A woman’s unexpected entry into an interfaith marriage brings her closer to her roots than she ever imagined in this inspirational true story, From Generation to Generation. Written by a Jewish woman who made the difficult decision to marry outside her faith, this fascinating memoir explores an ancient religion in the face of modern times.
Dallas, TX – October 9, 2014 – With almost 60 percent of Jews who married from 2000 to 2013 choosing a partner from outside the faith, the Jewish community is being challenged to think differently about intermarriage and Jewish continuity. In her new book, From Generation to Generation: A story of intermarriage and Jewish continuity, Jane Larkin provides an insider’s look at life as an interfaith family living Jewishly and offers a new perspective on intermarrieds.
Faced with grim statistics claiming that Jews who marry non-Jews often lose their beliefs, disengage from ritual observance, and raise children who are less likely to associate themselves with religious tradition, Jane determined she would marry someone who shared her faith—no matter what. But a loveless marriage with a perfectly “nice” Jewish man convinced her that marrying someone simply because they shared the same religious beliefs was a mistake.
With her divorce fresh in her mind, Jane falls in love with a non-Jewish man and soon finds herself entering into that dreaded interfaith marriage she had hoped to avoid. But it’s what happens next, that surprises her the most: instead of pushing her away from her religion, Jane’s intermarriage actually strengthens her Jewish faith. This newfound enthusiasm for her religion forces Jane to confront her deepest fears and prejudices, even as she discovers a shocking revelation about her own ancestry.
Through it all, however, Jane discovers her own voice. Inspired by the success of her interfaith family, Jane Larkin attempts to help move the Jewish community beyond its old notions of what constitutes a proper marriage, and instead see the importance of welcoming interfaith families into the fold.
“An enlightening, encouraging take on the complexities of religious intermarriage.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Of all the books I’ve read that chart a person’s journey to raising a Jewish family, From Generation to Generation is the most insightful book I’ve read to date.” –Rabbi Charles Simon, executive director, Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs
“Whether or not books on interfaith relationships take a…stance “for” or “against,” they bring…important conversations out into the public sphere…From Generation to Generation is a welcome contribution to the discussion.” –Rabbi Anne Perry, Reading Rabbi Blog
From Generation to Generation (CreateSpace, July 24, 2014) is available at Amazon.com and other retail outlets, paperback, 286 pages, Kindle edition, 281 pages.
About Jane Larkin
Jane Larkin writes about parenting for InterfaithFamily.com and contributes to The Seesaw in The Jewish Daily Forward. Her work has appeared in The Forward, Tablet Magazine, Kveller.com and Suite 101. She lives with her family in Dallas, TX.
For more information about From Generation to Generation, interviews, review copies, author bio, cover images and author photos, contact Jane Larkin at 214-287-0132, or visit interfaithandjewish.blogspot.com/.
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