The Wondering Jew: My Journey into Judaism by Ellen Brazer; TCJ Publishing; ISBN 9780693-739945; 188 pages including book club questions, $12.95.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – Novelist Ellen Brazer (Clouds Across the Sun; So It Was Written; Hearts of Fire) has authored a primer on the Jewish religion, perhaps as much for her own edification as for that of potential readers. Given that her novels have explored Jewish themes and history, deepening her knowledge of Judaism in which she grew up but until recently was not a close student, clearly could be to her benefit.
Should I recommend this book for others who wish to learn the tenets of the Jewish faith? My answer has to be nuanced. There are more comprehensive and more scholarly primers available, including the classic Basic Judaism by Milton Steinberg, and Living Judaism: The Complete Guide to Jewish Belief, Tradition and Practice by San Diego’s own Rabbi Wayne Dosick.
These books were written years ago, whereas Brazer’s contemporary book—filled with asides about modern-day Israel, and allusions to the 2016 elections—may seem more accessible to today’s religious seekers. Besides, if Brazer’s book can interest them in Jewish study, readers can go to a library and check out books like Steinberg’s and Dosick’s.
For those already familiar with the cycle of Jewish holiday observances and the major stories of the Tanakh, what else does Brazer’s book of short essays offer? I for one found her path of spiritual growth interesting to read about. She subtitles her book “My Journey into Judaism.” She was born a Jew, yes, but she wasn’t particularly observant. She was more interested in Jewish history and culture than in Jewish ritual. But she dutifully attended various services at her Conservative congregation. Over the years, she became more spiritual, believing that events in her life, which others might consider coincidences, were parts of God’s evolving plan for her.
For example, in her novel And So It Was Written, she described a fictional synagogue that she placed in Ein Gedi. The rabbi at Miami Beach’s Temple Emmanuel subsequently visited Ein Gedi and excitedly wrote to her about an excavation in which an ancient synagogue had been discovered. “It looks exactly like the synagogue you described in your book!” the rabbi told her.
After learning that some movements in Judaism firmly believe in reincarnation, she decided to have a hypnotist/therapist help her regress into former lives. One such life, the most scary, consisted of being a young woman in a concentration camp, cowering as the unwilling mistress of a Nazi. She said that experience motivated her as she wrote about children bred during the Holocaust in the novel Clouds Across the Sun.
When a Holocaust survivor with whom she had an acquaintance passed away in Florida, Brazer paid a shiva call to his family members who were non-observant. That Shabbat the family nevertheless went to the temple as a group to recite kaddish. Brazer previously had donated a single siddur to the temple, one prayer book among hundreds that family members might have randomly chosen to follow the service. But a member of the mourning family picked the one which she and her husband had donated. It was inscribed: Donated by Ellen and Mel Brazer.
Skeptical readers might dismiss such stories as freak coincidences, but Brazer’s faith is underscored by the title she gave to the chapter containing that story: “Every moment is connected to the next.”
So, even if you know the Judaic subject matter of the book, Brazer’s speculation about life and God’s plans make for stimulating reading.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)