On Being a Jew: A Brief Presentation of Jewish Practices and Belief Which, Being Written As a Dialogue in Defense of Tradition, Might Otherwise Be C

by James L. Kugel

Composed as a meandering dialogue between a wily Syrian-Jewish banker and an American graduate student of literature, this engaging book explains all the basic beliefs and practices of Judaism — Jewish teachings on intermarriage and conversion, keeping the Sabbath, prayer and Torah, midrash and mitzvot, and God's presence in the world. Although the book has plenty of the "how to" of religious practice, Being a Jew is in the end an eloquent reflection on Judaism's deepest theme: living life as a way of serving God.

"I hope that readers will not only savor Jim Kugel's engaging conversation about Judaism, but will participate in it." — Adin Steinsaltz

Genres: Judaism

191 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1990

Reviews

[Elliot Ratzman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking around for a “classroom assignable,” mature description and defense of observant Jewish life. James Kugel is a renowned academic scholar of Hebrew Bible; apparently, he is also a dogmatic orthodox Jew. This short book is a fictitious dialogue between Judd Lewis (i.e. Judah HaLevi) a secular poet with a non-Jewish fiancée and a Syrian Jewish banker who walks him through the meaning of Judaism as a (male) “way of life.” The dialogue is stiff, grumpy to the point of rudeness. To be a Jew means to follow halakhah blindly—dismissing Reform and Conservative approaches—and to believe that all of life is merely an excuse to serve God. Is this the best modern orthodoxy can do? Skeptics won’t be convinced, though it’s a fair “Judaism 101” and there are nice descriptions of what it means to live halakhically. The brief Israel section is eye-rolling. For such a great Bible scholar, he mumbles and fumbles through his defense of a supernatural “Torah from Sinai”; he should know better!

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd heard of this when it was published around 1990. The premise, as other reviewers have indicated, of an update on the Kuzari, with Yehuda ha-Levi= grad student, NYC by default, and aspiring poet, and a composite Sephardic banker who's emigrated, first to Israel, then to the Big Apple as well. Well, already questions arise, as JL understandably notes. Why encourage making aliyah, if the Zionists from America tend to return, and the secular "tomato lovers" learn to fit in and transplant roots?

The banker claims that the "family business" model of Jewish persistence over millennia discourages as it were transferring funds out, investing in intermarriage and thereby diversifying hard-earned capital which won't yield lasting returns, as the next generation or certainly the one after will be lost. I sympathise with this analogy, given assimilation accelerates in liberal and progressive and non-Orthodox circles, but he seems to elide sincere conversion, as families have adopted strangers, orphans, the unwanted foundlings, and the earnest apprentices from new lands, into their clans.

What disappointed me was that themes come up, get bandied about, and yes, the love of doing and hearing Torah, and carrying out mitzvot, and orientating one's routine to elevate holiness in ethical actions all appeal in these exchanges, yet uncomfortable or tricky themes get abandoned or dropped. This happens in real-life conversations, of course. But a philosophical dialogue should have remained more fictional, if it comes to resolving open-ended talking points once they've been introduced, right?

There's far too many dialogues left unresolved throughout these meetings. Key topics such as how those who aren't observant of "halakah" teaching in the American diaspora fall short, but not an explanation of ways these Conservative, Reform, and disenchanted Jews (or three decades plus later, half-or quarter Jews, let alone messianic or Noachide breakaways), might be exposed to friendly guides back into a more traditional and engaging life.

Tellingly, the unmentioned Chabad has neatly appeared in this void. While most Hasidim, whom Kugel regards with some distance, and less strict denominations close ranks against many outsiders, wandering Jews (some of whom may not meet the criteria imposed by rabbinical gatekeepers, others whose discipline may brand them as reactionaries among "blue-state" majorities) who ask for a commitment to discarded or retrieved Torah practices.

The role of women is passed over, the boasts of smart and successful and disproportionately Jewish success stories by the mid-2020s finds an concerted backlash, self-righteous and self-denying Jews multiply across social media and campuses in a manner this volume could never have anticipated. So, at least Kugel provides a sobering follow-up. Interesting that it's self-published, given his eminent scholarship and mainstream acclaim among students at Harvard (albeit a while back, as he's now in Israel teaching full-time). But as previous reviewers brought up their grievances, it's worth turning them and you to what will be on my to-read shelf, The Kingly Sanctuary. Although events and moods at the elite bastions in and influenced by the ivory towers keep evolving and eroding since it came out in 2014. Maybe it's already due for a third installment, for I write this when anti-Zionist=groupthink.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this not because I expected to learn anything new, particularly, but because I've read a lot of James Kugel's writings & really respect him & his scholarship. This short, readable book is an imaginary dialog, sort of a la Yehudah Ha-Levi's "Book of the Kuzari," between a young Jewish man (American) & an observant Syrian Jew living in New York. I did get some new insights & ideas from the book, nothing earth-shattering. Two additional comments: First, It seems disingenuous, for a book originally published as late as 1990, to *completely* ignore *any* issues of women's roles - probably because all the author could've done is repeat the same old tired excuses on this subject(?) Second, I wonder if some of the - how shall I put it - *certainty* he expresses in this book has been tempered over time by his experience with an aggressive & dangerous cancer, which took place in the early 2000s & which he described in his 2011 book, "In the Valley of the Shadow." (I've wondered the same thing about C.S. Lewis, the great Christian apologist, as to whether he would have sounded less sure about some of his early writings, after he suffered the death of his wife, as described in his "A Grief Observed"...)

[Jem · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate little parable style writing. This book is done in the style of a poor lost soul talking to a Rabbi. The dude takes the Rabbi's advice and it always ends up being the perfect advice and his life improves by leaps and bounds the less he questions the Rabbi and the more he just does what he is told. If you are looking for a book with the sophistication of the Goofus and Gallant feature in Highlights for Children, this book is for you.

[Anja Noordam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very exciting read