My House Of God

The integrity, hopes, and fierce pride of Orthodox Judaism are highlighted in this lively, semi-autobiographical account of the founding and growth of a New Jersey synagogue. With warmth and candor, the narrator Randy Diamond—a young Jewish family man—de- scribes his commitment to his faith and to Jewish youth, as well as his dismay with a religious establishment that was not properly serving the Jewish community. The struggle of Randy, his family, and friends to establish a synagogue dedicated to the spiritual education of the young is stirring and often humorous, encompassing everything from bitter confrontations with vindictive rabbis, to a close encounter with a demolition crew's wrecking ball. Randy's reminiscence spans the sixties and seventies, and includes moving, prideful descriptions of Jewish rites of passage: Bar Mitzvahs, weddings, and the birth of grandchildren. The synagogue survives against all odds, bringing happiness and spiritual growth to all who worship there.