Reflection on To Be a Jew by Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin

            This was a really good book, although I definitely did not agree with everything in it. I found it at Barnes and Noble and enjoyed the parts that I read, so I bought it. I did not realize it was written by an Orthodox rabbi! But I did enjoy his discussions of Jewish morality especially, such as mercy, modesty, and acts of kindness being ritical to Jewishness, charity as being above all other offerings, how to best observe the sabbath, and the pro-poor laws on work and wages.

            However, the problem I see with the author’s writing is that he doesn’t really distinguish between which commandments and practices are most important and which or not. His interpretation of Judaism seems all-consuming to me, so that it would totally remove the Jew from society, constantly observing obscure holidays and engaging in arcane practices. It is unclear in the book which practices and observances are truly biblically-grounded. I am skeptical about the practices derived from non-biblical sources or strained metaphors So I would like to read a Reform Judaism version of this book.

Reflection on A History of American Law by Lawrence Friedman

            This book was excellent, and I would recommend it to other law students. I read it during the winter break of my first year in law school and I recognized many concepts from my Torts, Property, and Civil Procedure courses that I took last semester. I am sure that I also read plenty of pages covering topics that will come up in my next semester. The book is thorough and well-written. People who saw me reading it assumed that from the name and topic that it would be dry, but this was actually an extremely engaging book.

            On the subject matter, the book goes chronologically through American history, starting in colonial times. But it flies quickly through the twentieth century. The main focus is definitely pre-20^th century, especially the post-revolutionary period through the nineteenth century. All in all, this was an excellent read.