Rabbi, Rabbi

This earnest first novel by an ordained rabbi and psychotherapist offers a realistic view of the challenges that confront Orthodox Jewish youth who seek to meld their religious beliefs with a modern American lifestyle. Yaakov and Rebecca--attractive, bright and compassionate teenagers--meet in the Catskills and fall in love. A secret from their parents' pasts keeps them apart until their early 20s when their paths cross again as members of Manhattan's Upper West Side's Jewish singles scene. While their passion for each other has not cooled, there are new obstacles that have also alienated both of them from their parents. Yaakov has left the insular, Eastern European-like world of his very orthodox family and, instead of committing himself solely to the study of the Talmud, has chosen Yeshivah University, an institution where Torah and secular studies share equal footing. Rebecca's feminist egalitarian views have led her to believe that her deep religious commitment can only be realized via the rabbinate; and the reform movement, which is a complete anathema to her Orthodox roots, offers the best opportunity for women who wish to be ordained. Kane is best when describing Yaakov's tensions with his father, a renowned rabbinical scholar, and his conflicts while simultaneously pursuing a Ph.D. in philosophy and a rabbinical degree. Curiously, the lovers seem to exist in a vacuum: there is almost no specific time setting or even reference to any historical or political event that might have affected young people in recent decades. In addition, most of the writing is bland and somewhat plodding, and the plot is predictable. (Apr)