I have been trying to read more during this Coronavirus shutdown.
Some of the books I recently have read have been non-fiction exit stories about Hasidic Jews. After reading the last exit story, I knew I needed some fiction since the exit stories were really disturbing me, so I decided to read Naomi, The Rabbi's Wife, a book I bought and put on my Kindle a few months back because it was written by Miriam (Mimi) Finesilver, a person who crossed my path many years ago.
I am so glad I decided to read Mimi's book since it is so good! Her story takes place in the 1970s and early 1980s which was a time in my life where like Naomi, there was so much going on in my life. Through Naomi's eyes, I'm taken right into New York City in the 1970s. It was fun to remember life without cell phones, the internet, and computers!
I don't want to give away too much of the plot in this review, but here's a short summary:
Naomi, who grew up in a town where almost everyone was Jewish in upstate New York, now lives in New York City and is trying to make it as an actress. She lands a great part in an off-Broadway show and then even a better part in a commercial. Through her acting career, Naomi meets Gary who she thinks is a great guy, but things go very, very wrong in the relationship shortly after Naomi moves in with him. Following their break-up, Naomi sinks into a horrible depression. As she deals with a life that seems to be falling apart, she gets involved and eventually joins Temple Beth Shalom in Manhattan. There Naomi embraces her Judaism and the depression ends. The young assistant rabbi, Daniel, and Naomi fall in love and marry. The young couple moves to Florida where Daniel becomes the Senior Rabbi to a dying congregation, but together he and Naomi bring the congregation back to life. After two years of marriage the couple and the congregation take a trip to Israel, but just before the trip, Naomi makes a life-changing decision that strains their marriage and Daniel's faith. The book ends at the Wailing Wall where Daniel and Naomi embrace. The reader is left wondering what will happen next.
Through this book, I also got to journey into the protagonist's delight in being involved with Temple Beth Shalom in New York. I too, have experienced so much delight from celebrating the Jewish holidays and through my involvement with Temple Israel in Long Beach and with the other three congregations I am involved with in Idaho and Colorado.
Although my life has been very different than Naomi's, I related so many of the things that happened to Naomi. Rabbi Dan, who Naomi marries, reminds me in some ways of my husband, Dan. My Dan is just such a kind and sweet person. In fact, Naomi's Dan, whom she calls Daniel, calls Naomi "My-Omi." He cherishes her and adores her just as I know My Dan adores and cherishes me.
Naomi and Dan are married in June of 1979 and Dan and I were married in April of 1979. If they were real, not fictional characters, it would be so interesting to hear what their 41 years of marriage would have been like.
I have a feeling that they might have never been able to conceive, but I wonder, if like us that they might not have given up and eventually had children somehow.
I thought it was interesting that Naomi not only embraced Judaism, but really read the Torah and felt that some of its words really spoke to her soul. Orthodox Jews may take what they read in the Torah literally, but I have found that Reform Jews don't react to the words read in the Holy Books, so I found it refreshing to picture the Jews at Temple Beth Shalom really listening to their Rabbi's thoughts.
As I read the book, I enjoyed being transported to NYC in the 1970s. Mimi describes the restaurants and delicious food in New York. She even talked about Katz's Delicatessen! She made me wish I could be there. I cried when I was "at" Naomi and Daniel's wedding! I also experienced much emotion with Naomi as she touched the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. I felt the same emotion when I touched the Wailing Wall last year during my trip to Israel.
I could tell that some of Mimi Finesilver's personal life experiences were intertwined in this story and it helped me to get to know her a bit more. We briefly met years ago. She seems like a truly amazingly talented and compassionate person that I would like to know better.
Thank you, Mimi, for giving me some happiness and joy during this time of quaratine!
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