Much has been written in The Jewish Week recently about Deborah Feldman's memoir, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots. And it was telling that the title was out of stock at Barnes and Noble retail outlets in New York City for a week following the book's publication. There is something alluring about be granted access into a world that seems so distant and so opaque.
The story is a fairly typical coming-of-age narrative that just happens to be set in the Satmar community of Williamsburg. The guiding, if not self-conscious, question is this: How does a young woman individuate in a world that privileges conformity over personal autonomy? Although one cannot help but feel compassion for someone who has experienced so much hardship and loneliness, Feldman's answers are neither nuanced nor novel. And I was disappointed to learn that the book's most compelling quality, the brutally honest story-telling of its author, has itself been called into question.
In her closing pages, she raises one point of interest. In college, having discarded her Hassidic garb in favor of jeans and a V-neck, she writes without so much as a hint of irony: "I must look just like everyone else here. Finally, the blessed feeling of anonymity, of belonging; are they not the same?" The girl who has tried so hard to set herself apart, ultimately craves the feeling of fitting in.
But anonymity is not belonging. In fact, the former is quite the opposite of the latter. To be anonymous is to be without a name. And a name, as is so often in the case in the Torah, is a prerequisite for a relationship. Anonymity militates against connectedness.
Belonging is the feeling one gets when one is known. How uplifting to be recognized by others - to have an identity of one's own.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks puts it most beautifully in connection with the priestly blessing:
"You are in a crowd. In the distance you see someone you recognize. This person is well-known. You met him once, briefly. Did you make an impression on him? Does he remember you? Does he know who you are? Briefly your eyes touch. From the distance, he smiles at you. Yes, he remembers you, he knows who you are, he is pleased you are here, and by his eye contact and his smile he communicates these things to you. You are relieved, lifted. You are at peace with yourself. You are not merely an anonymous face in a crowd. Your basic worth has in some way been affirmed. That, in human terms, is the meaning of 'May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.'"
In my experience, anonymity is overrated. Even those who purport to seek it - celebrities and those overexposed to the limelight - are all-too-happy to be recognized. And what are we to make of the fact that the author uses her real name instead of a pseudonym?
But Judaism teaches that with belonging comes responsbility - not only to ourselves - but to the fellow members of our community. I hope Ms. Feldman not only finds the feeling of connectedness she craves in her new present, but that she develops a sense of care and concern for the people who sought to love and embrace her in her past.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The Scandal of Kabbalah
Not infrequently, people ask me if I can suggest to them a good Kabbalah class in the neighborhood. As I have yet to find one, I usually attempt to gently suggest something more mainstream. But the question itself bespeaks a kind of inner longing.
The notion of the mystical always carries with it a certain allure - as if there are shortcuts or quick fixes to the great philosophical and religious quandaries of the human condition. Needless to say, there are not. But since its inception, the spell cast by Kabbalah has never quite lost its potency. Unfortunately, because of its popularization and even sensationalization in our generation, Kabbalah has been assigned to the margins of our communal conversation. This is unfortunate because Kabbalistic literature is replete with ideas and teachings that are both accessible and relevant to our contemporary moment. What readers of these sources too often lack is the context in which they should be understood.
The Scandal of Kabbalah is an excellent book. Rigorous and scholarly, it emanates from the highest echelons of the academy. Yaacob Dweck is among the fastest rising stars in a small constellation of outstanding Jewish historians to come onto the scene of Jewish Studies in our day. In this exceptionally well-researched and beautifully written treatise, Dweck gives us a window into the reception of Kabbalah in 17th century Italy. By telling the story of Leon Modena, one of the first and most important critics of Kabbalah, Dweck provides a context for understanding the great debate between those proclaiming a fealty to Maimonidean rationalism and those who argue for what they believe to be an ancient mystical tradition.
If the sweep of the book in its entirety seems too ambitious, read the introduction. It will (re)-orient your understanding of Kabbalah - it's meaning, reception, context and place within both the historical and religious canon.
If after reading his book you are interested in learning more about Kabbalah, I can recommend a good class at Princeton.
Dweck is also the translator of Haim Sabato's The Dawning of the Day, which I hope will be the subject of a future posting.
