articles on intermarriage. For information, contact the BBW Membership Department, 1828 L St. NW, #250, Washington, DC. 20036. ------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: X.2. THE TRADITIONAL VIEWPOINT [Bra51] Brav, Stanley Rosenbaum, ed. _Marriage and the Jewish Tradition_ Philosophical Library, New York. 1951. [Pra81] Prager, Dennis and Telushkin, Joseph. _The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism_. Schuster, New York. 1981. ISBN 0-671-62261 [In particular, there is a chapter on "Intermarriage and the Non-committed Jew".] [Sto67] Stolper, [Rabbi] Pinchas M. _Jewish Alternatives in Love, Dating and Marriage_. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Inc. 1967,1984. Co-published by the NCSY. ------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: X.3. CONVERSION [Coh87] Cohen, J. Simcha. _Intermarriage and Conversion, A Halakhic Solution_. KTAV Publishing House, Hoboken NJ. 1987. [A proposed "solution" to these problems. A analysis looking for common ground between Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform conversions.] [Eic65] Eichhorn, D.M., (ed.) _ Conversion to Judaism: A History and Analysis_. Ktav: Hoboken, NJ. 1965. [A historical perspective on conversion.] [Eps??] Epstein, Lawrence J. _Conversion to Judaism: a Teaching Guide_. Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education/261 West 35th Street Floor 12A/New York NY 10001. [Pamphlet. Discusses conversion, including a historical summary and descriptions of Orthodox, Conservative and Reform views and procedures. Contains a bibliography, summaries of the lives of some famous Jews-by-choice, and exercises to familiarize students with issues surrounding conversion.] [Fel90] Feldman, Emanuel, and Wolowelsky, Joel, eds.. _The Conversion Crisis, Essays from the Pages of TRADITION_. edited by KTAV Publishing House, Hoboken NJ. 1990. [A collection of essays on conversion, mostly halachic in character.] [Fio92] Fiorino, Anthony. "One Soul's Adventure: Spiritual Growth Through Halacha" in _Jewish Action_. Orthodox Union (O-U). Vol 53 #2, winter 1992/93. [A recount of a personal experience as a ger, and the spiritual growth that ressulted] [Hub??] Huberman, Steven. _New Jews: The Dynamics of Conversion_. UAHC Press No. 164053. [Concise investigation into the impact of conversion on the convert and the family.] [Kuk??] Kukoff, Lydia. _Choosing Judaism_. Feldman Library Fund/UAHC Press No. 381775. [The story of one woman's odyssey from Christianity to Judaism, which confuncts the questions and dilemmas of the new Jew.] [Lam91] Lamm, Maurice. _Becoming a Jew_. Jonathan David Publishers: Middle Village, NY. 1991. [Designed expressly for non-Jews who are contemplating converting. Contains a section on the experiences of (halachic) converts, in their own words, then an examination of the laws of conversion, then an examination of after the conversion--dealing with Jews, with one's family, holidays, etc. Finally, a section on basic Jewish practice and belief. Lamm is a prominant Orthodox rabbi.] [Lam74] Lamm, Norman. "Love of the Stranger," in _The Good Society: Jewish Ethics in Action_. N. Lamm, ed. Viking Press: New York, NY, 1974. [A series of excerts from the Rambam (t'shuvot and mishnah torah) relating to Conversion with an introduction by Rabbi Lamm.] [Lub??] Lubling, Aaron. "Conversion in Jewish Law" in _Journal of Halachah and Contemporary Society_, #9. [A halachic analysis that points to many of the relevent gemaras and dinim in the Shulchan Aruch and in contemporary t'shuvot.] [Sca92] Scalamanti, J.D. _Ordained to be a Jew: A Catholic Priest's conversion to Judaism_. Ktav: Hoboken, NJ, 1992. [The story of a Catholic priest who became a Jew.] ------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: X.4. YOU'VE DONE THE DEED. COPING WITH LIFE AS AN INTERMARRIED ???. _Happily Inter-married_. ??? [Written by a Protestant priest, a Roman Catholic priest, and a Reform Jewish rabbi, officers insights to couples seriously considering a permanent bireligious relationship.] [Bel??] Belin, David. _Why Choose Judaism: New Dimensions of Jewish Outreach_. UAHC Press #381900 ISBN 0-8074-0302-4. [Non-Orthodox. Explores the uniqueness of Judaism and its special roles in America today. Designed for partners in an interfaith relationship.] [CCA91] Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach. _What Is Reform Jewish Outreach?_. Union of American Hebrew Congregations and Central Conference of American Rabbis, 838 Fifth Avenue, NY NY 10021, 212/249-0100. Pamphlet. 1991. [Non-Orthodox] [Lit70] Litvin, Baruch. _Jewish Identity: Modern Responsa and Opinions on the Registration of Children of Mixed Marriages_. Feldheim, Jerusalem-New York. 1970. [Answers by 43 leading Jewish scholars (both religious and otherwise) to "Who is a Jew?"] ------------------------------------------------------------ -- Please mail additions or corrections to me at faigin@aero.org. End of Judaism Reading List Part X (Intermarriage) Digest ************************** ------- -- [W]:The Aerospace Corp. M1/055 * POB 92957 * LA, CA 90009-2957 * 310/336-8228 [Email]:faigin@aerospace.aero.org [Vmail]:310/336-5454 Box#13149 "And as they say, the rest is compost"