I am a Conservative Jew with Modern Orthodox leanings, hence the subtitle of this blog. I admire these two trends of Judaism for their courage in attempting to tackle the issues of today. We often refer to the Torah as the “tree of life” and thus I believe that Hashem gave it to us to live with in our time. Yet as I feel committed to Halakhah (Jewish law) I also consider that these answers ought to be given within the framework of the Torah. I sometimes disagree or even feel angry with the answers but I enjoy the challenge and honesty.
The name of the blog itself is a tribute to Chaim Potok, of blessed memory, who is my favourite Jewish writer. I just love his books and his characters. My favourite is “The Chosen”. If you have never read anything by Potok, this is a good one to begin with. A close second is “Davita’s Harp” where the heroine is a young Jewish girl who discovers her Jewish roots and heritage and comes to challenge the laws of the community she belongs to.
You can email me at:
ilanadavita@orange.fr
22 Comments
July 4, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Hi. I discovered your blog from a comment you left on RR’s blog. Very interesting! I am also Modern Orthodox, with Chassidic leanings (see my “about.”).
I have read many of Chaim Potok’s books-always challenging-but I have never read Davita’s Harp. Who is the author? It sounds like something I’d be interested in.
From what I see here, you live in the States, correct–not in Israel?
I would be honored if you’d read my blog.
July 4, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Lady-Light: Thanks for visiting my blog. In fact I live in France.
I’ve just had a quick look at yours and will get back after Shabbat.
Davita’s Harp was in fact written by Potok too.
July 20, 2008 at 4:22 am
You were wondering why I linked to your blog. For three reasons: 1. I think you have some worthwhile content. 2. I too appreciate Chaim Potok’s novels. 3. I have an interest in Jewish-Christian relations and have been involved in a dialogue group in the past.
July 20, 2008 at 9:16 am
Dimlamp: Thanks for your prompt answer and the nice comments.
August 13, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Hallo, thank you for visiting my blog and giving nice comments.
Jeg er ikke swensk, men jeg snakke lit norsk.
I live in Gemany and have roots from different countrys and religions.
Over the year I try to stay at different places in Sweden and norway.
Your blog header is a nice docoment from Sweden and I thought you ar swedish.
Hope to see you again visiting my blog.
Have a nice week.
Hartmut
August 13, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I love the works of Chaim Potok, also, and The Chosen is an all time favorite book of mine.
Have you read the non-fiction “The Gates of November”, by him?
Thank you for visiting my blog.
August 13, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Torsdag: Tack för din besök.
Jewwishes: I have read everything Potok has written. Thanks for your own visit.
August 23, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Just to let you know that I was one of those statistics who didn’t comment on my first visit here.
I did take note, though, of looking into books by Chaim Potok!
September 14, 2008 at 7:06 pm
I came to visit you, I also loved Chaim Potok The Chosen. I have been meaning to read Davitas Harp. I have so many books not enough time.
Would you add me to your blog roll? I would love to get the word out. I am a conservative Jew.
I don’t think there are many blogs that blog on Jewish books. Religious yes, but not mainstream fiction,you current events, memoirs. If you don’t mind spread the word.
December 7, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Curious: is your affiliation American Conservative, or non-American?
Because American Conservative is basically Reform; even long ago, it was known that Solomon Schechter’s “Catholic Israel” was inapplicable to America. Once the Conservative beit din was taken out of the hands of JTS and given to the RA, that was the end of Conservative’s previously reasonable aspiration to Modern Orthodoxy. Today, I hear the Conservatives are embarrassed that JTS’s first graduate, Rav Hertz, could produce something so unabashedly Orthodox as the Hertz Humash.
As for non-American Conservative, I am not so familiar, but I remember when an Israeli friend of mine said something about Masorti, and I replied that AFAIK, it was like American Conservative. She asked about the latter, and I mentioned driving a car on Shabbat – she right near plotzed, and said no Israeli Masorti would ever conceive of driving a car on Shabbat!
