The Skeptic and the Rabbi: Falling in Love with Faith

Written by:
Judy Gruen
Narrated by:
Susanna Burney

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
1
Narrator
1
Release Date
September 2018
Duration
7 hours 17 minutes
Summary
As Judy Gruen walked down the aisle and into her Orthodox Jewish future, her bouquet quivered in her shaky hand. Having grown up in the zeitgeist that proclaimed, “If it feels good, do it,” was she really ready to live the life of “rituals, rules, and restraints” that the Torah prescribed?

The Skeptic and the Rabbi is a rare memoir with historical depth, spirituality, and intelligent humor. Gruen writes with refreshing honesty about what it means to remain authentic to yourself while charting a new yet ancient spiritual path at odds with the surrounding culture, and writes touchingly about her family, including her two sets of grandparents, who influenced her in wildly opposite ways. As she navigates her new life with the man she loves and the faith she also loves―surviving several awkward moments, including when the rabbi calls to tell her that she accidentally served unkosher food to her Shabbat guests―Gruen brings the reader right along for the ride. Reading this wry, bold and compelling memoir, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and when you’re finished, you may also have a sudden craving for chicken matzo ball soup―kosher, of course.
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Heidi K.

Wow I loved this book! Because I’ve enjoyed the author’s books in the past, I thought I’d give it a try. I didn’t expect to learn so much. It was light hearted for a heavy subject. Easy listening for difficult concepts. I heard I might like to speed up the pace of the reader, which is an option here. But I found the opposite to be true. I’d push pause to give me a chance to think. Maybe this is because I’d listen while walking or driving. (I listened to the book while starting back my exercise routine, which I normally dread. But looking forward to the book got me through the first weeks of commitment.) I enjoyed the reader and her accents helped to bring the memories to life. I never expected to learn answers to questions I’ve had about religion—especially not here. Especially not painlessly. I have a much better understanding of what seemed to me to be out dated and sexist traditions. Judy Gruen takes us on a nostalgic journey through her life and along the way we learn how she transformed from a liberal to a conservative. Before you go jumping to conclusions, no. I don’t mean politically. Not like you think in today’s climate. It is her open mind that draws us in. This could easily be the author’s literary legacy.

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