The notion of the mystical always carries with it a certain allure - as if there are shortcuts or quick fixes to the great philosophical and religious quandaries of the human condition. Needless to say, there are not. But since its inception, the spell cast by Kabbalah has never quite lost its potency. Unfortunately, because of its popularization and even sensationalization in our generation, Kabbalah has been assigned to the margins of our communal conversation. This is unfortunate because Kabbalistic literature is replete with ideas and teachings that are both accessible and relevant to our contemporary moment. What readers of these sources too often lack is the context in which they should be understood.
The Scandal of Kabbalah is an excellent book. Rigorous and scholarly, it emanates from the highest echelons of the academy. Yaacob Dweck is among the fastest rising stars in a small constellation of outstanding Jewish historians to come onto the scene of Jewish Studies in our day. In this exceptionally well-researched and beautifully written treatise, Dweck gives us a window into the reception of Kabbalah in 17th century Italy. By telling the story of Leon Modena, one of the first and most important critics of Kabbalah, Dweck provides a context for understanding the great debate between those proclaiming a fealty to Maimonidean rationalism and those who argue for what they believe to be an ancient mystical tradition.
If the sweep of the book in its entirety seems too ambitious, read the introduction. It will (re)-orient your understanding of Kabbalah - it's meaning, reception, context and place within both the historical and religious canon.
If after reading his book you are interested in learning more about Kabbalah, I can recommend a good class at Princeton.
Dweck is also the translator of Haim Sabato's The Dawning of the Day, which I hope will be the subject of a future posting.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Reading the Jeremy Lin Story
The Jeremy Lin phenomenon has spurred more than enough virtual and real conversation. Amazingly, it even brought out David Brooks' heretofore unknown affinity for Rav Soloveitchik. I wish only to add one footnote of Jewish interest.
I think part of what makes the Lin storyline so compelling is something beyond the triumph of the underdog. Of course that is a big piece, but what Brooks and others have picked up on is Jeremy Lin's refreshing humility. And this humility is all the more notable when held up against the backdrop of a sport that has made self-aggrandizement its governing ethic. Almost without knowing it, we've been waiting for this moment - a moment in which a Jeremy Lin comes along and raises us out of professional sports epoch that suffers from such a tragic role model deficit.
It is no accident that the Torah's greatest man is also its humblest. In Judaism, the value of humility cannot be overstated. It is a quality best begotten experientially - either through lived experiences that remind us of the yawning chasm between who we are and who we are capable of becoming - or through exposure to people who are genuinely humble. If Jeremy Lin is such a person, his contribution to our generation will be a great one.
I hope the Jeremy Lin phenomenon is powerful enough to shake up the entire sports world. What a boon to society it would be if the heroes whose names adorn the jerseys of so many sports fans were actually possessed of qualities worthy of being called heroic.
I think part of what makes the Lin storyline so compelling is something beyond the triumph of the underdog. Of course that is a big piece, but what Brooks and others have picked up on is Jeremy Lin's refreshing humility. And this humility is all the more notable when held up against the backdrop of a sport that has made self-aggrandizement its governing ethic. Almost without knowing it, we've been waiting for this moment - a moment in which a Jeremy Lin comes along and raises us out of professional sports epoch that suffers from such a tragic role model deficit.
It is no accident that the Torah's greatest man is also its humblest. In Judaism, the value of humility cannot be overstated. It is a quality best begotten experientially - either through lived experiences that remind us of the yawning chasm between who we are and who we are capable of becoming - or through exposure to people who are genuinely humble. If Jeremy Lin is such a person, his contribution to our generation will be a great one.
I hope the Jeremy Lin phenomenon is powerful enough to shake up the entire sports world. What a boon to society it would be if the heroes whose names adorn the jerseys of so many sports fans were actually possessed of qualities worthy of being called heroic.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Brainstorming Doesn't Work, But Shuls Do
I have been thinking a lot lately about the role of a shul and the ever-increasing need in our generation to bring people together - not just virtually - but in real time and in real life. Of course the notion of Beit Knesset speaks directly to this point. What we sometimes under-appreciate is the value of being together with people who are unlike us.
I highly recommend Jonah Lehrer's recent article on Groupthink in the New Yorker for two reasons. First, it makes a fascinating and compelling argument against the coventional wisdom of brainstorming. And second, it argues for expanding the opportunities for vibrant human interaction and even healthy friction. Rather than coming together simply to be mutually supportive, it's possible to come together to share ideas and challenges that push an agenda ahead faster and more effectively.
