While this is not a new book by any means, it is worth revisiting. Written in 1967 by Chaim Potok, an ordained rabbi, it gives a revealing picture of the Jewish community.
It chronicles the life of two Jewish boys from two different Jewish communities, the Hasidic Jews (who live completely within the bounds of traditional Jewish law) and Orthodox Jews (who follow modern methods of studying Judaism) . Although the two grew up only blocks away from one another, they had never met, due to the differences between the Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish religions.
While the story is taking place, many references are made to outside events, including World War II, the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel. Potok reveals the reactions of the different Jewish groups to each of these events. It was intriguing to read of these events in light of recent developments in Israel.
This book was an eye-opener for me. I was surprised to read that there were Jews against the formation of the State of Israel. I really enjoyed learning more about the Jewish religion and the intricacies of thier religion and customs.
I found this book to be very fascinating and would highly recommend it.
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1 comment:
This is one of my favorite books. The first time I read it, I became fascinated with the Hasidic culture and then the second time the relationship between the 2 boys captured me. This is truly a good book.
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