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Pride and Preference
It is a truth universally acknowledged, in Orthodox Jewish circles, that a single young man possessed of aptitude for Torah learning must be in want of a wife. Every family in town will have its eyes set on him, hoping to appropriate him for their daughters.
To her great dismay, Mrs. Baila Sara Bennett of Flatbush hasn't been blessed with a single son - only five lovely daughters. How will she and her husband, a struggling chinuch family, manage to find prestigious shidduchim for their daughters when they lack the means to support a young couple in style?
As Shaina and Aliza, the oldest of these daughters, struggle to maintain their good spirits despite the pitifully few marriage suggestions they receive, they wonder if their mazal will ever change. Matters come to a head when a promising shidduch for Shaina is derailed and a family scandal nearly destroys any hopes for the girls' future. Will the Bennetts ever marry off their daughters?
Talented author Barbara Bensoussan has penned a winning novel in Pride and Preference, the frum community's take on the Jane Austen classic. Read with a chuckle and a sigh about the foibles of our society... and join the Bennett sisters as they hold on to their emunah during the roller-coaster ride of shidduchim.
To her great dismay, Mrs. Baila Sara Bennett of Flatbush hasn't been blessed with a single son - only five lovely daughters. How will she and her husband, a struggling chinuch family, manage to find prestigious shidduchim for their daughters when they lack the means to support a young couple in style?
As Shaina and Aliza, the oldest of these daughters, struggle to maintain their good spirits despite the pitifully few marriage suggestions they receive, they wonder if their mazal will ever change. Matters come to a head when a promising shidduch for Shaina is derailed and a family scandal nearly destroys any hopes for the girls' future. Will the Bennetts ever marry off their daughters?
Talented author Barbara Bensoussan has penned a winning novel in Pride and Preference, the frum community's take on the Jane Austen classic. Read with a chuckle and a sigh about the foibles of our society... and join the Bennett sisters as they hold on to their emunah during the roller-coaster ride of shidduchim.
250 pages, Hardcover
Published September 22, 2020
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 22, 2021
This is simultaneously the best and worst book I have ever read. I want to email the author but to say what??? How much it made me laugh?? I DID NOT LAUGH AT THE PARTS SHE MEANT TO BE FUNNY AND DID LAUGH AT ALL THE PARTS SHE DIDN’T.
IT WAS A SPECTACULARLY HILARIOUS BOOK. It caused me physical pain to read and made me very happy.
IT WAS A SPECTACULARLY HILARIOUS BOOK. It caused me physical pain to read and made me very happy.
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January 16, 2023I cannot believe that I actually read this book. This is the book that made me question whether "Orthodox" is the correct terminology for what I am -- which it is probably not, if this is it. And there was an excessive use of exclamation points. Personally, it is not my taste, but it's definitely a... cute... take on classic literature, or, more accurately, the Pride and Prejudice 2005 movie.
June 18, 2021
If you live in the world of Jewish Orthodoxy, and you love Jane Austen, this book is for you. If you are stranger to Orthodox culture, particularly dating and marriage practices, you'll be bored or possibly appalled!
Little connects the world of Regency England with 21st century (Orthodox) Brooklyn except the chase for marriage partners. Is richer better? When can social snobbery ever be excused, if it can? How does one deal with the particular snobbery and rigid expectations of a particular societal group?
Barbara Bensoussan openly lifts the template of Austen's Pride & Prejudice. It's a Jewish Bennett family, one that keeps kosher and has two sets of dishes (though I have yet to meet a Jewish family named Bennett!) with five daughters, including a rebellious teenager; a foolish mother, a distracted father; and yes, the snobby, handsome, wealthy young man who will, in time, turn out to have a far better character than seen at first glance.
At first I was troubled by how completely Bensoussan copied the storyline, but as I read along I realized that as a satirical look at Orthodox dating rituals patterned on and original P & P, it had to have been written this way. While Austen fans will know how it will all turn out, if you are Jewish it is fun to see how exactly she is able to translate many of the situations into this niche community.