When Steve Jobs was planning Pixar's headquarters in 1999, he insisted the building be arranged around a cenral atrium so that all kinds of people would bump into each other. For Jobs, it was about maximizing creativity. For shuls, I think it's about maximizing humanity. Our lives are so silo-ed. We form little networks and sub-networks around people who are just like us. They're at the same life stage, they have similar interests, or they work in our field. This is a natural and healthy phenomenon. But it also leaves us short-changed, limiting our opportunities to interact in real ways with people who aren't exactly like us.
Shuls are a treasure trove - a safe and known space where every member has access to an extraordinarily diverse group of people doing extraordinary things. The normal barriers of rank and status dissolve the moment we walk into a sanctuary. Each of us is just a davener. There's nothing stopping the first year associate from striking up a conversation with the senior partner. And there's nothing stopping the veteran from striking up a conversation with a beginner. It's rare in life to have this kind of access. But too few of us take advantage of it.
You can find a slightly more developed piece on this on here. I invite you to think more about how each of us can maximize the shul-going experience and bring people together in ways that simply aren't happening at other times or in other venues.
John Lehrer's new book, Imagine: How Creativity Works comes out in March. If it's as good as his article, you will enjoy it.
I highly recommend Jonah Lehrer's recent article on Groupthink in the New Yorker for two reasons. First, it makes a fascinating and compelling argument against the coventional wisdom of brainstorming. And second, it argues for expanding the opportunities for vibrant human interaction and even healthy friction. Rather than coming together simply to be mutually supportive, it's possible to come together to share ideas and challenges that push an agenda ahead faster and more effectively.
When Steve Jobs was planning Pixar's headquarters in 1999, he insisted the building be arranged around a cenral atrium so that all kinds of people would bump into each other. For Jobs, it was about maximizing creativity. For shuls, I think it's about maximizing humanity. Our lives are so silo-ed. We form little networks and sub-networks around people who are just like us. They're at the same life stage, they have similar interests, or they work in our field. This is a natural and healthy phenomenon. But it also leaves us short-changed, limiting our opportunities to interact in real ways with people who aren't exactly like us.
Shuls are a treasure trove - a safe and known space where every member has access to an extraordinarily diverse group of people doing extraordinary things. The normal barriers of rank and status dissolve the moment we walk into a sanctuary. Each of us is just a davener. There's nothing stopping the first year associate from striking up a conversation with the senior partner. And there's nothing stopping the veteran from striking up a conversation with a beginner. It's rare in life to have this kind of access. But too few of us take advantage of it.
You can find a slightly more developed piece on this on here. I invite you to think more about how each of us can maximize the shul-going experience and bring people together in ways that simply aren't happening at other times or in other venues.
John Lehrer's new book, Imagine: How Creativity Works comes out in March. If it's as good as his article, you will enjoy it.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
What I've Been Reading Lately
People often ask me what I have been reading lately. This post represents a partial attempt to answer this question. I have limited this first list to books; perhaps we will later include journals or articles as well. As our theme at The Jewish Center this year is Jewish literacy, I thought it would be appropriate to share with you the books that have come into my orbit of late.
Every so often I hope to highlight one or two books and include some extended musings or reflections. In the meantime, I have provided some brief editorial thoughts. Of particular interest to me is what emerges when these volumes are viewed through the lens of Jewish values. Much worthy material is contained within these pages. Titles featuring a star are highly recommended.
If you have read any of these titles, or should you be inclined to engage any of these texts, I would welcome your thoughts and the opportunity to discuss them with you. If you would like a particular text to be the subject of an upcoming sermon, please let me know. Additionally, if you would like to recommend a book, I will gather suggestions and report on the most popularly recommened titles.
Most of the books below are hyperlinked to sites where you can find synopses or purchase the book. If a book is out of print, have a look at abebooks.com. There you will find an easily searchable database of reputable booksellers who specialize in used and hard-to-find books.
Happy reading,
yosie levine
*Out of the Depths, Rabbi Israel Meir Lau
Rabbi Lau's memoir is not just an extraordinary book about an extraordinary man; it is a narrative of lived faith. For our generation, Rabbi Lau's life story is an endless inspiration.
