Looking for a book that explores Jewish themes and ideas?
In this post we will dive into three different books that are rich with stories about Jews and their amazing experiences. They each offer something unique– one is a true story of a family’s journey to find each other and of becoming religious, one is a fictional novel about rabbis in Tzfat, and one is an anthology of inspiring Jewish stories.
The Bamboo Cradle by Avraham Schwartzbaum
The Bamboo Cradle tells the incredible story of an American professor and his wife, Allan (Avraham) and Barbara (Rachel) Schwartzbaum. Written by Schwartzbaum himself, it takes you on their journey of adopting a Taiwanese baby who they end up converting to Judaism.
While on a Fulbright Fellowship in Taiwan, the couple finds an abandoned baby girl at the train station. They originally give her to the station manager, but they cannot stop thinking about her and they regret their decision.
As the couple had been wanting a baby for 9 years, they decided to search for the foundling. They do this with the goal of adopting her and taking her back to America. In order for the baby to have a basic knowledge of Judaism, they attempt to send her to Jewish Day School. However, because she is not technically Jewish, the school will not permit her to attend. This prompts their decision to convert her to an Orthodox Jew. However, the process of an Orthodox conversion is long and arduous.
During this process, the family becomes inspired to live a life according to the laws of the Torah. Although at first glance Judaism may seem to be mostly rules and regulations, they discover the beauty and depth of the religion. Eventually their daughter, Devorah, was converted and they all are now observant Jews and living a fulfilling religious lifestyle. By some miracle, Allan and Barbara even went on to conceive their own biological children.
This story shows that from the most unexpected situations can bloom the most beautiful things. Some may think it was chance that Allan found the baby at the station and some may believe in fate. It’s up to the reader to decide how to interpret the situation, but no matter what their philosophy, The Bamboo Cradle makes for one beautiful story.
The Kabbalist by Dov Silverman
Explore the questions that people have long pondered about with this unique story. The Kabbalist was written in 2006 by Dov Silverman, a man who lived for twenty years in the mystical city of Tzfat, Israel. This allows him to give us an insider’s view into the city which is known as the ‘City of Air’ and the world capital of Kabbalah. Kabbalah is Jewish mysticism, which is said to have begun in the Garden of Eden and has been continued to be studied throughout Jewish history. It has also gained some popularity among non-Jews due to prominent celebrities taking an interest, such as Madonna and Ashton Kutcher.
The book itself explores themes of good and evil, punishment and reward, and life and death. This is done through the story of three rabbis living in the 20th century. The first rabbi, the Kabbalist, has his faith greatly tested through the tragic death of his son and fiancée. The young couple passes away from different causes and in different places, but at the same time. This raises the questions of why good people suffer, while immoral people gain fame and fortune. How does G-d fit in and why would He allow such injustice to exist? Could it be the influence of Satan?
In Silverman’s tale, Satan is living in Tzfat and doing his dirty work. The second rabbi from Jerusalem is already corrupt when he arrives in Tzfat and discovers Satan. Together they make a pact in exchange for the rabbi’s soul. Despite the townspeople’s previous contentment with their lives, the rabbi promises wealth in exchange for positions of power as the Chief Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva.
Here enters the third rabbi who must pass on secrets of Kabbalah in order to use in the war against Satan. Together he and the Kabbalist must battle against Satan on a mountaintop for the future of mankind.
Who will win in the battle of good vs. evil? The answer may not be as clear cut as you might think so you’ll have to read the novel to find out.
Be forewarned that there are some extremely violent and sexually explicit scenes in this book. Therefore anyone who is sensitive to these issues or who may be too young to handle such descriptions should be wary of picking up this book.
Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hanse, and Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins
Find comfort in the pages of Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul as you devour each story. An important part of the Jewish tradition is passing on stories from generation to generation, and this book is a perfect way to keep that tradition alive. These stories tell all about Jewish life, from the celebrations to the tragedies, and everything in between. Being a Jewish book, the themes of home, family, G-d, and faith are all explored.
You can find inspiration in each of these stories, many of which tell of the kindness and bravery of our people during one of the darkest times in history, the Holocaust.
Since these are short stories, this book is perfect for reading on your lunch break, at the bus stop, or at the waiting room in the doctor’s office. It’ll be just what the doctor ordered to add a little pick me up to your day!
Inspiring Jewish Stories
All of these books tell of different ways that Jews explore their Judaism, form relationships, and challenge themselves. A main component of Judaism is to question everything– what is the meaning behind a mitzvah (commandment), how can one influence the world and society, and in what way can one be the best for their family and for G-d. The pages of these books explore these questions and many others, giving the reader a thought provoking experience.
If any of these novels sound interesting to you, visit our shop and order one today at your friendly used English bookstore in Israel, Eva's Used Books.
Written by Rachel Sofaer
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