Kaaterskill Falls by Allegra Goodman revolves around a Jewish community that summers in Kaaterskill, New York in the late seventies. The women and children stay in rented bungalows during the week and their husbands join them for the weekends. The Kirshners are strict Orthodox Jews and seem to live a simple life. I was a little unsure where the story was going when I began to read it ... there were many characters and the story changes perspective, so I was getting confused. However, I came to truly love this story and I didn't want it to end. This is the kind of book I like to keep, just to have nearby. I cannot explain it, but there are some books I read that I cannot part with. I think it may be that I already know I will want to read it again. Do you ever do that? Read a book more than once? I happen to have borrowed this one from our local library and it will be with a heavy heart that I say good bye.
I am beginning to wonder if all good novels revolve around religion, because again I find myself faced with the issue of religion. This time it is different, because I do not know much about Jewish religion. And, this is not something I am proud of. In my hometown, where I grew up, there was one Jewish family that I can think of. When I asked, I was told that the Jewish religion was very much the same as the Christian beliefs except they were still waiting for the coming of Christ. So, their belief system and teachings were based on The Old Testament. And, the rest of my Jewish experience comes from the Rabbi on Seinfeld. So, you see, my understanding of the Judaism embarrassing.
After a little research, I learned that Judaism is not based on a book of beliefs at all, but ascertains its identity from upholding the traditions of their ancient founders. It is based on actions instead of beliefs; how you behave (or should behave) governs the path your life takes. I found some of these governing ideals very archaic and unrealistic for a woman in today's culture. However, I am open to the idea that one should take responsiblity for one's actions because it is easy to say you believe in something. It is easy "to say" that you are religious and go to Church every Sunday but do your actions support your words? Orthodox Jews, like the Kirshners in Kaaterskill Falls, are the most conservative group, retaining nearly all traditional rituals and practices. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Reform Jews retain their Jewish identity and some traditions but take a more liberal approach to many Jewish beliefs and practices. There are many rituals and celebrations that practicing Jews participate in, and I was unsure of what some of them were as I read. In fact, there were many words that I had to look up in order to understand what was being celebrated.
Rav Kirshner and his followers are at the centre of the novel. Rav has two sons, Isaiah and Jeremy. Jeremy is the oldest of the two, brilliant, well educated and learned, but does not follow Judaism as strictly as he should to remain in good standing with his father. Isaiah works alongside his father, studying with him, trying to learn from him, running the synagogue with him, and caring for him when he falls ill. However, he will always fall short of his father's expectation and live in the shadow of what his brother could have been. Always. While Isaiah craves his father's praise and respect, Jeremy throws it away, not wanting to be a part of it. "He does not want to be, nor is he, the vessel of his mother's dreams. Nor can he be anymore his father's tragedy ... His father's objections have been silenced, as has his mother's praise."
Kaaterskill Falls tells the story of the Jewish woman. Did you know that in the synagogue, the men sit one side and the women sit on the other side ... separated. Because they are not considered equal. Men make the decisions; and more importantly, the Rav makes all the decisions that will affect the community. For instance, when a woman wants a (paying) job, she must get permission, first from her husband and then from the Rav. If a follower wants to open a business, he must get the Rav's blessing which is only given if the Rabbi feels it is in best interest of the Jewish community. Sometimes, the Rav will not speak directly to the women. Actually, although he is greatly respected, the Rav in this story is not warm and fuzzy at all.
The women in the story are all so different but they are the same. Elizabeth Shulman is in her early thirties, she has five daughters and she is restless. Her youngest daughter is three years old, and Elizabeth is looking for a challenge. Something to stimulate her brain ... sound familiar? Religion is an instinctual part of her and she is not looking to change that. However, she wonders ... "What are the opportunites for someone who has only been a mother? Not merely a mother, as if it were unimportant, but only a mother. All consumingly." Elizabeth has been a momoholic but she is seeking recovery now. And in that way, I can relate to Elizabeth. I feel bad for her because she does not live in the twenty-first century, like me. She is living in 1976, and the role of women, although changing, was not the same then as it is today. Elizabeth wants a "chance to shape something that cannot become anything else, only hers. To truly create something, material, definable, self-limited." If only she could have started a blog and challenged herself to read one hundred books in one year.
Elizabeth takes the path less travelled when she asks permission to open her own kosher store in Kaaterskill for the summer months. But she becomes overly zealous, wanting more, and makes a mistake that costs her the one thing that she truly enjoys. When I say that she wants more, I do not mean that she wants to earn more money. The thing that makes Elizabeth a success is that her motives are not based in earning money to become really rich; she is successful because she really enjoys what she is doing. Haven't you ever noticed that the fancy dessert you spent hours on always turns out the best when it is something you enjoyed working on? As opposed to the times when you threw something together in a hurry because you had to. Elizabeth enjoys having something of her own that makes her brain function in a new way. She is stimulated and becomes alive. Many successful people have talked about the same thing, explaining that their business was born out of an interest, something they enjoyed doing. However, when Elizabeth loses the Rav's permission, she becomes an outsider. She does not feel a part of the community she has belonged to for so long. "... she admits the disjunction between her ideas and his plan for the Kehillah. The disjunction was always there, but it was inside of her. Private, familiar. The Rav broke it open, wounding her, making her confess it." I appreciate her feelings because taking a chance is not always embraced by all.
It seems as though all the women are unhappy and feel restrained. Nina thinks that perfecting her religion, she is perfecting herself. Rachel is the exact of opposite of Elizabeth; she is happy channelling her energy to ensure the success of her husband. "Her ambition for Isaiah is uncompromised. He is her profession, and his future is her life's work." Stand behind your man; support your husband and his endeavours. Of course, this is part of having a successful relationship/marriage in my opinion, but you can lose yourself in trying to support the man you love. Again, this I know too well.
Mrs. Schermerhorn is the librarian of the Kendall Falls Library; proud and watchful are the words used to describe her. She examines each person's selection of book "as if to judge whether she is worthy." Jonesy and I just had a discussion on this very topic. He was wondering whether the clerks at the book store judge people based on the type of book they purchase. I don't think they judge but I do think you can tell something about a person based on what they are reading. For instance, when he brought home the Living Raw Food cookbook, one could assume that he is a liberal thinker who is interested in health and is considering carefully what he consumes for food. The same is true for what you find in someone's grocery cart. Don't pretend like you don't do it ... we all check out the contents of each other's grocery carts. I don't do it to judge, I do it because it entertains me. It can tell you a little bit about the person who is behind you in line. For instance, I can tell a bachelor without even looking at who is pushing the cart; how old a person's children are; if they have children; if they like to bake; if they are having a party. I do the same thing with shoes ... checking out the shoes a person wears can tell you a whole bunch about the owner of those shoes. Think about it.
And so, number three is done. And I learned some things ... again. In fact, the next thing I read will be a recipe for kugel. What is kugel? It can be a dessert, I think? And I know I've seen a recipe for Noodle Kugel somewhere. Something new to research.
By the way, Kaaterskill is a real place and reminded me a little bit of the Rondeau Park I grew up in - the small grocery store, park with the nature trail, beaches for swimming. I think that next year I should make it a goal to visit all the places I have read about this year. Now, that would be exciting, wouldn't it? And I could blog about my travels ... does anyone want to hire me?