The Path of a Pioneer: The Autobiography of Rabbi Leo Jung
More a loose compilation of correspondence, essays and memoirs, this is an uneven book. For the discriminating reader, the chapters on Rabbi Jung's rabbinic life and his years at The Jewish Center are well worth the challenge of sifting through the many less compelling pieces. Rabbi Jung was a giant in the 20th century American rabbinate. What he accomplished is simply staggering.
*The People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
A superb and thoroughly compelling work of literary fiction.
*The Stranger, Albert Camus
This short book you surely read in college is worth rereading. An extraordinary critique of indifference. This text figured prominently in my 2011 Shabbat Shuvah Drashah: The Indignity of Indifference.
City of Thieves, David Benioff
This is not the most rabbinic book and the religiously sensitive reader does well to gloss over the more lurid passages. That said, it is brilliantly told and utterly gripping. By the end, the protagonists have become good friends for whom you are perpetually rooting.
Judaism: A Way of Being, David Gelernter
This book contains some exceptionally important observations about Jewish life and some very creative and persuasive readings of classic Jewish texts. On balance, though, the book's pomposity and paternalism make it hard to read.
Architects of Power: Roosevelt, Eisenhower and the American Century, Philip Terzian
Too dry and dense for anyone who is not a scholar of this era.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
This very popular book left me disappointed. A great historical fictional setting does not live up to its billing. I found the epistolary style rather annoying and the potentially rich characters never seem to quite develop enough.
The Cult of the Amateur, Andrew Keen
The book's central argument is a very important one for our generation. It could have all been said in a 1500 word opinion piece and many trees could have been spared. Read the synopsis.
The Shallows, Nicholas Carr
This book is a little too conversational and at times is too much of a rant against technology. That said, Carr does a very good job marshalling evidence to support his primary thesis: The internet age has drastically diminished our capacity to read deeply. Literary minds will appreciate the case he builds.
*Moneyball, Michael Lewis
A must-read for baseball fans.
*The Beginning of Wisdom
Though at times bordering on the irreverant, this is my favorite contemporary commentary on Genesis. Kass is a deep thinker, an excellent reader and a master teacher. Add exquisite writing to the mix and you have a recipe for a fabulous book.
Sacred Trash, Adinah Hoffman and Peter Cole
I had difficulty discerning this book's genre. If it is a scholarly history of the Cairo Geniza, this book is a failure. It is simply too shallow. If it is an attempt at popular non-fiction, the story is not just compelling enough. Though the writing is elegant and even lyrical at times, I remained unmoved.
Hunting Eichmann, Neal Bascomb
A well-told version of a narrative every Jew must know. It often seems as though Bascomb is trying too hard to create suspense or mystery where there is none. Had I known Prof. Deborah Liptstadt was publishing a book on the Eichmann trial, I would have waited and read hers instead.
*The Book and the Sword, David Weiss Halivni
This memoir manages to convey the greatness of a unique man without pretense or pomposity. Prof. Halivni is a living tribute to the ethic of Talmud Torah. He reminds us that in Jewish learning one can find not only depth and wisdom, but a protective embrace. Particularly relevant to our contemporary moment is the author's description of his having left JTS when the institution began ordaining women.
Hoping to share thoughts soon on the following titles:
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Fermat's Last Theorem, Amir Aczel
This Side of Paradise, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ficciones, Jorge Louis Bourges
Listening to God, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
Chuchill's Empire, Richard Toye
A Letter That Has Not Been Heard: Dreams in the Hebrew Bible, Shaul Bar
Atmospheric Disturbances, Rivka Galchen
*The Dawning of the Day, Haim Sabato
What So Proudly We Hail, Leon and Anne Kass
*The Prime Ministers, Yehuda Avner
How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen and Listen so Your Kids will Talk
Brewing Up a Business, Sam Calagione
Every so often I hope to highlight one or two books and include some extended musings or reflections. In the meantime, I have provided some brief editorial thoughts. Of particular interest to me is what emerges when these volumes are viewed through the lens of Jewish values. Much worthy material is contained within these pages. Titles featuring a star are highly recommended.
If you have read any of these titles, or should you be inclined to engage any of these texts, I would welcome your thoughts and the opportunity to discuss them with you. If you would like a particular text to be the subject of an upcoming sermon, please let me know. Additionally, if you would like to recommend a book, I will gather suggestions and report on the most popularly recommened titles.
