November is Jewish Book Month. In that spirit, The Hillels of Illinois asked some students what books they’ve connected to.
Leah Tanen, senior, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Book: The Red Tent, by Anita Diamont
About: The biblical story of Dinah told from Dinah’s point of view.
“It was really interesting to me because it gave me a whole new perspective on the biblical story, from the perspective of a strong female in a guy’s world… You grow up hearing all these stories, and Judaism also teaches us to constantly ask questions. So this is one more thing to question and think about in another way—one of those stories.”
Abby Damsky, senior, DePaul University
Book: With Roots in Heaven: One Woman's Passionate Journey into the Heart of Her Faith, by Tirzah Firestone
About: An autobiographical account of a woman’s spiritual journey far away from her very traditional upbringing, which ultimately led back to her Jewish faith.
“I think it’s important to question your faith and look outward… That [the main character] rebelled from her faith and then found her own way back to it was something interesting to me… She also talks about trying to find freedom in her spiritual search and ultimately found that freedom by going back to her roots. Having no authority or structure might seem freeing, but I know that I’ve experienced a lot of happiness through community, and the structure that comes with it, and through my own Jewish faith.”
Donny Finkel, sophomore, University of Illinois at Chicago
Book: Living Inspired, by Akiva Tatz
About: A work of philosophy that incorporates traditional Jewish concepts and Torah into everyday living.
“Akiva Tatz gives a very different outlook on the world and he breaks down a lot of regular concepts, things we see in our everyday life. He explains them through a Jewish lens. He also uses textual references to support his viewpoints and what he says in his writing… One discussion that stands out for me is when he talks about the act of laughing and its deeper meaning. It’s something you could come across every day and not think too much about, but I often think about what he wrote.”
Brittany Pines, senior, Northeastern Illinois University
Book: Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay
About: A fictional account of actual events in Paris, 1942, when Jewish families were arrested and transported to Auschwitz.
“It’s always important to try to understand historical events. I connect to the history of the story, but you can also relate to it. It has a personal touch. The story deals with loss and the tragedy of what happens, and the story also deals with a character who discovers a part of herself when she goes back and deals with the history… I was able to reflect and think about what it may have been like to have lived in that time and place.”
The Hillels of Illinois, a partner in serving our community, is supported by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. For more information on The Hillels of Illinois and supporting Jewish campus life, call (312) 444-2868 or visit thehillelsofillinois.org.
