Why Book Clubs Happen To Good Members
Oprah’s famous book club has the mission statement of engendering conversation, sparking enlightenment, helping launch emerging authors, and reacquainting us with the already prominent, with the ultimate goal of connecting readers around a community of fellow bibliophiles. For three weeks in July, members and guests of Wise Temple gathered to embody a similar spirit. They met to discuss one of the seminal works of our time, Rabbi Harold Kushner’s When Bad Things Happen to Good People.
Even though I attended online, the energy of each session was palpable. With at least thirty people attending in person and a dozen more joining virtually, the group was clearly excited to discuss the book. They were also eager to support their new rabbi, Jamie Starr. Rabbi Starr officially joined the congregation on July 1 after previously interning at Wise Temple while completing her studies at Hebrew Union College.
For those who have not read Kushner’s book, I will attempt to summarize it briefly. Kushner’s son was born with a genetic disease called progeria, which causes rapid premature aging, and passed away at the age of fourteen. In response to this tragedy, the book asks, examines, and ultimately deconstructs the profound question of where God was in all of this.
Kushner frequently draws upon the Book of Job, weaving it together with the terrible and beautiful arguments and anecdotes he encountered during his own family’s suffering and while ministering to others as a congregational leader. It is an essential read for anyone who has experienced profound tragedy or grief.
One of the most beautiful aspects of his work, which I appreciate more with each reading, is that it does not try to tie everything up with a neat bow. The text is meant to force you to grapple with these difficult questions and come to your own conclusions. It acknowledges that while your suffering is unique, we will all be challenged during our time on earth, because that is fundamentally what it means to be human.
Kushner’s book and Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning stand as two of the most important Jewish texts for anyone asking God why suffering exists.
With such a textured, deeply layered book, it seems nearly impossible for anyone to lead a cohesive, meaningful conversation with nearly fifty people, all bringing their own distinct opinions and life experiences to the table. While it is a monumental task, we can certainly admire the chutzpah of Rabbi Starr for taking it on.
Rabbi Starr read passages, offered thoughtful questions, and engaged the entire room. She encouraged everyone to examine and feel the book on a deeper level, which is exactly the point of any book club. However, with a text as heavy as Kushner’s, the only downside was that we had just three hours as a large group to grapple with such monumental concepts.
Ultimately, the sessions were incredibly successful in getting the conversation started. The hope, of course, is that these discussions continue long after the formal meetings have concluded.
