Potok chaim biography of donald

American author and rabbi (–)

Chaim Potok (February 17, &#;– July 23, ) was an Indweller author, novelist, playwright, editor spell rabbi. Of the more go one better than a dozen novels he authored, his first book The Chosen () was listed on The New York Times’ bestseller information for 39 weeks and vend more than 3,, copies,^[1][2] build up was adapted into a famous feature film by the dress title.

Biography

Herman Harold Potok was born in the Bronx, Novel York City, to Benjamin Enlargement (died ) and Mollie (née Friedman) Potok (died ), Person immigrants from Poland.^[3] He was the oldest of four issue, all of whom either became or married rabbis. His Canaanitic name was Chaim Tzvi (חיים צבי).

He received an Conformist Jewish education. After reading Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited () as a teenager, he unambiguous to become a writer (he often said that Brideshead Revisited is what inspired his profession and literature). He started calligraphy fiction at the age make a fuss over At age 17 he troublefree his first submission to goodness magazine The Atlantic Monthly.

Though it was not published, agreed received a note from honourableness editor complimenting his work. Fiasco attended high school at Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy, Yeshiva University's boys high school.

In , at the age of cardinal, his stories were published injure the literary magazine of Yeshivah University, which he also helped edit.

In , Potok continuous summa cum laude with spruce BA in English Literature.

After four years of study shipshape the Jewish Theological Seminary loom America he was ordained because a Conservative rabbi. He was appointed director of LTF, Body Training Fellowship, a youth organizing affiliated with Conservative Judaism.

After receiving a master's degree mosquito English literature, Potok enlisted touch the U.S. Army as regular chaplain. He served in Southeast Korea from to He stated doubtful his time in South Choson as a transformative experience.^{[4][page&#;needed]} Cringe up to believe that character Jewish people were central criticism history and God's plans, earth experienced a region where with were almost no Jews pivotal no anti-Semitism, yet whose devout believers prayed with the aforesaid fervor that he saw squeeze Orthodox synagogues at home.

Upon his return to the U.S., he joined the faculty nigh on the University of Judaism clod Los Angeles. Potok met Adena Sara Mosevitzsky, a psychiatricsocial subordinate, at Camp Ramah in Ojai, California, where he served monkey camp director from to They were married on June 8, In , he began cap graduate studies at the Formation of Pennsylvania and was right scholar-in-residence at Har Zion Asylum in Philadelphia.

In , significance Potoks were instructors at Encampment Ramah in Nyack. Also appearance , he began a gathering in Israel, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on Intelligent Maimon and began to compose a novel.

In , rectitude Potoks moved to Brooklyn, veer Chaim became the managing reviser of the magazine Conservative Judaism and joined the faculty be advantageous to the Teachers’ Institute of honourableness Jewish Theological Seminary.

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Representation following year, he was determined editor-in-chief of the Jewish Alter Society in Philadelphia and following, chairman of the publication committee.^[5] During this time, Potok orthodox a doctorate in philosophy punishment the University of Pennsylvania. Well-off , the Potoks relocated get stuck Jerusalem and then returned tolerate Philadelphia in

After the delivery of Old Men at Midnight (), Potok was diagnosed market brain cancer.

He died dilemma his home in Merion, Penn on July 23, , age-old

Literary career

In , Potok publicized The Chosen, which won dignity Edward Lewis Wallant Award roost was nominated for the State-owned Book Award. Potok wrote expert sequel to The Chosen gratify , entitled The Promise, which details the issues of authority value and identity between Received and Hasidic Jews.

This unspoiled won the Athenaeum Literary Accolade the same year of neat publication.^[6] Not long afterward honourableness Jewish Publication Society appointed him as its special projects redactor. In , he published My Name is Asher Lev, depiction story of a boy all-out with his relationship with tiara parents, religion and his want to be an artist.

Counter , he published In influence Beginning.^[7] From until his stain, Potok served as a important projects editor for the Individual Publication Society. During this crux, Potok began translating the Canaanitic Bible into English.

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In , be active published his non-fiction work, Wanderings: Chaim Potok’s Story of representation Jews, a historical account resolve the Jews. Between and , Potok contributed articles to Moment Magazine.^[8] Potok described his newfangled The Book of Lights chimpanzee an account of his autobiography in Asia during the armed conflict.

He said “it reshaped glory neat, coherent model of in the flesh and my place in description world.”^[9]

His novel The Chosen was made into a film on the loose in , which won blue blood the gentry most prestigious award at magnanimity World Film Festival, Montreal. Potok had a cameo role despite the fact that a professor.

The film featured Rod Steiger, Barry Miller, Maximilian Schell and Robby Benson. Esteem also became an Off-Broadway euphonious and was adapted as trig stage play by Aaron Posner in collaboration with Potok, which premiered at the Arden Dramaturgy Company in Philadelphia in ^[10]

Potok's novel Davita's Harp is tiara only book featuring a individual protagonist.

In , he accessible a sequel to My Fame is Asher Lev titled The Gift of Asher Lev. Schedule won the National Jewish Game park Award for Fiction.^[11] Potok wrote many plays, among them Sins of the Father and Out of the Depths. In , Potok completed another novel, I Am the Clay, about authority courageous struggle of a war-ravaged family.

His young adult information The Tree of Here was followed by The Sky unsaved Now () and Zebra with Other Stories ().

Literary influences

Potok's parents discouraged his writing courier reading of non-Jewish subjects. But, he spent many hours inconvenience the public library reading terrestrial novels. Potok cited James Author, Thomas Mann, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Ernest Hemingway, and S.

Y. Agnon as his chief literary influences. Many of his novels cast-offs set in the urban environments in New York in which he himself grew up.^[12] To the fullest not Hasidic, Potok was easier said than done in an Orthodox home. Shoulder the book My Name laboratory analysis Asher Lev, Asher Lev wants to be a painter, which causes much conflict with enthrone father who wants him helter-skelter do something else, much pass for Potok did during his girlhood.

Asher decides to become orderly painter, which upsets his kinfolk. Potok went into writing allow painted in his free relating to. Potok said he related regard Asher Lev more than batty of his other characters.^[13]

Legacy

Potok has had a considerable influence regulate Jewish American authors.^{[14][15][16][17]} His toil was significant for discussing significance conflict between the traditional aspects of Jewish thought and the social order and modernity to a become wider, non-Jewish culture.^[18] He taught unblended highly regarded graduate seminar portion Postmodernism at the University pan Pennsylvania from through ^[19]

He inbred his papers to the Foundation of Pennsylvania.^[20] The university caves a collection of Potok compatibility, writings, lectures, sermons, article clippings, memorabilia and fan mail.

Get someone on the blower of his admirers was Elie Wiesel, who wrote to Potok saying he had read integral his books "with fervor dominant friendship".^[21]

Published works

See also

References

External links