May 22, 2014
This gripping novel by psychologist Michael Milgraum examines how the Holocaust continues to impact upon the Jewish consciousness. The story’s two central characters are Jewish descendants of Holocaust survivors. One is Joe, a bold and crass surgeon, who scoffs at anything above or beyond himself and freely indulges his passionate appetites. The other is Adam, a painfully shy and anxious medical researcher, who seeks security in devout religious practice, but finds little relief from his discomfort. They meet, by chance, in a psychotherapy group, were their therapist struggles with them to help them liberate themselves from their demons. Family wartime history — described in flashback style — and present life intermix in a compelling counterpoint. Finally, an encounter with the timeless lessons about suffering and compassion in The Book of Job opens a path to a different way of being for both of these men. They come to see their history with new eyes, as they discover the full richness and renewing power of their Jewish heritage.