Discovering a Deeper Connection with Judaism: Here All Along – Uncover Meaning and Spirituality

Seth: As someone considering conversion to Judaism, and seeking to learn and understand more about this ancient and modern faith tradition, this book has given me so much information I need for my journey, and I will be forever indebted to Sarah Hurwitz for all the work she's done here.

United States on Jul 21, 2023

jennifer bear: I love this book so much. I put so many notes in the margins.

United States on Jul 05, 2023

Kindle Customer: New to Judaism? Or returning after a long hiatus? Questioning things like ritual and liturgy? This is a wonderful addition to your Judaica library. Sarah Hurwitz is down-to-earth, genuine, and willing to show her doubts and vulnerabilities when it comes to her Jewish roots. This is a book I will reach for often: She carefully takes the reader through the entire Jewish year, with all its shifts in mood, ritual, meaning .It may not speak to super- Orthodox audiences, but it spoke to me and to many others who are part of the Reform/Reconstructionist stream of Judaism. A very accessible read that fills in many blanks.

United States on Sep 28, 2022

D BROWN: One of the best books I’ve ever read - covers vast amount of ground. Easy to read but well researched, referenced and balanced.

United Kingdom on Mar 07, 2022

Jamie B: Very well written and easy to understand. This book has really helped me to understand Judaism. Highly recommended for all.

United Kingdom on Jan 11, 2022

Gertrude Morin: One of the most enlightening books I've read!!!

Canada on Mar 10, 2021

C G: The person who wrote this is vicious and hateful. She repeatedly uses spiteful language about people with mental health problems, and ascribes rules for Shabbat she dislikes to OCD. She is an ignorant person who repeatedly throws the mentally ill under the bus. If this was written in the 1970s it would still be gross, but that this has been published recently is truly sickening. How such a vicious person is allowed to write books, and how her editors could have allowed this is beyond me.

United Kingdom on Feb 13, 2021

Gary Colwill: Sarah Hurwitz tells the reader what has become a very common story within the American Jewish community: a coverage of Judaism in childhood that is (maybe appropriately for that age group?) shallow and perhaps uninspiring and fraught with seemingly archaic and distressing events and ideas, which caused her disengagement from observance. Also common is that, as an adult, she began looking for something more engaging spritually (whatever that means). I think her description of her journey beyond the surface of Judaism, however, is not common. She does not shy away from aspects of the religion that her modern sensibilities clash with, but also does not simply walk away from Judaism based on these aspects. Instead, time and again, she describes her discomfort as well as her process of looking deeper at the issue and asking for help from others, which often-times led to a different and more acceptable understanding of the issue - and sometimes not. I appreciate that she does not simply brush over controversial topics, but discusses them openly, whether or not they are resolved satisfactorily. I can say that I have had similar experiences, so very much identify with much of her...

United States on Sep 24, 2019

Amazon Customer: While my approach to Judaism differs quite a bit from that of Hurwitz, I very much enjoyed this book. Readers should know that the book embraces a vision of Judaism that probably best fits into the "liberal Jewish" world-view (i.e., Reform/Reconstructionist/Conservative), though Hurwitz does try to present Orthodox positions in a number of places.

That being said, the book does a very nice job explaining to readers why Judaism is worthy of a modern, educated person's attention. As Hurwitz says in the introduction, if you are looking for peace of mind or spiritual connection; looking to understand yourself more deeply; looking to become a better person; or looking to lead a more meaningful, impactful life, then Judaism might be the answer. Of course, Judaism is a 4,000 year old civilization that can be intimidating to the uninitiated. Finding the right approach is key when dealing an intellectual tradition that often assumes a certain base of background knowledge. As someone once said about the Talmud, which Jewish tradition compares to the sea in that it has no beginning or end, the trick for the newcomer is to find a place where the shore slopes gently down into the water....

United States on Sep 12, 2019