Lord Will Gather Me In: My Journey to Jewish Orthodoxy

Rating:
Summary: Where does personal experience end and religion begin?
Review: An illustration of the highly personal nature of religious experience. If you have struggled to relate the scripture of a spiritual tradition to your life there is something to appreciate here, but not the insight that one might be hoping for.

Rating:
Summary: a personal journey indeed
Review: An interesting topic and I recognized many U.S. Jewish communities of which I have been a part in the sometimes amusing, often troubling descriptions he provides of the contemporary Jewish community in the U.S. But the superbly anecdotal nature of the evidence against Reform and Conservative and for Orthodoxy could just as easily be turned the other way around, and many people, beginning BTs and Jews by choice, will have other evidence: the Orthodox community is threatening to them because of the daily non-observance of many of its members and its colossal tribalism; for someone who is searching for meaning, the mindless way that many orthodox communities seem to mumble their way through the liturgy seems more of an obstacle than a way to G-d. Many "beginners" are disturbed by the idea that kavannah could come from what seems to be mindless mumbling of syllables. Moreover, most orthodox communities come across as incredibly closed when you visit them either as a woman, a BT, or a convert. Another point: Klinghoffer's characterization of conservative communities in the US as unconcerned about observance is overstated. The conservative community that I spent the most time in had a very observant temple leadership, ANY convert spent two years in instruction, (and the members of the bet din were ALL observant of the commandments) and all bar/bat Mitzvahs had spent something like 8 years in Hebrew school: they could understand the Torah reading AND ask directions to the bus stop. Klinghoffer presents Judaism as an either/or dilemma: either you're Orthodox or you're just screwing around--there is no meaningful kind of Judaism outside of the orthodox community. I think, in contrast, that your experience of Judaism is simply much more related to which congregation you come in contact with. Because Judaism in the U.S. is not a religious body with a central authority that makes pronouncements about how community life will be conducted, every congregation is different; within the different ideological directions, there is a tremendous variation in practice, and in the end, observance of ritual is the most visceral level on which individuals can participate in Judaism. To Klinghoffer's credit, he points out something important about Reform in the U.S.: although the Reform movement has a specific ideology that tends to be anti-ritual in character, that ideology is, at least in theory, predicated on having enough information about traditional Judaism to be able to decide which rituals are meaningful. At present, however, most Reform congregations consist of people who know little or nothing about Judaism and don't really want to--so they're not making an informed judgement--and Reform rabbis, in my experience, do little to make the halacha comprehensible or attractive to their congregations (if out of fear or lack of conviction, I am uncertain). But his criticism of Reform based on Reform summer camps is trivial and ultimately irrelevant--what about homosexual encounters in the yeshiva, which are apparently fairly common? For every trivial piece of evidence he comes up with to condemn the Reform community, I could come up with a parallel in the orthodox community. I wonder if his experience of Judaism has any relationship to WHERE he experienced it (on both coasts, where the majority of Jews live). Judaism (reform and conservative) in parts of the country where Jews do not constitute a significant minority is much more like the Judaism Klinghoffer seems to want than most of the orthodox communities I have visited in the U.S. and abroad, because there is no way to be Jewish outside of the religious community. When there is no cultural secular Judaism present, Jewish identification takes place only in the religious sphere (I realize this conclusion supports his contentions that secular Judaism is meaningless).

Rating:
Summary: from an orthodox perspective-very authentic
Review: I always read books written on the subject of Othodoxy with scepticism. Having been born and raised Orthodox, I can tell if the book or movie is authentic. Movies where,for example,the Chasidim wear their Talit to the meal, proves to me that most people that write about the subject, clearly do not live it. Klinghoffer's book, however, is totally authentic. His explanations into the origins of words, and his insight into the nature of the Halacha, not as law, but as a way of life, is refreshing.

