Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life – In Judaism
by: Sarah Hurwitz
September 3, 2019, Random House
352 pages
review by: E. Broderick
Judaism has always been part of my life. I was fortunate to grow up in a vibrant Jewish community and received a fairly thorough Jewish education (sans Talmud), but figuring out how to create a practice that was wholly mine and reflected my own views, took some time. The process included fixing the omission of Talmud from my repertoire and reading works by feminist Jewish scholars. Writing was a significant part of that journey, it still is, and each new facet of Judaism that I engage with adds layers to both my existence and my stories. Reading about others going through similar journeys, even if they start from different places, is always interesting. When those people happen to have been Michelle Obama’s head speech writer? I’m all in.
It was obvious from the start that I am not the target audience for Sarah Hurwitz’s Here All Along. The book is part memoir, describing Hurwitz’s journey towards incorporating more spirituality and Jewish tradition into her life as an adult, and part explanatory text for those unfamiliar with Judaism. Hurwitz goes back to the basics, giving a brief summary of the Torah and describing the basics of such fundamentals as Shabbat and holidays that I have always taken for granted. I have some very differing thoughts than she did about prayer in particular, our disparate Hebrew and Yiddish language proficiency probably has something to do with that, but this doesn’t mean I couldn’t find something meaningful and interesting in these pages.
Back when I first read Here All Along, I was wearing Jewish themed jewelry as a means to express my identity and celebrate my newfound ability to engage with my Judaism. Right now, as I type this review, I hesitate to wear such items publicly because of rampant antisemitism and misunderstanding about Jews (we are not a monolith for goodness sake). It breaks my heart on a daily basis and adds a whole new meaning to Here All Along for me. Now, more than ever, we need books that are geared towards demystifying Judaism and showcasing our diversity of practice and thought. This book is not just for Jews like Hurwitz who are seeking greater connection, or for individuals pondering conversion. Any person who would like to look past click bait social media hate posts and actually learn about a group of people that have been demonized and misrepresented for hundreds of years can pick up Here All Along and get a taste for who and what Jews are, from one of our most articulate voices.
The writing was fluid, the journey full of thought and consideration for others. There are many different ways to practice Judaism, and if you read closely you will see that this is a celebrated thing. Jews are questioning, we grapple with our God and spiritual practice, and we actively encourage dissent and self reflection. Hurwitz does all of these things in the book, and includes a beautiful explanation for why it is important to add ones voice to the discussion even when it might feel futile. I was moved by many of her stories.
I was surprised to read how supportive Hurwitz’s colleagues were when she tried to experience a more traditional observance of Shabbat by going offline for a period of time each week. Even with her high pressured job, people of various backgrounds reached out and expressed their hopes that she found relaxation and meaning in her spiritual life. Similarly, her conversation with an orthodox Rabbi about death and the afterlife really resonated. It was clear to me they had different views, that these views were never going to meet in the middle, and that both parties would be disappointed. Yet the Rabbi ended with the thought process behind his words, and it was one of deep empathy. Suddenly, the entire story shifted and the compromise I previously thought impossible was manifest on the page. Because it was a meeting of hearts both striving to understand.
It’s hard right now to be a person who actively celebrates her Judaism in her work. It’s not clear how it will be received by the publishing landscape, or by people whose experience of Jews and Judaism comes from a few social media posts that are designed for maximum engagement and not much else. That does not accurately reflect me, or really anyone I know. It’s scary to continue to put my work out there, but I don’t know how to write any other way and I will not retreat into a corner and let hate and misinformation win. So instead, I strive to write with empathy and hope for a greater understanding to be born from my work, to spread compassion with my stories. I can’t think of a better example to follow than Here All Along.
Thank you so much for this review! This is a book I was also interested in, although it sounds like my background is more similar to yours than the author’s, so I might not be the target audience. On the note about Jewish jewelry–I can’t remember a time I would have felt comfortable wearing it in a non-Jewish setting (I grew up and still live on the East Coast of the U.S.) but I’m interested and saddened to hear you made that switch recently.