tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12970718.post3793339045740553307..comments2024-03-18T03:40:39.185-04:00Comments on The Curious Jew: To Be A Jewish ArtistChanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17655144434904957767noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12970718.post-83029534774924378202009-11-29T23:54:22.316-05:002009-11-29T23:54:22.316-05:00I'm not one to judge an author's personal ...I'm not one to judge an author's personal life, but I do respect Chaim Potok for the way he portrayed the struggle between Judaism and art in My Name is Asher Lev. While I was reading the book, I spent a lot of time thinking about the way it connects to my identity as a Jew and a writer. <br /><br />A lot of the time I DO hold myself back from writing/publishing certain things even though I feel I need to put it out there, just because I know it would hurt someone or reflect poorly on me... and it is SO hard to do that. <br /><br />I'll have to read this book for myself... It seems very interesting.inkstainedhandshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09981049559995351307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12970718.post-19351577396606628762009-11-29T20:41:07.555-05:002009-11-29T20:41:07.555-05:00Gavi,
To the contrary, he left Orthodoxy because ...Gavi,<br /><br />To the contrary, he left Orthodoxy because he could no longer play the two cores against one another. All of his books reflect the core of Western modernity clashing with the core of Judaism and the protagonist must make a choice. Danny has to figure out a way to reconcile Freud and Judaism, Reuven has to figure out how to reconcile textual criticism and Judaism, whereas Asher must figure out art and Judaism (which is in some ways even more difficult.) Potok lived his life in accordance with his ideals. When the clash became so profound that he could no longer reconcile the two, he left in order to live honestly and truthfully as the Jew he *could* be. I admire and respect him for that...Chanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17655144434904957767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12970718.post-16435556437541837482009-11-29T20:35:26.931-05:002009-11-29T20:35:26.931-05:00As much as I like Potok's writing, may main pr...As much as I like Potok's writing, may main problem with his hashkafat olam was that he left orthodoxy to be able to write about it from a distance...Gavinoreply@blogger.com