Generation J: A Humorous and Provocative Personal Journey Through Jewish Identity, Spirituality, and Community

by Lisa Schiffman

"I'm not alone. I am part of a generation of fragmented Jews. We're in a kind of limbo. We're suspended between young adulthood and middle age, between Judaism and atheism, between a desire to believe in religion and a personal history of skepticism. Call us a bunch of searchers. Call us post-Holocaust Jews. Call us Generation J." Generation J is the ambivalent unaffiliated seekers, men and women who have grown up questioning the bounds of organized religion. Lisa Schiffman is one of these seekers, and Generation J chronicles her journey through the contradictory landscape of Jewish identity. Moving from the personal to the universal, from autobiography to anthropology, from laughter to tears, Schiffman shows us the many ways in which one can be religious. Whether dipping into a ritual bath, getting henna-tattooed with the Star of David, unravelling the mysteries of the kabbalah, or confronting what Jewish tradition has to say about gay marriage, Schiffman reveals the conflicts of meaning and connection common to all who try to chart their own spiritual path. And, through it all, with humor and sensitivity, she confronts the reasons for her own quest and begins to untangle some of the thorniest questions about identity, community, and religion in America today. This engaging exploration of what it means to be Jewish is every bit as much a fascinating tour of the varieties of contemporary Jewish practice as it is an unusual personal quest. Smart, funny, and provocative, Schiffman brilliantly explores the problems and possibilities facing any spiritual seeker today.  

Genres: Jewish, Judaism, Religion, Memoir, Nonfiction, Judaica, Womens

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 1999

Reviews

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly introspective look at one woman’s journey to reconcile her relationship with being Jewish. The questions she asks herself and others are fascinating.

[Jpo]

um, better than I thought it would be.

read it in about 5 minutes.

[Samira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a facinating book of essays about what it means to have a Jewish identity. Written by an "uncomfortable Jew" married to a "lapsed Unitarian," and very thought provoking.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witty, easy-to-read account of one woman's search for her Jewish identity. I don't know that I learned much from it, but it was reassuring to see some of my questions reflected in her journey.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book. Easy to read. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the author could have documented her sources a little more clearly.

[Meg]

Interesting

[Theresa Cassiack · Rating 5 out of 5]

an intimate look at one womans life exploring her heritage