I know that the bulk of Conservative and Reform Jews probably do not agree with his spin on their religion, however, I have to agree with him. History will bear out the fact, that Judaism by association of blood alone, will not survive. In my neighborhood we have an exceptionally large amount of Baaley tshuva and converts. I find it extremely impressive and am in awe of a person that generally gives up all that he has been raised to beleive, in search of something almost illusive: the truth.

After my divorce, I became semi-orthodox. I was angry at G-d, whom I held responsible, and felt that if he deserted me, certainly I had no obligation to maintain contact with him. On the outside I continued all the ritual, but inside I knew it was just a show. After my remarriage and subsequent death of my second husband, I reevaluated my religion and my beliefs and came to much of the same conclusions as Klinghoffer. G-d walks with me and I know that he is watching me...and not from a distance.

It would be simple if our religion could be relegated to an occasional temple trip, and not eating pork, but in our hearts, we all know that this is not what binds us together and maintains us as Jews. It is not only in the blood. It is in the heart and in the concrete observance of the Torah as well. From Abraham, to Unkelus to Ruth, some of our greatest Jews have come to us through conversion. I admire the author and other converts that have sought out the truth and the beauty of Judaism. You are an inspiration to those of us that take it often for granted.

Rating:
Summary: from an orthodox perspective-very authentic
Review: I always read books written on the subject of Othodoxy with scepticism. Having been born and raised Orthodox, I can tell if the book or movie is authentic. Movies where,for example,the Chasidim wear their Talit to the meal, proves to me that most people that write about the subject, clearly do not live it. Klinghoffer's book, however, is totally authentic. His explanations into the origins of words, and his insight into the nature of the Halacha, not as law, but as a way of life, is refreshing.

I know that the bulk of Conservative and Reform Jews probably do not agree with his spin on their religion, however, I have to agree with him. History will bear out the fact, that Judaism by association of blood alone, will not survive. In my neighborhood we have an exceptionally large amount of Baaley tshuva and converts. I find it extremely impressive and am in awe of a person that generally gives up all that he has been raised to beleive, in search of something almost illusive: the truth.

After my divorce, I became semi-orthodox. I was angry at G-d, whom I held responsible, and felt that if he deserted me, certainly I had no obligation to maintain contact with him. On the outside I continued all the ritual, but inside I knew it was just a show. After my remarriage and subsequent death of my second husband, I reevaluated my religion and my beliefs and came to much of the same conclusions as Klinghoffer. G-d walks with me and I know that he is watching me...and not from a distance.

It would be simple if our religion could be relegated to an occasional temple trip, and not eating pork, but in our hearts, we all know that this is not what binds us together and maintains us as Jews. It is not only in the blood. It is in the heart and in the concrete observance of the Torah as well. From Abraham, to Unkelus to Ruth, some of our greatest Jews have come to us through conversion. I admire the author and other converts that have sought out the truth and the beauty of Judaism. You are an inspiration to those of us that take it often for granted.

Rating:
Summary: Some Flaws; Many Precious Moments
Review: I first became aware of David Klinghoffer when I saw articles by him on the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion." I appreciated his comments and wanted to read more by him. So, I picked up this book.

I have mixed feelings about it. At times I got the strong sense that someone had informed the author at some point in his life that he was brighter than other people and that he didn't need to do the same intellectual work that others do. Further, I got the impression that, thanks to that perception, the author is a bit contemptuous of other people and a bit lax in presenting the facts.

I don't mean to make ad hominem attacks on this author, but if my perception is correct, it is unfortunate. Klinghoffer writes about Judaism and Christianity and troubled interactions between the two faiths. This interface is of world importance. One must be very circumspect when addressing these issues. For this reader, Klinghoffer was not adequately circumspect.

An example of intellectual laxity: Klinghoffer claims that Paul converted to Christianity from Judaism because he did not want to, or could not, follow Torah. This statement alone renders every reported fact in Klinghoffer's entire book suspect.

People who know nothing else about Paul often know that he converted as a result of one of the most famous conversions experiences in history. Paul's dramatic conversion is so famous that "road to Damascus" has become a phrase to describe a conversion experience of any kind, Christian or non-Christian, indeed, religious or secular.

