The Rabbi of Resurrection Bay

The Rabbi of Resurrection Bay #1

by Seth B. Goldsmith

The well-planned life of forty-three-year-old Marc Cohn, MD, a wealthy, egocentric, and talented South Florida plastic surgeon, is upended when his wife tragically dies and he is suddenly left responsible for Max, his angry and depressed fourteen-year-old son. A ten-day trip to Alaska for the bat-mitzvah of his twin nieces becomes the setting for life-changing experiences for Max, who emerges from his problems by working with Iditarod sled dogs; and for Marc who, in this dramatic setting, begins reengaging with his Judaism and examining aspects of his life that have been dormant for decades. The human catalyst for much of what happens is Rabbi Chani Kahn, a young, beautiful, and talented widow (and pilot) who is building a vibrant Jewish community in Resurrection Bay. The mutual attraction between Chani and Marc is powerful, but must transcend many of her strongly held beliefs and family skeletons. In the course of this book Marc makes significant personal and professional decisions that have a profound impact on people in Florida, Alaska, Israel, and Africa. This novel, showcasing the importance of healing and love, is an intriguing blend of history, theology, and romance and its relationship to loss, redemption, reconciliation, and spirituality.

354 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2015

Reviews

[Katz Nancy from NJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for a Hadassah book group and could not have been more surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. The characters, a young woman serving as a Rabbi in Alaska and an arrogant newly widowed doctor with A son who is desperately unhappy makes for an interesting tale. Do not miss this book. You won't be sorry.

[Stacey B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book quite awhile ago. Because this book has stayed with me, it compelled me to write a review.
Instead of writing a short synopsis about this book; I will simply say this book is so enjoyable with an almost one of a kind plot and finding ones Judaism again with baby steps.
I loved watching the "family" evolve, with the main character recognizing that working for material luxuries and ego can be a lonely existence at the end of the day without family and spirit.
I am hoping the author will write another book.

[Anne Wolfe · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a sentence, the review of The Rabbi of Resurrection Bay: Asshole plastic surgeon becomes widowed, discovers Judaism in Alaska and turns into a "mensch". (Translated: a real human being)

If you are interested in on-time arrivals, flight schedules and jet lag you will love this book. If you are interested in a crash course in Jewish religious ceremonies and practices you will also enjoy it. You may also be mildly interested in an introduction to dog mushing. For anyone else, unless desperate for something (anything) to read, save your time and attention for a book more worthy of it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story revolves around an arrogant Florida plastic surgeon who loses his wife, and a widowed female rabbi living in Alaska. The author tells the back stories of both of these characters and how they come to meet and help each other change and heal. I enjoyed this book although there were parts that were very predictable, but still worth reading.
I was very surprised with the many mistakes due to seemingly non-existent proofreading.

[Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reads like an instruction manual (did we really need to know the total weight of the Alaska Airlines jet that the main character took from Fort Lauderdale to Seattle?). The dialogue is stilted and artificial.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story not well written or edited but if you'd like to learn something about Judaism it's a fictional way to do it.

[Joanne Targia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

Really enjoyed this book Interesting and took me to Alaska. I feel like I have been to Alaska,Israel and Florida

[Robert Tell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading "The Rabbi of Resurrection Bay," and want to recommend it. Dr. Goldsmith has written and published numerous non-fiction articles and books but, to the best of my knowledge, this is his first book of fiction. Writing fiction is a totally different craft than writing nonfiction, and the transition is not always successfully made. In my opinion, Dr. Goldsmith has pulled it off with skill and creativity. "The Rabbi of Resurrection Bay," is an entertaining and sensitive love story involving two well-drawn characters, both of whom had previously successful marriages that ended tragically. The magic is in the narrative that causes the reader to care deeply about these lovers as they struggle with the challenges of remaking their professional and personal lives. Can an affluent and powerful plastic surgeon from Florida and a beautiful and dedicated woman Rabbi from Alaska overcome the 4000 miles separating them, the emotions of their past loves, and the many other obstacles to the joining of their lives? The description of Judaism and Jewish practice in Seward, Alaska adds a unique dimension to the tale. This is a very enjoyable read and I hope for more great fiction from Seth Goldsmith.

[Linda Wisch-Davidsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Novel

What a wonderful read! I had high expectations of the novel from the moment that I saw its title. I knew that it would possess incredible depth and profundity while pulling at my heart from beginning to end. I do not want to give the story away, but I feel that it was crafted with great skill and insightful character development. If I had one con regarding the book, ii would be the distraction of grammatical errors and some editing/ context errors. Kudos to the author. I hope that he is working on a sequel.

[Felice Cohen]

I really enjoyed it. I was caring for my dying grandfather in between reading pages of this book and the story took me away from my sadness, and even though some parts of this story made me cry, it was cathartic. Great story. Great ending.