Jew(ish)

A Primer, a Memoir, a Manual, a Plea

By: Matt Greene

Narrated by: Matt Greene

What does it mean to be Jew(ish) in 2020? Caught between tradition and modernity, between a Jewish family and a non-Jewish son, Matt Greene ponders the big questions concerning identity, religion, family and Seinfeld.

When his son was born to a non-Jewish mother, Matt began to consider the upbringing he'd put behind him - the sense of not belonging, the forbidden foods, the holidays that felt more like punishments. There are more types of Jew than there are bagel fillings, and for every two there are three opinions. But if you're not a black-hatted frummer, if you're allergic to groups, if you observe but don't believe, or you don't observe at all, does that make you less Jewish?

In this wide-ranging series of essays, at turns irreverent, insightful, urgent and iconoclastic, Matt considers what might loosely be termed "the modern Jewish experience", and asks what it means to be anything in a world obsessed with the self and the other.

©2020 Matt Greene (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

poignant, relevant, and interesting

Well, the writer may be Jew(ish), but he's definitely British. Dry wit, intelligently written and definitely worth listening to. Everything he discusses should make a thoughtful reader really think about how subtle actions meant or not impacts others. I am so glad I listened and hope to be more mindful of my own actions.

An excellent listen

I’ve been identifying as “Jew(ish) for many years and this book summarised so many of my thoughts. At its core, this is a book about being different and not just being Jewish. It’s a timely reminder of all the discrimination and oppression in the world and how we cannot stand for it.