As a Driven Leaf: Foreword by Dara Horn

Read it again for the very first time.

In a powerful foreword that considers the events of October 7, acclaimed writer Dara Horn invites us to look beyond the theme of assimilation vs traditionalism and read As A Driven Leaf now to explore the challenge of maintaining a distinct Jewish culture while engaging with an outside world that is too often bent on conquest.

Like Rabbi David Wolpe and Chaim Potok, the foreword authors for previous editions of this enduring classic, Horn views the novel’s themes through the lens of contemporary experience, offering interpretations and insights for a whole new generation of readers while inviting a refreshing reread by those for whom it is already beloved. All three forewords, as well as two discussion guides and a note from the publisher, are included in this updated version.

A literary masterpiece, As A Driven Leaf is still regarded as a major influence on contemporary Jewish life and thought. Its gripping tale of renegade Talmudic sage Elisha Ben Abuyah’s struggle to reconcile his faith with the allure of Hellenic culture during the Rabbinic age in Roman Palestine transcends its historical setting with its depiction of a timeless, perennial feature of the Jewish experience: the inevitable conflict between the call of tradition and the glamour of the surrounding culture.

As a Driven Leaf is an ideal selection for adult education classes and as recommended reading for congregational lay leadership.