...the Jewish connection of the Jewish spouse in such a couple is likely to have been impaired to begin with, else they`d insist on their spouse`s conversion. Or there`s a fervent Romeo-and-Juliet passion that seems odd past the age of around 20.
Noah Feldman`s falling-away, for example, probably has much to do with his father being a psychotherapist. From today`s Benny Shanon back to Freud, psychotherapy often has been passionately opposed to any and all religion, including Judaism. The influence of psychotherapy in encouraging intermarriage, and on the Jewish drop-out rate in general, seems worth several studies, certainly.
The commitment of the non-Jewish spouse to their religion would appear slight for the same reasons. Their attachment to Christmas trees would be more for the fun. And the complaints about non-acceptance seem unimportant. If they were sincere in their own religion, probably they wouldn`t have married a Jew. And if they wanted acceptance, they`d become Jews. |
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