Master of the Return (Library of Modern Jewish Literature) [Paperback]

Tova Reich (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Mara, Reich, herself the scion of a rabbinical family, took aim at the mores of American Orthodox Jewry. Here, she casts her sly, sardonic eye upon those at the opposite end of the spectrum, so to speakIsraeli penitents. With vigor, irreverence and devastating accuracy, she limns a flock of zany zealots, intoxicated by the rarefied Hassidism of Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav. These cultists, former hippies who are now "high on the One Above," are at once delightfully absurd in their revival, even invention, of bizarre customs (such as the paramount pilgrimage to Rabbi Nahman's Ukranian grave to terminate "nocturnal emissions"); poignant in their misguided, miseducated search for identity and redemption; as self-indulgent in their expiation as they once were in their passions; and alarming in their patent misogyny, racism, deceit, self-righteousness and extreme messianic political agenda. In Reich's hands, plot and character development are sacrificed to an extravagant religious and social parody cum cautionary tale. The penitents remain symbolic figuresas exemplified by an elderly midwife, whose name, Shifra-Puah, evokes her righteous colleagues from the biblical book of Exodus who disobeyed the pharaonic decree to murder male newborns, and Avraham Ger, whose surname, Hebrew for convert, proclaims his adoption of Judaism.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Samuel Himmelhoch was once lighting effects man for notorious rock groups, his wife Ivriya rode horses bare-breasted in Rosh Pina, and Sora Katz was the former Pam Buck of Macon, Georgia, but now they are all members of an extreme Hassidic sect, living together in the Moslem quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Described with affection and great insight, the riotous adventures of these sincere but sometimes misguided penitents easily mix the supernatural with human events. Reich pinpoints absurdity and self-righteousness beautifully, as when Reb Lev Luria pontificates in gematria (talmudic numeric equivalents) derived from his newly donated computer. An arrestingly comtemporary treatment of Jewish spirituality and renewal. Highly recommended. Molly Abramowitz, Silver Spring, Md.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Syracuse Univ Pr (Sd); 1 edition (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815606206
• ISBN-13: 978-0815606208
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,966,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful, Bold, Funny, Serious, January 23, 2008

By 

Eric Maroney (Trumansburg, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Master of the Return (Library of Modern Jewish Literature) (Paperback)

A strong narrative voice, rich characters, evocative, lively, precise and realistic dialogue, Reich's Master of the Return has all the elements to create a masterful novel, and she does so fully. Perhaps her strongest trick is simultaneously lampooning the ultra Orthodox while at the same time having a profound sympathy for those who return to Judaism from secularism, and the pure impulses which foster this act. Here, Reich has accomplished something truly astonishing: satire and sympathy in one rich shot.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A joy!, March 19, 2002

By 

simon barrett "blond omnivore" (Beckenham, Kent, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Master of the Return (Library of Modern Jewish Literature) (Paperback)

Simply one of my favorite books. Reich miraculously renews the Yiddish literary tradition, rather as Yoel Hoffmann is doing in Israel, but whereas he is tragic (and a tad pretentious?) she is pure joyous burlesque....