He was also the author of a nonfiction book, wanderings. On october 29, seattle pacific university welcomed to campus renowned author and scholar chaim potok. His novels were mostly built around the concept of jewish identity, their struggle to cope with urban life and clash between secular and religious views. Jul 23, 2002 chaim potok one time rabbi and bestselling novelist chaim potok has died at the age of 73. Chaim potok february 17, 1929 july 23, 2002 was an american jewish author and rabbi. Pdf the chosen chaim potok pdf download read online free. Chaim potok was born february 17, 1929 and raised in new york city by an orthodox jewish family. More from eric beck rubin and burning books at litopia. Chaim was an accomplished author, playright, biographer, and theologian, who has won numerous literary awards for his written works. Orthodox jewishraised author who wrote the chosen, a novel that provides a glimpse into the insular world of hasidim. A fascinating history of the jews, told by a master novelist, here is chaim potoks fascinating, moving four thousandyear history. Potok was raised by orthodox parents who discouraged him from studying or writing about subjects outside the. Chaim potok at seattle pacific university webivore.
His unique novels explore themes of religion, community, and identity. He was called by his jewish namechaim tzviwhich means life or alive, and later adopted chaim as his professional name as well. Adam, whose nickname is zebra, injures his arm in a car accident, then slowly recovers during a summer art class taught by wilson. Jul 31, 2002 chaim potok, who has died aged 73, struggled to reconcile the demands of the fundamentalist jewish community in which he had been raised with an emerging artistic gift, and a strong sense of.
In addition to writing novels, he has continued to study judaism. A novel unparalleled to any other during its time period, the chosen by chaim potok introduced outsiders to the life of hasidic jews and modern jews during the horror of world war ii and the aftermath of the holocaust. A man must fill his life with meaning, meaning is not automatically given to life. Chaim potok, born herman harold potok, was the son of polish immigrants and was reared in an orthodox jewish home. Potok was raised by orthodox parents who discouraged him from studying or writing about subjects outside the faith a proscription he ignored. Read on to learn more about potoks interesting life and the many. Now, chaim potok, beloved author of the awardwinning novels the chosen and my name is asher lev, unfolds the gripping true story of a father, a son, and a conflict that spans soviet history. Potok assumes truth in the scriptures, then goes to set the scene with. So it may be asked what value is there to a human life.
Chaim potok is an amazingly gifted man, not just his writing, which is extraordinary, but in how he approaches being human. Chaim potok, scholar and ordained rabbi whose novels illuminated. His parents were both immigrants from poland whose life in brooklyn was not so different from the old world shtetl they had left behind. He was an exceptional student and a young writer, beginning his writing career at the age of sixteen. His novels were mostly built around the concept of jewish identity, their struggle to cope with urban life. After reading evelyn waughs novel brideshead revisited as a. Chaim potok people think creativity serious to the extent that i come from a deeply religious tradition and have been contending with those beginnings all of my life that constitutes the subject of much of my early fiction. Chaim potok, who died on tuesday aged 73, was a rabbi, philosopher, historian, and novelist, whose stories depicted the life and culture of orthodox jews and the tensions between judaism and the. Herman harold potok was born on february 17, 1929, in the bronx, new york. Potok assumes truth in the scriptures, then goes to set the scene with copious bits of history. Apr 17, 2017 zebra by chaim potok provides a brief glimpse into the life of a young boy, adam zebrin, and his unlikely friendship with a vietnam veteran and artist named john wilson.
Potok can tell an interesting story while delving deep into the human soul. A professor of philosophy at the university of pennsylvania, potok has written numerous novels. Chaim potok february 17, 1929 july 23, 2002 was an american author and rabbi. But by the time he was 16, potok had started reading literature other than traditional jewish texts. Chaim potoks history of the jews 1978 presents four centuries of jewish history. Published in 1972, my name is asher lev is chaim potoks third novel. However, as a young man he became fascinated by less restrictive jewish doctrines, particularly the. From 196574 he was editorinchief, jewish publication society of america, for which he continued to serve as special projects editor. Potok is most famous for his first book the chosen 1967, which was listed on the new york times best seller list for 39 weeks and sold more than 3,400,000.
Chaim served as a chaplain lieutenant in the us army in korea from 195557. The more he read, the more he struggled between religious learning and the call to become a creative artist. Jul 26, 2002 potok can tell an interesting story while delving deep into the human soul. In an interview potok said, i prayed in a little shtiebel prayer room, and my mother is a descendant of a great hasidic dynasty and my father was a hasid, so i. Chaim potok, born herman harold potok, february 17, 1929, in brooklyn, ny, was the son of polish immigrants who had strong ties to hasidism and was reared in an orthodox jewish home. Chaim potok, born herman harold potok, february 17, 1929, in brooklyn, ny. To a great degree, he is describing not only the lives of the characters in the novel but his own life according to potok, the novel is very much an autobiography of his youngadult life. A jewish rabbi, critically acclaimed writer and a novelist, chaim potok gained international acclaim with his debut novel, the chosen. Personal reaction the chosen by chaim potok inspired me in multiple ways. Chaim was his hebrew name, his english name being herman harold. Potok is most famous for his first book the chosen 1967, which was listed on the new york times best seller list for 39 weeks and sold more than 3,400,000 copies. This has been the underlying tension in all of potoks writing.
