How are books, as opposed to synagogue memberships or organizations, an entre into Jewish life?
I’m not sure it’s “as opposed to.” I think there are lots of gateways to Jewish life. And I can talk from my own experience. I grew up in a secular home with no Jewish education and pretty much no observance, and when I became a parent I decided that my child was going to have some sort of Jewish education or upbringing. At that point I wasn’t sure what that meant. My first step in that direction was going to the bookstore and asking somebody, “What should I read to learn about Judaism and what it means to be a Jew?” That was a task that was more comfortable to me because I had no prior experience and engagement in a formal Jewish life. I think that may be true of a lot of my peers, people in their 40s and 50s whose parents may not have made Jewish education a priority in their homes, which was typical of many Jewish homes in postwar America. But I don’t think it should be posed as an either/or situation, because in my personal experience it led me to wanting to be part of a synagogue
Related Questions
- My son/daughter was very involved in youth group/synagogue in high school but doesn seem to want to get involved in Jewish life at college. What can we do to get him/her connected with Hillel?
- How are books, as opposed to synagogue memberships or organizations, an entre into Jewish life?
- Where can I get information from Boston Jewish organizations or purchase books?
