Author! Author! is a monthly-ish roundup of new books by Bay Area Jews.
Marc Rubenstein estimates that in his 40-plus years as a rabbi — including five at Temple Israel in Alameda, from 1981 to 1986 — he has officiated at more than 3,000 weddings, many of them interfaith ceremonies.
That is why the former Bay Area resident has written a book about an interfaith couple planning their wedding. In an unexpected twist, however, “Weddings by the Glass” is a novel, not a “how-to” guide.
Hillie Gordon had a Catholic upbringing and Jacob Jaworski came from an observant Orthodox family. The couple’s struggle to juggle family expectations, fulfill their own desires and find a rabbi who can bring many diverse elements together are recounted in the novel by Rubenstein, who has more information at interfaithrabbicalifornia.com.
“Weddings by the Glass” by Marc Rubenstein (201 pages, Morgan James Publishing)
Nan Fink Gefen of Berkeley and Sandra Butler of Emeryville have co-authored “It Never Ends,” in which they speak with women about the highs and lows of mothering middle-age daughters. In researching their book, the authors met with and interviewed 78 Bay Area women, who tell their stories about the issues that surface and resurface with their daughters, and how the relationships change over time (and how they do not). The authors include discussion questions.
Butler is the author of “Conspiracy of Silence: The Trauma of Incest” and is the co-author of “Cancer in Two Voices.” She has two midlife daughters.
The authors will do book events Nov. 8 in Oakland and Nov. 12 in Emeryville. See motheringdaughters.net for details.
“It Never Ends: Mothering Middle-Aged Daughters” by Sandra Butler and Nan Fink Gefen (300 pages, She Writes Press)
Registered dietitian and mindfulness coach Andrea Lieberstein has written “Well Nourished.” The San Francisco-based teacher, trainer and coach offers tools to help people keep on a healthy path of mindful eating and well-nourished living.