How do Rachel, Aaron and Aaron’s family approach their faith? Why do you think Rachel’s experience of Judaism is different than Aaron’s?

Judaism plays an important role throughout the novel. How do Rachel, Aaron and Aaron’s family approach their faith? Why do you think Rachel’s experience of Judaism is different than Aaron’s, and how do they reconcile this difference?

When a faith is tested, as was God's love during the holocaust, how can some beliefs and silly rituals continue? Where is the sense in honoring some unknown when the knowns cannot be forgiven?

Since Rachel experienced the horrors of the holocaust and Aaron had lived his entire life in Flatbush (as he called his neighborhood in New York), I think it is entirely believable that they would approach their Jewish faith differently.

Rachel could not openly practice her faith during the Holocaust even though inwardly it was important to her and her family but Aaron's family living in New York could and did openly practice thus always for Rachel and people in her situation to adjust.

Aaron lived in New York where his religion was an important part of his life. Being Jewish for Rachel was a life threatening situation. Who knows how important it was to her when she lived in the US.

Because Rachel was persecuted for being Jewish, her experience could not be compared to Aaron and his family's experience. It wasn't clear from the book how religious any of the characters really were. I felt that being Jewish was more of a cultural, rather than true religious, experience in their lives.