So if you are a non-American Conservative plus Modern Orthodox, I could understand, assuming non-American Conservative is what American Conservative was meant to be, i.e. university/academic Modern Orthodoxy (Think: Bar Ilan, Professor Ephraim Urbach of the Movement for Torah Judaism, Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Lau and Rabbi Dr. Daniel Sperber of the Ramban shul (partnership minyanim and JOFA) and Beit Morasha).
But if you mean American-style Conservative, I fail to see how that can be combined with Modern Orthodoxy, unless you mean Orthodopraxy, which is hardly the same thing.
Just curious – you’ve caught my interest! Kol tuv!
P. S. Since you asked (wink), I myself would be some sort of left-wing (theologically) Modern Orthodox with right-wing (politically) “settler” leanings. In other words: I’ll laud Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Berkovits (as Rabbi Dr. Emmanuel Rackman zt”l put it, Rabbi Berkovits could have solved the aguna problem forever if only Orthodoxy had followed him), and I’ll advertise Rav Hirsch’s Torah im Derech Eretz at every opportunity, or at least when I’m not reading 19th century German and 20th century British MO literature. Rabbi Dr. Leo Adler (The Biblical View of Man: Urim Publications), Ravs Drs. J. H. Hertz and Isidore Epstein, and Professor Marc B. Shapiro would be some of my favorites. But when voting time comes, Moshe Feiglin, given the void that was Rav Kahane zt”l.
December 7, 2008 at 3:50 pm
There – I thought I’d post a URL so I’m not quite so anonymous.
January 11, 2009 at 11:02 am
[...] About [...]
January 12, 2009 at 7:26 am
Thank you for your comments on my blog. I haven’t read the Chosen in years. Perhaps now is the time to go back and reread it. I am sure it will speak to me on a totally different level at this time in my life.
Linda
January 18, 2009 at 3:44 pm
[...] About [...]
January 19, 2009 at 1:00 am
When I saw the blog title I wondered if this had to do with Chaim Potok. He came to speak in our area and autograph books, shortly before he passed. Amazing experience for our family. Our children met his wife: a wonderful loving woman.
January 27, 2009 at 7:00 am
After receiving a comment on my blog I visited your website and read your about me page. It reminded me that I had loved Chaim Potok and hadn’t picked up one of his books in years. I just finished reading The Chosen and enjoyed it very much. I know I have matured since I first read his books but they are such a great combination of fiction and history that they seem truly timeless. Thank you so much for reminding me to pick up one of his books.
Linda
February 25, 2009 at 5:08 am
Salut! J’ai trouve ton blog en cherchant “kosher” sur WordPress — j’ai jamais essaye faire le naan! J’ai commence mon blog, http://koshercamembert.com, ce mois. Nice to find a fellow blogger with similar interests in France.
April 26, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I came across your blog via twitter I’m @sheitelstroll. I am a Conservative/Reform Jew that became an Orthodox Jew. I finally felt complete once I took on Kashrut and Shabbos. Since there are many Baale Teshuva out in the blogosphere. Maybe we can link up and inspire each other for different reasons.
May 10, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog just now
I too am a Chaim Potok fan – ‘The Chosen’ is one of my favourite novels. I also loved ‘My Name Is Asher Lev’. Now I’m adding ‘Davita’s Harp’ to my list of books to buy, so many thanks for that
I’m smiling after reading the many lovely comments posted here – Shalom all
May 10, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Whoops – for some reason WordPress is linking my comment above to an old blog; mine is http://ajewwithaview.wordpress.com
May 10, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Thanks for checking mine and adding a comment, well two in fact.
June 8, 2009 at 8:27 am
Interesting site, As it seems the place to do it, I am not religious although raised misorti (my mother is Israeli). Living in Israel has exposed me to all colors of the religious spectrum and I am always interested in another’s point of view , not only Jewish. (here in Israel everybody has an opinion on everything!)