The writing is lively, the situations are believable, and the social commentary implied is welcome.
Little connects the world of Regency England with 21st century (Orthodox) Brooklyn except the chase for marriage partners. Is richer better? When can social snobbery ever be excused, if it can? How does one deal with the particular snobbery and rigid expectations of a particular societal group?
Barbara Bensoussan openly lifts the template of Austen's Pride & Prejudice. It's a Jewish Bennett family, one that keeps kosher and has two sets of dishes (though I have yet to meet a Jewish family named Bennett!) with five daughters, including a rebellious teenager; a foolish mother, a distracted father; and yes, the snobby, handsome, wealthy young man who will, in time, turn out to have a far better character than seen at first glance.
At first I was troubled by how completely Bensoussan copied the storyline, but as I read along I realized that as a satirical look at Orthodox dating rituals patterned on and original P & P, it had to have been written this way. While Austen fans will know how it will all turn out, if you are Jewish it is fun to see how exactly she is able to translate many of the situations into this niche community.
The writing is lively, the situations are believable, and the social commentary implied is welcome.
November 13, 2023
Book Title: Pride and Preference
Author: Barbara Bensoussan
Gene: Novel
Book Reviewed By Sylvia Jacobs
This is the ultra orthodox Jewish community’s take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. “It transposes Pride and Prejudice into a contemporary Orthodox milieu.”
In these Jewish religious circles, a young man will be studying and learning the Torah. This young man must be in want of a wife. All the religious Jewish families in town will want this young man for their daughter.
Mrs. Baila Sara Bennet of Flatbush Brooklyn doesn’t have any sons to marry off. She has 5 daughters. They are very accomplished ones.
Baila Sara has a husband who runs a yeshiva.
In these religious circles, they do matchmaking called shidduchim. In the shidduch system the girl or girls parents support the young couple.
This family does not have enough money to support a young couple in the way that they should. Therefore, how will they find prestigious matches for their daughters?
Baila Sara prayed that her future son-in-law, or his parents could assume just a bit of the burden where finances were concerned. Her husband has a modest salary. Baila Sara is a secretary at Baila Yaakov. Secretaries unfortunately in the yeshiva didn’t make much money.
Baila was married to Rabbi Baruch Bennet. Baila is lying awake at night worrying. Her husband, the rabbi, is snoring away without a worry in the world. Baila worries that her daughter Shaina who is now 24 years old still hasn’t found her bashert ( the right man she is meant to be with). One boy was too modern for her, one said no after three dates, and the other one's family demanded a level of support far exceeding their means. 23-year-old Miri hasn’t had a single date yet.
All the daughters are going to a vort (engagement party tonight). None of them will miss it. Kaylie who is only 14 years old didn’t really need to come but she didn’t want to miss it. Liora, who is 17 usually doesn’t go to family outings, but she is going as well. Will the daughters be noticed tonight?
One will enjoy this book as much as a good chicken soup. One should get their popcorn out and read this book. This book will put you in such a relaxed state. One will not want to put it down. It should definitely go on one’s TBR list.
One will rate this book 5 out of five stars for making you feel at home as a Jewish person.
It was masterly written to peak perfection.
This book will leave you wanting more.
Author: Barbara Bensoussan
Gene: Novel
Book Reviewed By Sylvia Jacobs
This is the ultra orthodox Jewish community’s take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. “It transposes Pride and Prejudice into a contemporary Orthodox milieu.”
In these Jewish religious circles, a young man will be studying and learning the Torah. This young man must be in want of a wife. All the religious Jewish families in town will want this young man for their daughter.
Mrs. Baila Sara Bennet of Flatbush Brooklyn doesn’t have any sons to marry off. She has 5 daughters. They are very accomplished ones.
Baila Sara has a husband who runs a yeshiva.
In these religious circles, they do matchmaking called shidduchim. In the shidduch system the girl or girls parents support the young couple.
This family does not have enough money to support a young couple in the way that they should. Therefore, how will they find prestigious matches for their daughters?
