Comments (0)Far From Zion: In Search of a Global Jewish Community
September 18, 2009Hannah M. Heller
Special to the Jewish Times
Charles London
William Morrow 2009, 320 pages (paperback), $25.99
In a quest to discover his Jewish identity, journalist Charles London, a native of Baltimore now living in New York, travels throughout the world exploring Jewish communities. His travels take him to places as diverse as New Orleans, Bentonville, Ark., Bosnia, Uganda, Iran, Cuba and Israel.
Mr. London grew up in a family where Jewish observance played a limited role. He struggled to find meaning in his Jewish identity. During his college years and beyond, he met Jews who proudly observed their religion. As a reference librarian for the New York City Public Library, Mr. London encountered anti-Semitism from a patron. It was this incident that awakened in him a strong desire to find out more about Judaism.
Mr. London notes that he felt distant from Judaism not only because of his background but because of his lifestyle. He is a gay man in an interfaith relationship, a situation he considers similar to intermarriage. Yet, the author was welcomed by the Jewish communities he encountered.
Mr. London’s experiences included a Yom Kippur with a father and son in Burma (officially, the Union of Myanmar) who observe Judaism without a community. He met Jews in Iran, Uganda and Bosnia, who found joy in Jewish observances in spite of economic challenges and turmoil in their environments.
In Bentonville, Ark., Jews competed with a Christmas event as they gathered for a communal Chanukah celebration. Ending his journey in Israel, Mr. London dealt with the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Mr. London’s narrative is fascinating as he relates his experiences in the various communities he visited. At times, he delves too much into their history, making for lengthy chapters. Yet, he keeps the reader’s interest as he shares thoughts, feelings and observations. This reviewer found the book provides insight into the ways of life of Jews throughout the world and helps one find meaning in connections to fellow Jews everywhere.