Deborah Green is a woman of passionate contradictions--a rabbi who craves goodness and surety while wrestling with her own desires and with the sor...
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Aug 05, 2009
Marvin
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The main character of this remarkable novel is a very theologically reflective female rabbi. If a book about a Christian clergy were this positively theological, it probably couldn't get published (though I guess the recent books by Elizabeth Strout & Haven Kimmel may belie this assumption). As with most good books about Jewish subjects, the Holocaust looms large in the background. This book is also another example of how good writers are treating the events of 9/11/2001 subtly rather than heavy
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Aug 16, 2011
Beth
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I picked this book up on a whim at the library. I'm so glad I did. Rosen has written a rich novel. It is rich in character, rich in story, rich in feeling. When I wasn't reading the book I was thinking about it and wondering what was going to happen next. I found myself thinking about the characters and relating to each of them on different levels. There are a few main characters of the book: Deborah, a female Reform Rabbi; Henry, an older gentleman who doesn't think much of life any longer
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Jul 28, 2010
Sheryl
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Rabbi Deborah Green meets Henry Friedman in the hospital, after his suicide attempt failed, then later in a nursing home, when he is recovering from a stroke. She strikes up a friendship with his son, Lev, who is a science writer with little faith. Lev is shaken by his father's suicide attempt, and is drawn to Deborah's confidence in her faith. The story goes into great detail about their doubts and their attempts to feel closer to God, but still has a light-hearted aspect. Their physical attrac
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Feb 07, 2010
Ashley
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I loved the honest portrayal of a young rabbi in New York who is questioning her faith because of that feeling that we all have of going through the motions without meaning or purpose. However, the novel was very slow in many sections. The overall plot of her relationship with the son of a dying man who Deborah visits in the hospital was not especially captivating to me. My favorite line was from that dying father, Henry, who quotes Philo, "Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great
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Feb 18, 2008
Jenny
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The writing in this story is so seamless that I was engaged even when the plot stretched my patience a bit. The story focuses on a Reform female rabbi and the man she becomes involved with, however, it is much more than that. The man's father had a stroke and seems to struggle with coming to terms with his feelings about Judaism against the devastation of having lost his family in the Holocaust. The man's best friend had a schizophrenic breakdown. The rabbi's family isn't as religious as she is
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Nov 12, 2009
Sellyndavies
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The story of a woman Reform rabbi and the family of a Holocaust survivor living in New York prior to 9/11. Rosen writes in an emotionally vivid way.
May 03, 2010
Amanda
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I really enjoyed this book! It made me laugh out loud. While it wasn't exactly deep, it was thoughtfully written and had likeable characters.
Aug 26, 2010
N.L.
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It would seem that I should have liked this book. It should have been poignant and touching. Something should have stirred my soul. It wanted to but the those few moments got buried under a very slow paced story line, weak plot points and characters without depth. It was a sad read - not because of the story - due to the agony of trying to get through the endless parade of nothing that desperately wanted the next story turning point to be reachable.
Feb 24, 2010
Robin
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Great book. Female rabbi falls in love with the son of a man she cares for as a hospital chaplain. The father is a Holucaust survivor who has suffered a stroke and has attempted suicide.
The story is a study in belief and family; the son becomes his father's caretaker as the relationship between him and the rabbi progresses. Particularly heart-rending passages of the daily care of father as his health fails. Wonderful writing and engaging story.
The story is a study in belief and family; the son becomes his father's caretaker as the relationship between him and the rabbi progresses. Particularly heart-rending passages of the daily care of father as his health fails. Wonderful writing and engaging story.
Mar 18, 2008
Robert
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Really close up look at the personality and thought processes of a young female Reformed Jewish rabbi. As a father of daughters, as a man, as a husband, and as a Jew, I really found it interesting on many fronts. Great, believable characters and interesting family interactions
Feb 02, 2008
Sara
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This is a book that I can read over and over...it's not a very complicated story, but it's a great journey that I like taking. That, and I love the quote that the book is named after ("Darkness may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning").
Feb 24, 2008
Elke
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I liked the language in this book as well as the characters; all very real and believable. Also, it shines a light on various issues within the Jewish faith that one questions along the way. An easy read that invites to think.
Aug 06, 2007
Callie
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I know, that as a future female-Reform-Rabbi-to-be I'm supposed to be all about this book. But I'm not. If you do read it, know that not all of us are like her. Plus the story was a little trite. But I suppose it had its moments.
Feb 09, 2008
Sara
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Liked this a lot, though I wasn't sure I was going to. It ended up being a very complete story and I felt like I finished a spiritual journey, with the main characters, by the end.
Oct 07, 2007
Lin
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A pleasant read. I read this for a course on Jewish American fiction, and I have to admit I don't remember it too well, but I remember liking to read it.
Jul 25, 2008
Carmen
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Sheesh. I can barely remember the book. Why didn't it leave a dent on me? I am not soulless.
Mar 05, 2009
Sandra
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A comforting read. Spiritual turmoil even for those we often look up to.
Feb 05, 2012
Dec 27, 2011
