UnorthodoxI hate to recommend Unorthodox, I really do. Why? Because I fear it reflects poorly on Judaism and that people who read this book will judge all Jews or assume all Jews are the same as the Satmar Hasidic sect from which the author, Deborah Feldman, escaped. We’re not.

That said, read the book. I found it gripping, enlightening and past the initial chapters, well written. At about the 40% mark, I was so gripped, I didn’t want to go out to dinner but instead wanted to stay in my hotel room and finish (I did go to dinner but woke at 4:30 the next morning and plowed through to the finish).

I don’t want to go too much into the story because I think all should be able to read it fresh.  But it does make me feel I’m correct when I say fanaticism in any form, in any religion, is bad. I think fanaticism actually operates contrary to the tenets of most religions, and I wouldn’t want to believe in any g-d that operates according to those laws.

Anyway, I can’t wait for our book club as well as our Sisterhood meeting to discuss this with others.

If you’ve read it though, feel free to share your thoughts, because I would love to read how others feel.