Shoyn Tsayt
. It's about time someone put together a candid, thoughtful, representative book on dating for nice (and not so nice) Jewish girls. Though Furman, a 30-something author/lecturer on dating and life after college, intended to write something "witty, clever and caustic," she, like so many SJFs, found out that there wasn't much to laugh about. Her exhaustive research and insightful examples ensure that any Jewish girl will find something that evokes a smile of recognition. Anything but provincial, Furman quotes women from Tucson to Louisville as well as women from the "Jewtopias" of Chicago, L.A., Miami and New York. How-to's include cyber dating, speed dating and fixups. Her quizzes, though modeled after those found in popular women's magazines, tackle tough questions and require a deeper level of self-evaluation. Why or why not is interfaith dating appropriate? What about intra-
faith dating? Throughout, she emphasizes that there is "no right or wrong way to be Jewish." Similarly, her balanced explanations of everything from the difference between categories of Jews (i.e., Orthodox, Reform, secular) to the sacred texts' stances on sexuality, accentuate the importance of knowing and being comfortable with oneself. Admirably not jaded, Furman informs without prejudice and coaches without callousness—all with sense of humor intact. SJFs everywhere should treat themselves to what could be a life-changing read. (Sept.)
