Question – My book club is trying to pick a book to read this summer. We want something that plays with Jewish themes, but that isn’t a book ABOUT Judaism or the Holocaust. Can you suggest any books that we can read with great stories and Jewish themes?
Answer –
Oh, no, you’ve gone and done it. You asked a rabbi for a book recommendation…I cannot be held accountable for the next 8,000 words.
Well, ok, I’ll rein it in a little bit. But that said, Jews have often been referred to as “the People of the Book,” and it shows in our deep connection with both reading and writing. Historically, Jews have prioritized literacy for their children higher than almost any other community. Jewish religious practice and faith are deeply ingrained in the written word and through debate and argumentation, so there are few things as powerfully Jewish as having a book club in the first place.
All that being said, I have a suggestion for both a fiction and a non-fiction book that will fit the description you gave. First, my fiction recommendation is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. While the two protagonists of the book are, by stated backstory, Jewish, the overall book has little to do with Judaism or Jewish practices. Yet, Zevin’s writing drips with a distinct Jewish identity that is evident throughout the manuscript. From the navigation of grief and forgiveness to the deep exploration of what it means to feel connected to another person, it is impossible to divorce our experience of the world from our Jewish worldview. This book wasn’t written for Jews exclusively, but there is a kind of code-switching that we get to put aside because of our shared cultural history.
On a very different note, David Brooks’ work, The Second Mountain, is an excellent choice for a book club that is looking for Jewish themes without overt Judaism. Brooks, who was born Jewish before converting to Christianity, has repeatedly said that his Jewish identity has never been stronger in the wake of becoming Christian. Despite his acceptance of the New Testament, his writing is similarly infused with a kind of Jewish soul that makes it very easy to see our values reflected in his work.
And in this particular book, Brooks explores what it means to prioritize the true values in life to live with fulfillment and a sense of peace, despite a world so far from its best. Sound familiar? While he does not explicitly describe a Jewish life, it is impossible to ignore the overlap in the way he describes an ideal worldview and how Judaism does the same.
When I read both of these books, I felt like I was reading with all parts of my identity: my love of learning, my appreciation for a good story, a hopeful outlook, and yes, a deeply engrained lens for Judaism. That is why I recommend them to you. But one of the best parts about having a tradition with such a rich literary tradition is that, in the 21st century, we can apply the tools of literary criticism and thirst for reading on the largest database of the written word in history. In many ways, it doesn’t matter what book you choose to read; you can find Jewish values, ideas, and perspectives in any book imaginable. Because at the end of the day, as long as your Jewishness is present, it can be a meaningfully Jewish experience.
Austin Zoot is the Rabbi Educator at Valley Temple in Wyoming, Ohio.
