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Jew And Improved
This is a story of goy meets girl, and of what happens when a couple in their 20s takes on a complex faith in its 6000s. Laugh-out-loud funny, thoughtful and revealing, Jew and Improved is Errett’s take on joining an ancient tribe and dragging his fiancée along for the ride.
When Benjamin Errett proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Sarah, he decided to go the distance by converting to Judaism. This engaging book follows Ben and Sarah’s education in spirituality, community and gefilte fish when the couple was pretty sure they already had all those things figured out. But more than that, it’s a love story about the ordinary things that happen after you make an extraordinary choice. It’s about making a big change in your life for someone else and realizing that you were doing it for yourself all along.
Jew and Improved is a book about a spiritual journey for people who don’t read books about spiritual journeys; it’s a primer on a major world religion and an answer to all those embarrassing questions about circumcision. And who doesn’t love a book that features both a wedding and a recipe for brisket?
For most of my life, I was quite happy to be unemployed, spiritually speaking. But when Sarah and I got engaged, I decided joining her tribe was the right thing to do. Beyond that slogan for Quaker Oats, I couldn’t quite articulate why I wanted to do this. Sure, it made her parents happy, but I’d like to think I had them onside from the beginning. I knew I was searching for something, though I had no clear idea what that something was.
—From Jew and Improved
When Benjamin Errett proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Sarah, he decided to go the distance by converting to Judaism. This engaging book follows Ben and Sarah’s education in spirituality, community and gefilte fish when the couple was pretty sure they already had all those things figured out. But more than that, it’s a love story about the ordinary things that happen after you make an extraordinary choice. It’s about making a big change in your life for someone else and realizing that you were doing it for yourself all along.
Jew and Improved is a book about a spiritual journey for people who don’t read books about spiritual journeys; it’s a primer on a major world religion and an answer to all those embarrassing questions about circumcision. And who doesn’t love a book that features both a wedding and a recipe for brisket?
For most of my life, I was quite happy to be unemployed, spiritually speaking. But when Sarah and I got engaged, I decided joining her tribe was the right thing to do. Beyond that slogan for Quaker Oats, I couldn’t quite articulate why I wanted to do this. Sure, it made her parents happy, but I’d like to think I had them onside from the beginning. I knew I was searching for something, though I had no clear idea what that something was.
—From Jew and Improved
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 1, 2010
Benjamin Errett is a funny man. I thought the descriptions of Judaism were fascinating and the conversion process was humorous but also provided the backdrop for compelling conversations about religion, ritual and faith. Worth reading.
November 4, 2015
What a horrifying account of modern Judaism. Gah!
Pg. 52: "In fact, you can be a good Jew and not believe in God. Judaism is about what you do and how you live your life. We have members who don't believe in God and are quite open about it. The important part is to act in a way that's consistent with Jewish teachings."
Our Author (the hero of the story). Bottom of pg. 52: "...these were doubts I was anxiously preparing to have but hadn't quite formulated yet, and here was this man of God, shrugging them off within five minutes of our introduction."
And that sums up the author's modern Canadian Jewish (somewhat religious?) account. And people wonder why the Messiah hasn't come yet... or better yet: Jesus came and decided the Gentiles were a better bet. (actually, it's all part of the plan. Nobody said it was a NICE plan, but it'll work perfectly in the end.)
_________________________
This was a fun account of boy meets girl, wants to marry girl, decides to join girls culture/people (religion?), proceeds through comical USELESS Jewish rituals to impress? Ummmh... himself. Mostly.
Throughout the book I was thinking: I hope nobody in this book decides to read it - it's insanely embarrassing for almost all involved. Makes me wonder how the Jews survived these last 19 centuries? But thankfully - it says the names have been changed to protect the guilty. The people in Ben's Jewish class were hilarious *(as was his VERY ANNOYING teacher.)
Makes me wonder why the upholders of the most amazing OLD TESTAMENT of the Bible - really don't get it, or use it, or share it? They are just like the fools in the desert who quickly forgot they were marching with A GOD. Five minutes without a miracle was enough to make them forget their core. God is good - I would have let Pharaoh keep them.
