Kaddish.com

Birthright. I laughed my way through much of Nathan Englander’s novel titled, Kaddish.com. After all, the premise itself was funny. Protagonist Larry is a secular Jew when his Orthodox father dies. It is Larry’s birthright and responsibility to recite the Kaddish for his late father every day for eleven months so that his father can find his way to heaven. He finds a website, kaddish.com, that allows Larry to outsource his responsibility. Two decades later, Larry has become a rabbi, and is drawn to repair his past action: he needs his birthright back. Underneath the humor, there is a serious story here about purpose and obligations. Englander’s writing is superb, and the tenderness and humanity of these characters will enrich all readers. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Kaddish from amazon.com.