Moving Home: My Path to Jewish Observance (ISBN 9652293148)

For those on a journey. A wise and entertaining read:
Moving Home is often funny, frequently stark, clear, and to the point, and at times just chilled. It felt like I was sitting down in Ramona Freedman's lounge room on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon after the Sabbath lunch, talking with her. It often made me smile, and often gave me things to think about. I will be reading it again. It is a book built for anyone who sincerely wants to discover the depth and beauty of their religion. Ramona Freedman includes a tour of the festivals and rituals that define an observant Jewish life - through the eyes of a returnee. Throughout Moving Home she describes instances of honest mistakes and sincere attempts, with charm and candour - often with amusing results. Moving Home is for anyone who has begun a spiritual journey and doesn't quite know what to expect, for those who feel they will have to fight tides and certain pressures (away, cheeseburgers!) for which they don't feel ready. With abundant warmth and in a refreshingly relaxed manner, she suggests to those who are unsure about the path they have chosen - or are about to choose - that it's O.K. to have doubts, that it's O.K. to feel confused. That it's O.K. to try, and more than O.K. to ask. What a blessing! Even more, she has the courage to suggest some ways to help you along. This book was a great comfort, a reminder that one is hardly alone. Another, equally encouraging aspect of Moving Home is how the author describes the 'nudgings' that she has experienced throughout the course of her life that she has come to recognise as actual manifestations of God's help, love and support. In other words - not just what you do will help, but what God does - all you have to do is 'see' it. She shows that the more attuned one becomes to noticing these events, one almost can't help but develop a love and reverence for one's Creator, and live an increasingly dedicated, beautiful, and meaningful life. For me, just as I imagine for many other returnees to spiritual observance, the author's internal struggles and external or interpersonal dilemmas often parallel what I have personally experienced. What did she do when she was faced with X? How did she feel when she chose Y? She showed her perseverance for learning and growth together with a realistic self-acceptance (something you don't always hear about) in remarkable ways that simply have to be read to be truly appreciated. For what it has given me, and what it can give to others - I do hope others will check out the intimate spiritual adventure and sheer delight that is Moving Home.

A must read:
I read this book in one sitting - could not put it down. It is a delightfully refreshing account of a young woman's journey to being an observant Jewess. It didn't glorify the path, rather illustrated the stumbling blocks and immense courage it took to take each step. I would highly recommend it. The language usage, Ramona's honesty and above all her sharing of this path is magnificent.

A Moving and Emotional Portrait of a Great Spiritual Journey:
Ms. Freedman's non-fiction account of her journey to Orthodox Judaism is a gripping, realistic portrayal of one woman's transformation. In a modern American world often presenting a false choices of pure secularization and self-serving fundamentalist, evangelical Christianity, Ramona Freedman guides the reader through her personal experiences and hardships in reaching her ultimate destination of Orthodox Judaism. Perhaps most importantly, the book can be viewed as a primer for anyone considering a more introspective approach to their religious upbringing, regardless of their specific spiritual affiliation. The author's approach is very readable and clear, and surprisingly takes us across many continents and lands. Moving from the personal experiences of meeting her future husband to her friends and family's reactions to her move toward Judaism, Ms. Freedman weaves a rich story that will appeal to many different groups of readers. Unlike other modern religious non-fiction I have read, Freedman tells the reader of several of the difficulities and hardships she encountered on her journey. The story can be read on many different level and readers will take away many important lessons, some of which have less to do with religion and more to do with life and self-improvement. The book includes a handy English glossay of many of the Hebrew and Yiddish words that are included in the text, as well as the Jewish Lunar Calendar and a list of works where readers can find more information of exploring topics in modern Judaism. However, this book is less instruction than great storytelling, of a young woman's connection to her ancestor and her journey (and struggle) to move to religious Jewish observance in an increasingly modern world.

for all that are thinking of learning more:
What a great book. Anyone can learn from this, from the beginner to Judaism who finds the rituals baffling, to the observant from birth wanting to understand what makes people undertake the journey that they have been on their whole lives. Spoken from a personal view of the journey, though we can all see ourselves somewhere along the way....