Too, Klinghoffer implies that Catholics sing "Deutschland Uber Alles" as part of the mass. I'm a lifelong Catholic and I've never heard the German national anthem sung during mass. There is a Christian hymn that uses the same music, but I've never heard that in mass, either. Klinghoffer never makes any of this clear, which is unfortunate, given one incorrect current trend that equates Christianity with Nazism.

Klinghoffer is no kinder, in some ways, to Judaism. His description of a synagogue bar mitzvah in Los Angeles where rude Jews speak at football-stadium volume while a rabbi inveighs against evil "Goyim" creates, however inadvertently, a negative stereotype of Jews. This may be an accurate description of a real service, but it was not presented with enough context to render this passage comprehensible as anything other than an anti-Semitic caricature.

An example of the author's condescension is the misogynist way he discusses his Catholic girlfriend, Maria. Three times when talking about her, he says, "Women cry so easily." When Maria creates something artistic, the author describes her as "adorable" in a very condescending way.

Also, as a person of faith who struggles with the misogyny and homophobia in my own faith tradition, I found Klinghoffer's attempts to explain away the Levitcal association of menstruating women with abomination not at all convincing, and his association of homosexual love with death to be truly alienating.

In short, Klinghoffer works too hard to make God -- or our human understandings of God -- rational. In general, this reader was uncomfortable with Klinghoffer's tendency to set Judaism and Christianity against each other as if they were horses competing in a race. Certainly, Klinghoffer himself set these two traditions in competition with each other when he was deciding, like the nuns in "Sound of Music" how to solve the problem of Maria, his Catholic lover, but the stance of competition is not the happiest one for Judaism and Christianity to be assuming vis a vis each other right now. Rather, the two faiths had better learn to coexist.

On the other hand, this book offers truly precious moments that make up for the book's failings. At times the author loses his arrogance, his lax hold on important facts, and his contempt, and he writes of his own experiences from his own heart, and it is at those moments that this book is most valuable. When the author is most himself, and most vulnerable, he is the most powerful as a writer.

When the author, early on in the book, compares Judaism's appeal to him with the appeal a sunken ship holds for an explorer, his writing reaches its poetic height. When the author confesses that Catholic Maria married someone else and has children, and, yet, when he sees her, his former love for her seems to hover in the air as an almost palpable presence, when the author admits his yearning for his roots, biological or spiritual (the author was an adoptee), the sensible reader will not be able to avoid being moved, being taught, and being changed.

Too, at other times, Klinghoffer does a good job of presenting key facts. He is entirely correct in telling Maria that Jesus did not fit every model for a Messiah as presenting in Jewish scripture.

This reader hopes that Klinghoffer will continue to write in a confessional, memoirist vein, which was his strength here. This reader further hopes that Klinghoffer will sharpen his fact checking skills, and consider the impact of episodes like his description of his visit to the LA synagogue, and place such episodes in some illuminating context, if he does use them. This reader also hopes that Klinghoffer will lead with what he revealed here as his greatest strength -- reporting with courage and honesty his own unique experiences.

Rating:
Summary: I Agree--Shallow!
Review: I spent the better part of a Shabbos afternoon poring through this book at my local Barnes & Nobles. Rarely have I considered a book a greater waste of time than this one.

I hoped that, in reading the story of a fellow convert, I might develop a better picture of the Orthodox community than I have developed over the past three years. Instead, what I found was worthless, self-centered drivel by a man far too ignorant to teach anything useful about Judaism.

I was disappointed that this book relied so heavily on anecdotal evidence (the behavior of certain Reform Jews in Beverly Hills, his bad experience with a gay friend who considered him "intolerant" and "uncompassionate"). As another reviewer has already pointed out, I could match him point for point in some of my experiences with Orthodox people.