Baila Sara prayed that her future son-in-law, or his parents could assume just a bit of the burden where finances were concerned. Her husband has a modest salary. Baila Sara is a secretary at Baila Yaakov. Secretaries unfortunately in the yeshiva didn’t make much money.
Baila was married to Rabbi Baruch Bennet. Baila is lying awake at night worrying. Her husband, the rabbi, is snoring away without a worry in the world. Baila worries that her daughter Shaina who is now 24 years old still hasn’t found her bashert ( the right man she is meant to be with). One boy was too modern for her, one said no after three dates, and the other one's family demanded a level of support far exceeding their means. 23-year-old Miri hasn’t had a single date yet.
All the daughters are going to a vort (engagement party tonight). None of them will miss it. Kaylie who is only 14 years old didn’t really need to come but she didn’t want to miss it. Liora, who is 17 usually doesn’t go to family outings, but she is going as well. Will the daughters be noticed tonight?
One will enjoy this book as much as a good chicken soup. One should get their popcorn out and read this book. This book will put you in such a relaxed state. One will not want to put it down. It should definitely go on one’s TBR list.
One will rate this book 5 out of five stars for making you feel at home as a Jewish person.
It was masterly written to peak perfection.
This book will leave you wanting more.
August 29, 2025
This was just as fun and adorable as I had hoped it would be. The story works so well in this setting, and I enjoying seeing how each character was portrayed here.
There are no parentheticals or explanations, so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone not familiar enough with the culture to understand what's going on. After finishing I did realize that there's a glossary in the back, though I still think you'd need enough base knowledge to follow along.
There are no parentheticals or explanations, so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone not familiar enough with the culture to understand what's going on. After finishing I did realize that there's a glossary in the back, though I still think you'd need enough base knowledge to follow along.
March 24, 2025
A yeshivish take on Jane Austen!
Bensoussan beautifully adapts Pride and Prejudice for Orthodox Jews. Isn't it interesting how many aspects of regency courtship can be seamlessly weaved into modern day Jewish matchmaking?
I understood all the hebrew and yiddish terms but a glossary would be helpful for those who don't
Bensoussan beautifully adapts Pride and Prejudice for Orthodox Jews. Isn't it interesting how many aspects of regency courtship can be seamlessly weaved into modern day Jewish matchmaking?
I understood all the hebrew and yiddish terms but a glossary would be helpful for those who don't
November 16, 2023
cute story…
The story, while simple and predictable ,was entertaining. It’s not a literary work. Gives a view of a group within the Orthodox community.
The story, while simple and predictable ,was entertaining. It’s not a literary work. Gives a view of a group within the Orthodox community.
February 4, 2025
Very light adaptation of the literary favorite, Pride and Prejudice.
January 10, 2026
An interesting re-imagining of Pride and Predjudice set in the word of Modern Orthdox Jews. A bright and romantic story, This would be of interest to Jewish admirers of Jane Austin and and also those who want to learn more about the word of orthodox Jewish dating and marriage. I got to refresh my memory of a lot of Yiddish expressions, and learn some new ones thanks to the author's glossary.
The author is of Askenazi ancetry, but married a Safardic man and also has written a food memoir,
A Well-Spiced Life about adjusting to the Sephardic culture and food and learning the recipes she includes in the book. Sounds like a new one for my to-read list.
The author is of Askenazi ancetry, but married a Safardic man and also has written a food memoir,
A Well-Spiced Life about adjusting to the Sephardic culture and food and learning the recipes she includes in the book. Sounds like a new one for my to-read list.
November 9, 2024
After reading some other Jane Austen adaptations, I thought to myself how great it would be to set them in the Orthodox Jewish world. I wrote down some ideas, but alas, I'm not a writer. So I was absolutely thrilled to find this book, and Barbara Bensoussan delivered! It was everything I wanted. I would love it if she adapted the rest of Jane Austen's works.
May 1, 2022
I ADORED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! I love retellings of Pride and Prejudice (even though I havent read the book) and I loved reading this so much! The setting of Yeshivish brooklyn was so much fun and I loved the characters. This was SO good!!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews