Chaim Potok

Herman Harold Potok (Chaim) (New York City, 17 February 1929 – Merion (Pennsylvania), July 23, 2002) was an American writer and Rabbi. He got because of the tradition of his parents (from Poland) after his birth also the Hebrew names Chaim Tzvi (' chaim ' means ' life ').

He was best known for his debut novel The Chosen (Favorite) (1967), which became an instant bestseller and the follow-up book The Promise (the promise, 1969). Made into a film in 1981 and became The Chosen also arranged for theatre.

These two books cover the friendship between two Jewish boys, one of which comes from a strict Hasidic environment and the other has had a liberal upbringing. The theme, the tension between both worlds, Potok from his own life. He was raised in an orthodox Jewish family. His literary aspirations aroused much resistance on in its environment; It was found that he didn't waste his time.

Other famous books of Potok are my name is Asher Lev (1972) and the gift of Asher Lev (1990). Also in these two books is it about an artist (painter) who are orthodox Jewish family and environment should defy to his talent to be able to make his profession.

Apart from novels, he also wrote plays, children's books, short stories and non-fiction. He also served as ghostwriter of the autobiography of the Jewish-American violinist Isaac Stern.

Together with Rabbi Harold Kushner -writer in 2001 he has also a work on the Torah do see the light that is the new official Torah commentary of Conservative-Jewish direction.

Chaim Potok died at the age of 73 at his home in Pennsylvania to a brain tumor. ==Influence in Netherlands[ Edit] == The first English translation of a book of Potok appeared in 1969. It concerned The Chosen that appeared under the title the righteous. In 1974 my name is Asher Levappeared, which was translated by Richard Nadeau . Both books had little success and were initially not reprinted. It took until the mid- 1980s before Potok really became popular in Netherlands. Potok knew not only Jewish readers, but also a large number ofOrthodox Christians to settle down with his description of the conflict between tradition and modernity. His popularity led to some books appeared earlier in the Dutch than in English, in which they were written. This concerned two publications on the occasion of anniversaries of its issuer BZZTôH, The hand of the golem (1995) and looking for Ruth (2000). [1]  [2] ==Work[ Edit] ==
 * Favorite (previously published as the righteous and the justification) (The Chosen, 1967)
 * The promise (The Promise, 1969)
 * My name is Asher Lev (My Name is Asher Lev, 1972)
 * In the beginning (In the beginning, 1975)
 * The bulky Wanderings (Wanderings, 1978), in which he describes the history of the Jewish people
 * The book of light (The Book of Lights, 1981)
 * Davita's Harp (1985)
 * The gift of Asher Lev (The Gift of Asher Lev, 1990)
 * The figure seven (collection of short stories, 1990)
 * The dust of the Earth (I Am the Clay, 1992)
 * The trope teacher (1992, a contemporary ghost story)
 * The channel (The Canal, 1993)
 * My friend the tree (1993, children's book)
 * The hand of the golem/the war doctor (1995)
 * My uncle the pilot (1995, children's book)
 * The Slepak family (The Gates of November, 1996)
 * Isabel and other stories (1998)
 * Looking for Ruth (2000, narration)
 * Old men at midnight (2001) (The service/the war doctor/The trope teacher)
 * The service (2001)