An Orphan in History: One Man's Triumphant Search for His Jewish Roots

by Paul Cowan and Paul Cown

Book Overview

After growing up as a fully assimilated Jew, Paul Cowan embarks upon a journey to discover and appreciate his true identity and heritage, traveling a path from his Park Avenue home to nineteenth-century Lithuania to a contemporary Israeli kibbutz.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580231357
• ISBN13: 9781580231350
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Powerful Personal Memoir about Attraction to Jewish Spirituality

I read this book many years ago, and still remember it. Cowan was raised a secular Jew, in a wealthy family, in one of the richest suburbs of Chicago. His parents did raise him to be proud of his culture, and to remember the tragedy of the Holocaust. After he attends elite schools (one Episcopalian), and moves to Manhattan as a journalist, he becomes interested in Judaism, especially its spiritual aspects. He studies it; attends synagogues; and becomes very open to it in every way. He eventually takes up its ancient rituals, such as putting on tfillin (phylacteries) and praying. His wife, a non-Jew, observes him carefully, and also becomes extremely involved in Judaism, eventually converting. He also interviews others about Judaism. One interview which is particularly compelling is of a Jew who had attended the elite Episcopalian school with the author, where all students had to pray (Christian) prayers every morning in the chapel. He revealed to Cowan that he had been raised as a Jew, and even had had a Bar-Mitzva. He became very upset every day in that chapel, being forced to say non-Jewish prayers, but could reveal his feelings (and his background) to no one. This book is one of the best-written describing a person's tremendous attraction and exploration of Judaism. It is not easy writing about one's spiritual experience, but Cowan does a tremendous job. I feel sad that more people have not read this book. Also tragic is that the author died (from leukemia) in his forties, so that his work is not well-known. However, his wife, Rachel Cowan, has continued her own exploration of Jewish spiritually, eventually becoming a Rabbi. She carries on the essence of this book.

An Assimilated Jew Transforms Himself

Cowan was raised as the most upper-class of Jews; he even attended an elite, priveleged high school out East where he was required to go to Episcopalian services. This is the story of how he slowly left that world and discovered his Jewish roots. Cowan writes from the heart, expressing all his emotions about his journey, including his fears. I am from an extremely traditional Jewish background, and was very impressed at his openness to first learning about something that he really knew little about, and then gradually beginning to practice it. (One of my favorite parts of the book is when he puts on tefillin, a morning ritual for Orthodox Jewish men). In addition, this is also a story about his wife. Raised as a Protestant, she comes to share his love for his new-found faith. A unique book. It is a shame that Cowan passed away so young; a sequel would have been great.