"Un-Mix[ing] Mixed Marriages"

This story, in today's New York Times, is interesting ("Reform Jews Hope to Un-Mix Mixed Marriages"):

With intermarriage so common, Reform synagogues like Larchmont Temple embrace interfaith couples. For the most part, concerted efforts to encourage non-Jewish spouses to convert have been frowned upon. Now, however, in what would be a major shift of outlook for Reform Judaism — the largest and most liberal of the three major streams of American Judaism, with some 1.5 million members — that may be changing. . . .

Reform congregations across the country are wrestling with how to respond. The push, which is accompanied by materials and initiatives on "inviting and supporting conversion," treads on emotionally fraught territory for thousands of interfaith families.

It also clashes with a longstanding aversion among many Jews to anything resembling proselytizing. "I have the inherent Jewish struggle," said Rabbi Jeffrey J. Sirkman, leader of the Larchmont congregation. "It's that inner struggle of knowing that we want to reach out there as much as we can. At the same time, we don't want to appear to be the Lubavitch," referring to the Orthodox sect of Hasidic Jews known for its aggressive outreach programs, especially focusing on nonobservant Jews.

"I'm not going to be standing at the corner," he added, "asking people if they are Jewish."

Obviously, proselytism by religious believers (or by anyone else) can take many forms, and raises many questions about respect, toleration, good manners, political power and truth.  And, some religious traditions might, for reasons internal to those traditions, emphasize more than others the need to invite others to "come over" (cf., proselutos).  It seems to me both that many today proselytize (or "evangelize") badly, and that many today are too sqeamish about proselytism.  (Here is a paper of mine, "Changing Minds:  Proselytism, Religious Freedom, and the First Amendment," that should be out soon).