The Decision

A reform Jew; his Christian wife; an inexplicable illness that has struck at one of their children: thus begins the events that result in a search by Michael Klein for his true religious identity. Michael is a reform Jew whose knowledge of Judaism begins and ends with the fact that he is Jewish by birth. There are two children born to him and his wife, Susan. Following an agreement that they made when they married, their children were to be given the choice of whether to follow the Jewish religion, or the Christian, or even a combination of both. In the course of the marriage, Michael is gradually introduced to the religion of his wife. For the first time, he is introduced to religious ideas which go beyond the basic notion of morality which was stressed by his parents, but he still finds himself unsure of the direction he should take. Without an understanding of the Judaism of his ancestors he fears making a commitment to his wife's beliefs. When his son falls ill, he embarks on a road of discovery through a series of chance meetings which allows him to put both faiths to the test in order for him to make the fateful decision as to which one he will choose. A comparison of the two faiths is given through the review of Biblical passages; through the examination of scientific theory vs. religious beliefs; and through an exploration of history. It's a journey that will enlighten the reader with a different perspective of both Christianity and Judaism, and will change his understanding of religion in general.

Reuben Bibi is a businessman from the New York area. After attending yeshiva through 8th grade, he attended Brooklyn Technical High School where he cultivated a love of science, and then graduated from Brooklyn College where he developed his love of history and the arts. As an orthodox Jew, he has always enjoyed delving into various aspects of religion. This novel arose out of certain events familiar to the author which made him feel that there was a need to present the information in this book.