Most of the books below are hyperlinked to sites where you can find synopses or purchase the book. If a book is out of print, have a look at abebooks.com. There you will find an easily searchable database of reputable booksellers who specialize in used and hard-to-find books.
Happy reading,
yosie levine
*Out of the Depths, Rabbi Israel Meir Lau
Rabbi Lau's memoir is not just an extraordinary book about an extraordinary man; it is a narrative of lived faith. For our generation, Rabbi Lau's life story is an endless inspiration.
The Path of a Pioneer: The Autobiography of Rabbi Leo Jung
More a loose compilation of correspondence, essays and memoirs, this is an uneven book. For the discriminating reader, the chapters on Rabbi Jung's rabbinic life and his years at The Jewish Center are well worth the challenge of sifting through the many less compelling pieces. Rabbi Jung was a giant in the 20th century American rabbinate. What he accomplished is simply staggering.
*The People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
A superb and thoroughly compelling work of literary fiction.
*The Stranger, Albert Camus
This short book you surely read in college is worth rereading. An extraordinary critique of indifference. This text figured prominently in my 2011 Shabbat Shuvah Drashah: The Indignity of Indifference.
City of Thieves, David Benioff
This is not the most rabbinic book and the religiously sensitive reader does well to gloss over the more lurid passages. That said, it is brilliantly told and utterly gripping. By the end, the protagonists have become good friends for whom you are perpetually rooting.
Judaism: A Way of Being, David Gelernter
This book contains some exceptionally important observations about Jewish life and some very creative and persuasive readings of classic Jewish texts. On balance, though, the book's pomposity and paternalism make it hard to read.
Architects of Power: Roosevelt, Eisenhower and the American Century, Philip Terzian
Too dry and dense for anyone who is not a scholar of this era.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
This very popular book left me disappointed. A great historical fictional setting does not live up to its billing. I found the epistolary style rather annoying and the potentially rich characters never seem to quite develop enough.
The Cult of the Amateur, Andrew Keen
The book's central argument is a very important one for our generation. It could have all been said in a 1500 word opinion piece and many trees could have been spared. Read the synopsis.
The Shallows, Nicholas Carr
This book is a little too conversational and at times is too much of a rant against technology. That said, Carr does a very good job marshalling evidence to support his primary thesis: The internet age has drastically diminished our capacity to read deeply. Literary minds will appreciate the case he builds.
*Moneyball, Michael Lewis
A must-read for baseball fans.
*The Beginning of Wisdom
Though at times bordering on the irreverant, this is my favorite contemporary commentary on Genesis. Kass is a deep thinker, an excellent reader and a master teacher. Add exquisite writing to the mix and you have a recipe for a fabulous book.
Sacred Trash, Adinah Hoffman and Peter Cole
I had difficulty discerning this book's genre. If it is a scholarly history of the Cairo Geniza, this book is a failure. It is simply too shallow. If it is an attempt at popular non-fiction, the story is not just compelling enough. Though the writing is elegant and even lyrical at times, I remained unmoved.
Hunting Eichmann, Neal Bascomb
A well-told version of a narrative every Jew must know. It often seems as though Bascomb is trying too hard to create suspense or mystery where there is none. Had I known Prof. Deborah Liptstadt was publishing a book on the Eichmann trial, I would have waited and read hers instead.
*The Book and the Sword, David Weiss Halivni
This memoir manages to convey the greatness of a unique man without pretense or pomposity. Prof. Halivni is a living tribute to the ethic of Talmud Torah. He reminds us that in Jewish learning one can find not only depth and wisdom, but a protective embrace. Particularly relevant to our contemporary moment is the author's description of his having left JTS when the institution began ordaining women.
Hoping to share thoughts soon on the following titles:
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Fermat's Last Theorem, Amir Aczel
This Side of Paradise, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ficciones, Jorge Louis Bourges
Listening to God, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
Chuchill's Empire, Richard Toye
A Letter That Has Not Been Heard: Dreams in the Hebrew Bible, Shaul Bar
Atmospheric Disturbances, Rivka Galchen
*The Dawning of the Day, Haim Sabato
What So Proudly We Hail, Leon and Anne Kass
*The Prime Ministers, Yehuda Avner
How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen and Listen so Your Kids will Talk
Brewing Up a Business, Sam Calagione
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