His other literary works include my name is asher lev 1972 and in the beginning 1975. Potoks early life and career are important for any study of his works, especially because of the parallels between his life and his novels. The chosen chaim potok page 22 read online free books. Jul 25, 2002 chaim potok, who died on tuesday aged 73, was a rabbi, philosopher, historian, and novelist, whose stories depicted the life and culture of orthodox jews and the tensions between judaism and the. What are the themes of the short story zebra by chaim potok. Chaim potok was born herman harold potok on february 17, 1929, in new york citys borough of the bronx. Chaim potokbestselling author chaim potok 19292002 was the first jewish american novelist to give a broad audience an inside look at the trials and tribulations of orthodox judaism. Chaim potok, original name herman harold potok, born february 17, 1929, new york, new york, u. While it may not share the same place in my heart as other novels and stories, i cannot deny the brilliance in this work. Born in new york city but raised in philadelphia, chaim potok chaim tzvi was raised in a hasidic family. Chaim potok biography in the chosen, chaim potok pronounced hi em poe talk describes the condition of american jews living in two cultures, one secular and one religious. The novel is loaded with jewish history, and contains a. See all books authored by chaim potok, including the chosen, and my name is asher lev, and more on. The theme of silence versus conversation really hits me.
All of his siblings either became rabbis or married them. Originally named herman harold, potok was born in new york city on. Chaim potok biography childhood, life achievements. Like his bestselling debut the chosen, the story creates drama from the conflict between orthodox and secular judaism. Now, chaim potok, beloved author of the awardwinning novels the chosen and my name is asher lev, unfolds the gripping true story of a father. Chaim potok, who has died aged 73, struggled to reconcile the demands of the fundamentalist jewish community in which he had been raised with an emerging artistic gift, and a strong sense of. Chaim potok papers, 19542002 university of pennsylvania. The writers struggle to understand worlds and cultures that collided with his own traditions. First, to be discussed is his life birth through the present. The story of a father and son divided by a faith that would not be supressed, not even in communist russia, is heartbreaking. Its the story of two jewish teenage boys coming of age in williamsburg, brooklyn, new york between 1944 and 1949. The importance of hasidism in the chosen by chaim potok. Read on to learn more about potoks interesting life.
Potok has taught at the jewish theological seminary and has edited jewish books and periodicals. In the chosen, chaim potok pronounced hi em poe talk describes the condition of. Catholics that waugh brings to life in the novel, potok realized for the first time. After reading evelyn waughs novel brideshead revisited as a teenager, he decided to become a writer. Recreating great historical events, exporing jewish life in its infinite variety and in many eras and places, here is a unique work by a singular jewish voice. In an interview potok said, i prayed in a little shtiebel prayer room, and my mother is a descendant of a great hasidic dynasty and my father was a hasid, so i come from that world. This mild obsession with silence started a few years ago. In the chosen, chaim potok pronounced hi em poe talk describes the condition of american jews living in two cultures, one secular and one religious. Zebra by chaim potok provides a brief glimpse into the life of a young boy, adam zebrin, and his unlikely friendship with a vietnam veteran and artist named john wilson. The son is a refusenik, who risked his life and happiness to protest everything his father held dear. Herman harold potok, or chaim tzvi, was born in buffalo, new york, to polish immigrants. See a complete list of the characters in the chosen and indepth analyses of reuven malter, danny saunders, david. Both of potok s parents were jewish immigrants from poland, and he was the oldest of four children.
The paradox in the chosen by chaim potok 14 words cram. Chaim potok one time rabbi and bestselling novelist chaim potok has died at the age of 73. Potoks history of the jews is flatout the bestwritten history of any people ive ever read. City, chaim potok lived the strict life of a hasidic jew. A rabbi turned author whose hasidic rearing inspired his 1967 novel the chosen later translated to both screen and stage, chaim potoks frequent meditations on religious life and its effect on secular living propelled a lifelong dedication to studying the impact religion had on his career as both a writer and artist.
Chaim potok lives a very full life he has served his country, peoples, and religion very well and with great impact. Chaim potok was born on february 17th, 1929 in buffalo, new york. To a great degree, he is describing not only the lives of the characters in the novel but his own life according to potok, the novel is very much an autobiography of. Chaim potok books list of books by author chaim potok. The chosen by chaim potok summary male voice whats up with the title. What has the power to heal chino valley unified school. His father immigrated from poland in 1921 where he married and had two sons both rabbis and two daughters both of whom married rabbis. Potok was born into an orthodox family in new york, the eldest of four children. At sixteen, he encountered serious literature and his life was forever changed. Both of potoks parents were jewish immigrants from poland, and he was the oldest of four children. He was born at a very early age on february 17, 1929, in new york, new york to benjamin and mollie potok. Potok s history of the jews is flatout the bestwritten history of any people ive ever read.
Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. His exploration of the tensions between the traditional and the modern, the letter and the spirit, and the mystical and the rational within judaism earned him a place of respect among critics. The chosen, chaim potoks first novel, was published in 1967. The chosen is a novel by chaim potok that was first published in 1967. Similar to his fictional character, asher lev, chaim potok has been a lifelong painter. His first book the chosen 1967, was listed on the new york times best seller list for 39 weeks and sold more than 3,400,000 copies. Chaim potok was a rabbi, teacher, and awardwinning author.
1251 699 788 330 615 686 1357 776 1296 1075 1138 377 20 1344 1281 1022 463 61 488 760 1283 1064 1326 1341 618 615 635 853 568 985 51 438 845 468 828 370 717 772 327 1039 1030 128 637 796 486 1465