Surprised by God: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Religion (Hardcover)

by Danya Ruttenberg (Author)
Key Phrases: avinu malkeinu, San Francisco, Beth Sholom, Rabbi Lew (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Ruttenberg, who was recently ordained as a rabbi, decided at the age of 13 that she was an atheist. Then in the late 1990s, she experienced a spiritual awakening, taking what she describes as a winding, semi-reluctant path through traditional Jewish practice that eventually took me to the rabbinate. Ruttenberg writes that for her the work of the religious life has been about reconfiguration and reintegration, determining which parts she has outgrown and which could grow with her. The author, who lives in Los Angeles, lived for some time in Jerusalem. A tremendously satisfying memoir of spiritual awakening from the author of a variety of books and periodicals. --George Cohen

Review

"Ms. Ruttenberg is sharp in her insights about the world and about herself . . . [she] gives us reason to be hopeful about the future of American Judaism."

Tikkun

"[T]houghtful and articulate memoir . . . This postmodern story of faith is perhaps also indicative of a new generation of spiritual seeks, who have found a way to connect across religions as they seek a connection with God."

“Ruttenberg no doubt began her book with a moment of teenage rebellion in order to make her gradual commitment to a life of Jewish practice seem all the more striking. But the true beauty of her story is found not in this large transformation (teenage atheists are a dime a dozen) but in the moments of small transformations.”

"[T]his book is a revealing and thought provoking glimpse inside the mind of a young seeker. It is well-written and accessible to people who are curious about the life of one feminist Jew as she struggles to find community and meaning amidst life's joys and challenges."

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Beacon Press (August 15, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 0807010685 ISBN-13: 978-0807010686 Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1 inches Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #535,805 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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avinu malkeinu

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San Francisco, Beth Sholom, Rabbi Lew, Bay Area, Thomas Merton, Carol Lee Flinders, New York, Tel Aviv, Frederica Mathewes-Green, East Coast, Pirke Avot, Mission District, Golden Gate Park, Mourner's Kaddish, New Testament

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4 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving Memoir, September 11, 2008 By  Matt Rosenberg (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Danya Ruttenberg's latest book is a very moving memoir of a young woman's spiritual development. This is more than a biography, it's a guide to developing one's own spiritual path. Rabbi Ruttenberg brings stories and sources from various faith traditions which add to her gripping narrative. I truly couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend it. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Suprised by Danya--Great Read, September 11, 2008 By  R. A. Ellenson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    As a fan from her Yentl's Revenge, I found Surprised by God to be the fulfillment of the promise Ruttenberg showed in that book. This book showcases the writer's ability to blend the personal and political and to make it all so compulsively readable that you just can't put it down. 2 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Lost and Found, February 13, 2009 By  Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       Ruttenberg, Danya. "Surprised by God" How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Religion", Beacon Press, 2008. Lost and Found Amos Lassen When Danya Ruttenberg was 13, she decided she was an atheist and that Karl Marx was right in what he said about religion--so she left it and lost herself in the hedonism of San Francisco of the 1990's. She soon felt something was missing from her life and that something eventually became known to her as God. She began a journey to fill the void--visiting here and stopping by there, listening to Catholics, Buddhists, Jews, mystics and everything and everyone else. Here is her story and it is wonderful. Danya was a young woman who was lost and found several times until she found the path to the rabbinate. She has managed to take the best of two worlds--Jewish tradition and the modern world and she brought them together. This is the story of embracing her faith and learning to love it and it a story of honesty and wit, depth and beauty, Ruttenberg finds challenges in Judaism and she wrestles with them all the while holding onto her commitment to the modern values of feminism and humanism and she is both an observant Jew and an enlightened woman. She searched for meaning and she found it even while remaining true to herself. This book is a memoir of spiritual development, eloquently and beautifully written, Ruttenberg is a wonderful writer with a powerful story to tell.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting, enthusiastic, inspiring account I could relate to a lot of what Danya went through, so it was really great to read her story and to hear from someone who is passionate about religion, Judaism and God without... Read more Published 22 days ago by Flurry Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (August 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807010685
• ISBN-13: 978-0807010686
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #535,805 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving Memoir, September 11, 2008

By	Matt Rosenberg (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Danya Ruttenberg's latest book is a very moving memoir of a young woman's spiritual development. This is more than a biography, it's a guide to developing one's own spiritual path. Rabbi Ruttenberg brings stories and sources from various faith traditions which add to her gripping narrative. I truly couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suprised by Danya--Great Read, September 11, 2008

By	R. A. Ellenson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a fan from her Yentl's Revenge, I found Surprised by God to be the fulfillment of the promise Ruttenberg showed in that book. This book showcases the writer's ability to blend the personal and political and to make it all so compulsively readable that you just can't put it down.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost and Found, February 13, 2009

By	Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Ruttenberg, Danya. "Surprised by God" How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Religion", Beacon Press, 2008.

Lost and Found

Amos Lassen

When Danya Ruttenberg was 13, she decided she was an atheist and that Karl Marx was right in what he said about religion--so she left it and lost herself in the hedonism of San Francisco of the 1990's. She soon felt something was missing from her life and that something eventually became known to her as God. She began a journey to fill the void--visiting here and stopping by there, listening to Catholics, Buddhists, Jews, mystics and everything and everyone else. Here is her story and it is wonderful. Danya was a young woman who was lost and found several times until she found the path to the rabbinate. She has managed to take the best of two worlds--Jewish tradition and the modern world and she brought them together.
This is the story of embracing her faith and learning to love it and it a story of honesty and wit, depth and beauty, Ruttenberg finds challenges in Judaism and she wrestles with them all the while holding onto her commitment to the modern values of feminism and humanism and she is both an observant Jew and an enlightened woman. She searched for meaning and she found it even while remaining true to herself.
This book is a memoir of spiritual development, eloquently and beautifully written, Ruttenberg is a wonderful writer with a powerful story to tell.