A Second Life: A journey into traditional Judaism

by Walter Orenstein

John Bergman is a successful Jewish attorney, married to Ronni Katz a licensed dietician, and father to Betty. He was never given a Jewish education. His father, a disgruntled Holocaust survivor, was angry with God for being silent during the Holocaust, and determined to strip himself and his family of any connection to his birth religion. Faced with a life threatening illness, John makes a promise to God that if he recovers he will commit to traditional Judaism. This is a story about an intellectual and spiritual journey told through vignettes that portray the everyday experiences of the traditional Jewish family. A story of faith, family and friendship.

456 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2013

Reviews

[RACHEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “A Second Life: a Journey into Traditional Judaism,” Orenstein utilize the classic for of response, dialogue between master and student, to speak of many aspects of the wide variety of aspects of the modern Orthodox Jewish life. Orenstein adds just enough narrative to bring in more people into the dialogue, keeping the reading engaged and expanding the matters discussed.

“A Second Life” would be a wonderful selection for anyone seeking to learn of traditional Judaism. Orenstein also had many suggestions for further reading on a wide variety of the topics discussed. An overall engaging and thorough introduction.

My copy came through Goodreads First Reads.