Romrell, BYU, 2002. Bibliography for. My Name is Asher Lev. By Chaim Potok.
Other works by Chaim Potok: The Gift of Asher Lev. The Chosen.
Bibliography for My Name is Asher Lev By Chaim Potok
About Judaism: The Bedside Torah The Book of Jewish Sacred Practices www.rebbe.com
Jewish Art: Too Jewish? Challenging Traditional Identities
Jews in Russia: The Endless Steppe
Judaism in society: The Jews of Brooklyn Postville
Other works by Chaim Potok: The Gift of Asher Lev The Chosen Jewish Nonconformity: Shine Fiddler on the Roof
Romrell, BYU, 2002
1. About Judaism: Artson, Bradley Shavit and Miriyam Glazer. The Bedside Torah. New York: McGrawHill/Contemporary Books. 2001. Essentially, this is the equivalent of a children’s Bible for Jews. It includes simplified versions of each of the 49 Torah portions as well as commentaries, and a glossary of terms. This could be used in the classroom as a Jewish reference guide when students have questions about Jewish terms and practices mentioned in the novel. Kula, Irwin. The Book of Jewish Sacred Practices. Vermont: Jewish Lights Pub. 2001 Unlike the Bedside Torah, this book is not a simplified version of religious text. Instead, it is more like a Boy Scout Handbook to Jewish rituals. It describes the “correct” ways to go about everyday activities as an orthodox Jew. As Asher’s life is full of every day rituals, this book provides an explanation of the things he and his family do. www.Rebbe.com. Though this isn’t a book, I found it a valuable resource in understanding the background behind Asher’s Hasidism. The Rebbe is a huge part of Hasidic life, and this website explains his role as well as what the current Rebbe is doing. 2. Jews in Russia: Hautzig, Ester Rubonmin. The Endless Stepp: Growing up in Siberia. New York: HarperCollins. 1987 This is a true story about a young Polish Jew who was arrested by the Russians and exiled to Siberia with her family for their capitalist beliefs. Specifically, it describes in moving detail life in the forced-labor camp where they were lived. It is a valuable resource in helping students understand the motives of Asher’s father in trying to help the Jews in Russia. 3. Jewish Art: Kleeblatt, Norman L. Too Jewish? Challenging Traditional Identities. New Jersey: Rutgers University press This is a book on twentieth century Jewish art. In many ways it is somewhat controversial because it does not fall in line with orthodox Jewish beliefs, but it portrays the kind of atmosphere in which Asher was working as an artist. It also includes nearly 100 illustrations from contemporary Jewish art. 4. Judaism in society: Abramavitch, Ilana. The Jews of Brooklyn. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England. 2002. Because Brooklyn has such a large Jewish population, much of its history and culture is heavily influenced by Judaism. This book focuses on Jewish life in Brooklyn—both the good and the bad. Specifically, however, Brooklyn is the setting for Potok’s novel, and this Romrell, BYU, 2002
book is an excellent resource to give some background on the kind of environment in which Asher lived. Bloom, Stephen G. Postville. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco. 1996. This book tells the story of Postville, Iowa, a mid-western city built around a pork processing plant. But when the plant goes out of business and an orthodox Jew turns it into a kosher factory, life changes as it becomes a major Jewish town. This book specifically addresses the cross cultural barriers between the orthodox Jews and the mid-western farmers. It is a good resource in describing Jewish/Christian cultural conflicts. 5. Jewish Nonconformity (The two resources I use in this section are both movies, but they parallel Asher’s nonconformity so clearly that I found them useful): Hicks, Scott. Shine. Australia: New Line Home Entertainment. 1996. This movie is the story of David Helfgott, a German-Jewish Australian who becomes a classical pianist against his father’s will. Though Judaism is not really a factor in the movie, the relationship between David and his father is a lot like Asher and his papa. David’s father has extreme expectations for David’s future, but David chooses to follow his own will rather than his father’s. This movie does a fantastic job of portraying the intense emotional struggle David goes through and the fact that it doesn’t resolve itself in the end shows that David’s nonconformity, like Asher’s, is a sacrifice. Jewison, Norman. Fiddler on the Roof. Culver City, CA: MGM/UA Home Video. 1994. Part of me includes this film just because it is one of my all time favorites, but I do think it is an excellent portrayal of Jewish traditions and what happens when people try to break free of those traditions. Fiddler on the Roof is a musical about a Jewish milk man in prerevolutionary Russia whose daughters break free of tradition and choose their own husbands rather than accepting those chosen for them. As it also is set in Russia, it also portrays some of the Jewish persecution of that area. 6. Other works by Chaim Potok: Potok, Chaim. The Gift of Asher Lev. New York: Fawcett Crest. 1991. This is the sequel to My Name is Asher Lev. It shows that even after Lev has moved to France, his familial and religious dilemmas are not over. In this book he again is forced to make decisions which himself, his culture, and his family, but this time he has to consider the effects of his decisions on his son. Potok, Chaim. The Chosen. New York: Fawcett Crest. 1982. It’s a toss up to say which of Chaim Potok’s works is his greatest. Though I prefer Asher Lev, most people would probably choose The Chosen, a “bildungsroman” about two Jewish boys from different backgrounds who become friends and “come of age” together. Specifically, it addresses the conflicts within different Jewish sects and shows how people can come together despite their differences. The sequel to this work, The Promise, is also first-rate. Romrell, BYU, 2002
Romrell, BYU, 2002