My most intense reaction to this book, however, was stark disbelief that someone as intelligent as Klinghoffer could be fooled by some of the bad logic he presents in this book. Every argument Klinghoffer makes regarding the need to believe in the divine authorship of the Torah and the Talmud I could refute on simple basic logic. His argument that, without the Oral Law, we could not know what God meant when God said to "afflict [our] souls" on Yom Kippur is particularly ludicrous. Klinghoffer simply assumes that this must refer to some clearly stated ritual action or actions, and endeavors to show us that--TaDa!--the Talmud lists what these actions are. It never occurs to him that this might refer to an inner state one is supposed to achieve, and that how a particular person achieves this state is up to him. (And believe me, I've met some people who don't or can't fast on Yom Kippur but have definitely found other ways to "afflict their souls").

The only reason I don't give this book one star (or zero) is that it helped me realize how far I've come in my Jewish journey, seeing that I could refute all of Klinghoffer's bad theology on logic alone.

Rating:
Summary: very interesting book written by a brave man
Review: Klinghoffer's journey to orthodox and authentic Judaism should be compulsory reading for those Jews who sincerely consider Reform and Conservative "Judaism" a religious option. Unlike Klinghoffer these people waste most of their lives with the illusion that they are in some way worshiping and particpating in the religion of Moses, Maimonides and the other teachers of our people.

having met countless Baalei Tshuva - it is refreshing to find one as intelligent and understanding as K. is. Slowly but surely he comes to see Judaism and the Torah in its genuine and unadalterated form and recognise that to be a Jew there is no other option.

I am also impressed with the fact that he doesn't fall for much of the nonsense that many Baalei Tshuva seem accept.

It would be interesting for us readers if he wrote a follow-up book on his life as an orthodox Jew with its trials and tribulations and ups and downs.

It would also be fascinating to get his view on the Charedi communities - especiallly in Brooklyn and Jerusalem.

Rating:
Summary: Caustic and simplistic view of Judaism
Review: Kudos to the 'reader' from North Brunswick NJ for his observations. Just to briefly give some detail to his comments: regarding Maimonides' 13 Principles of Faith "to which every Jew must assent," no less an (Orthodox) authority than Nachmanides (the Ramban) takes issue with the 7th principle, that Moses' level of prophecy exceeds that of all others. See "Kitvei Ramban" (ed. Chavel) page 322/323, where after discussing the relative insight of Abraham, Moses and the angels, Ramban states that Mashiach will have a fuller understanding of God than them. Ralbag (Gersonides) states a similar opinion. Regarding the 8th principle, that the Torah we have today is exactly what Moses received, although the transmission process has been meticulous, there are many traditional (orthodox) sources that acknowledge that this may very likely not be the case. Tractate Soferim in the Babylonian Talmud makes references to variant readings, the Midrash in Bamidbar Rabba "describes" a visit to Ezra the scribe by Elijah the prophet where the nekudot (dots over the Masoretic Hebrew text) are characterized as signs pointing out words/letters of "questionable" authenticity. One can also mention the phenomenon of Ketiv u'Keri (words spelled one way in the Torah, yet pronounced differently) as reflecting some uncertainty in the text. Although it is a mitzvah (commandment) for one to write for himself a Torah scroll, the halacha (law) is that the scribe does not make a blessing prior to writing precisely due to the uncertainty of the text. Maimonides himself is known to have searched extensively for an "accurate" text of the Torah. His eight principle is believed to have arisen as a polemic to the masses, who were being accused by their Islamic neighbors that Jews had changed/falsified the Torah. This is an example of what he termed "necessary opinion" as opposed to a "correct opinion." Even Rashi, who no one as of yet has accused of not being Orthodox, seems to have a version of the Torah with an extra letter "vav" that does not appear in our text in parashat Teruma. As regards the Oral Law, the very existence of Machloket (differences of opinion) among the sages suggests that, yes, while the Torah and much of what is embodied in the Talmud is of Sinaitic origin, once it was given to Man, it became vulnerable to human imperfection in the process of transmission ("Lo bashamayin Hee" - the Torah is not in heaven)