Mixed-Up Love: Relationships, Family, and Religious Identity in the 21st Century
What are the odds that a female rabbi would marry a divorced Catholic scholar trying to raise two teenagers? Probably better than many people might think. According to Rabbi Woll and her husband, Sweeney, interfaith marriages are on the rise. Though one well-known study prophesies doom for such unconventional unions, it seems that more couples are falling into this fold. Communication and shared beliefs regardless of faith tradition are essential for making such relationships work, the married coauthors assert. Early chapters read a bit like a comparison of two résumés—Sweeney at one time worked as a marketing director for Jewish Lights Publishing, which could have something to do with enabling the couple to operate on common ground. Other chapters read like essays, urging the blending of faith traditions as a unique growth experience. The personal stories begin with two-sided accounts of an unlikely friendship that slowly deepens to love. For those considering marrying outside of their faith tradition, Mixed-Up Love is an inspiring work. --Susan DeGrane