Making the Cut: An Unorthodox Love Story

by Max Olesker

‘“I liked the Jewish jokes,” she says.
“Oh, it’s OK”, I say. “I’m allowed to make them.”
Her eyes light up.
And so it all begins.’

When Max meets Eliana, a dazzling modern Orthodox Jewish girl, in a bar in Edinburgh one night, he never expected it to kickstart an agonising identity crisis. While their connection is instant and deep, Max discovers a devastating that despite his upbringing, to millions around the world, including the girl he’s fallen for, he is deemed non-Jewish.

Determined to build a future with her, comedian and writer (and uncircumcised liberal Jew) Max Olesker embarks on one of the world’s most demanding religious conversion processes. He attempts to navigate the dizzying complexities of Jewish law, the challenges of maintaining a relationship without physical contact, and the looming prospect of a date with a scalpel. From moving into the home of an Orthodox family for eight months to enduring gruelling interrogations by a high court of Rabbis, Max’s journey is a rollercoaster of humour, heartbreak, and self-discovery.

A hilarious and moving true account of one man’s quest to marry the love of his life, Making the Cut will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the transformative power of love.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Judaism

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2026

Reviews

[Anton Grodeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want an in depth understanding of the Jewish Orthodox process, this is the book for you. It’s the modern colliding with 2,000 years of Jewish religion and practice. Beautiful written, the author leaves no emotion unsaid.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to get to the end of the circumcision chapter without scrunching up my eyes so much I couldn't read!

[Lydia Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many years ago I had the unfortunate need to apply for a visa to live in Australia. From the moment the jobsworth at the embassy peered over his pince nez and told me not to hold my breath, I knew this was going to be a ghastly frustrating business, full of pointless delays, intrusive questions, medical and general bureaucracy. The six agonising months it took, however, pale into insignificance compared with Max Olesker’s journey to become an Orthodox Jew after falling in love with Eliana, a modern orthodox Jewish girl. In ‘Making the Cut’ both in the literal and spiritual sense of the phrase, Max is forced into the most labyrinthine rules of Ashkenazi Judaism, much stricter than the more rational Sephardic variety although you don’t get a choice as it depends on your particular heritage. Max and Eliana’s tortured journey, including inevitable rows and no touching, is described with such wit and wisdom you’ll be standing on the sidelines cheering them on to their vanishingly distant happy ending. Read this book if you want to laugh, cry and rend your garments all at once.

[Malcolm Bellamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Searingly honest

This is one of those books which you really get immersed in. The difficulties of becoming an orthodox Jew where every step forwards seems to present another step back. Living without physical contact with the lady you love and for whom you are doing it all, having to learn over 600 laws, to read in an ancient script.
Despite the negativity of one leading rabbi in particular there is support and love provided throughout and both the author's wonderful parents and his future wife's parents are always understanding and provide a shoulder to cry on when things get very tough.
You feel that you are on the journey with the author. You smile at the humorous moments and cry when it seems he will give up (which happens on more than one occasion).
The final elation on becoming a"Kosher Jew" (as he describes it) left me in tears on his behalf.
This is a searingly honest personal story, well written and like all good love stories has a happy ending!

[Normz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand who the target audience is and what the purpose of this book is. I liked his style of writing and its easy to read, but it drags on for a long time without much happening. It's very hard to understand the decisions of Max and his girlfriend. Over time the annoyance towards them grows, and it becomes so difficult to keep reading, but you do because its an easy read, (and you don't like abandoning books) and when its done you have learnt so little and feel annoyed at them all.

[Chloë Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this. Read a great review, seemed up my street. Funny, informative, touching, terrifying. A unique insight into a big ol' thing to go through.

[Molly Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting and hilarious at the same time.

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible book about an incredibly journey for two people in love, doing everything they can to be together.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt, humorous and just plain wonderful. This is what I want in a book!

[Yehudis Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, insightful and heartwarming. Olesker has a knack for capturing the tiny details which build an atmosphere.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant! Fantastic love story, which is at times both painfully funny and incredibly poignant.