But thanks Benjamin for sharing your story. It was a fun romance.
Time to write a 2nd book. Maybe go to the next phase: Comparative religions, exploring truth and Endgame conclusions for a Jewish culture. Or more scary: Will you future children appreciate all the crap you went through? God only knows. Give them a Bible for Christmas.
No go see how all of Judaism really points to Jesus as the fulfillment of their Messiah. It's not that hard. Look up Michael L. Brown (he's a Jewish scholar) who's written some great books. Like :60 Questions Christians Ask About Jewish Beliefs And Practices".
Pg. 52: "In fact, you can be a good Jew and not believe in God. Judaism is about what you do and how you live your life. We have members who don't believe in God and are quite open about it. The important part is to act in a way that's consistent with Jewish teachings."
Our Author (the hero of the story). Bottom of pg. 52: "...these were doubts I was anxiously preparing to have but hadn't quite formulated yet, and here was this man of God, shrugging them off within five minutes of our introduction."
And that sums up the author's modern Canadian Jewish (somewhat religious?) account. And people wonder why the Messiah hasn't come yet... or better yet: Jesus came and decided the Gentiles were a better bet. (actually, it's all part of the plan. Nobody said it was a NICE plan, but it'll work perfectly in the end.)
_________________________
This was a fun account of boy meets girl, wants to marry girl, decides to join girls culture/people (religion?), proceeds through comical USELESS Jewish rituals to impress? Ummmh... himself. Mostly.
Throughout the book I was thinking: I hope nobody in this book decides to read it - it's insanely embarrassing for almost all involved. Makes me wonder how the Jews survived these last 19 centuries? But thankfully - it says the names have been changed to protect the guilty. The people in Ben's Jewish class were hilarious *(as was his VERY ANNOYING teacher.)
Makes me wonder why the upholders of the most amazing OLD TESTAMENT of the Bible - really don't get it, or use it, or share it? They are just like the fools in the desert who quickly forgot they were marching with A GOD. Five minutes without a miracle was enough to make them forget their core. God is good - I would have let Pharaoh keep them.
But thanks Benjamin for sharing your story. It was a fun romance.
Time to write a 2nd book. Maybe go to the next phase: Comparative religions, exploring truth and Endgame conclusions for a Jewish culture. Or more scary: Will you future children appreciate all the crap you went through? God only knows. Give them a Bible for Christmas.
No go see how all of Judaism really points to Jesus as the fulfillment of their Messiah. It's not that hard. Look up Michael L. Brown (he's a Jewish scholar) who's written some great books. Like :60 Questions Christians Ask About Jewish Beliefs And Practices".
May 20, 2013
I come from an Orthodox Jewish background so I will admit up front that taints my impression of someone converting through a liberal process for the sake of his fiancee and surviving to write about it. It's great that he was sincere to a point, but I seriously felt like the process was being made light of. There is a lot about ritual and learning about "doing" Jewish but not really about "being" Jewish. Very little is discussed on the spiritual side. I mean, if his fiancee was Greek Orthodox, would he have converted to Greek Orthodox? It felt like he was converting to Judaism Lite - going to classes and then to non-kosher dim sum. What do I have to do to get through this and how much can I get away with? That's not what Judaism is about.
June 28, 2016
This author's story itself is interesting and makes for light, enjoyable reading. I was disappointed in the fact that very little time was actually spent on how the author actually changed, as a result of his experience (since the title refers to how choosing to be Jewish made him a better man). I was hoping for more insight into the spiritual side of his journey.
Because much of the story takes place around Montreal, many of the locations mentioned are very familiar.
Because much of the story takes place around Montreal, many of the locations mentioned are very familiar.
May 31, 2013
It is really weird to read a book written by someone you knew once, twenty yesrs ago, but do not know now. Leaving that aside, this is a fun look at converting to Judaism, basically humorous but with occasional flashes of excellent insight. Completely enjoyable.
May 15, 2010
Somewhat entertaining, but not enough to make me want to finish reading it. Keep in mind, I rarely finish non-fiction. A little too light for my taste.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews