“Yedidya” is a novel based on the shiurim of Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis, and written by Naomi Elbinger
Here is the blurb:
Meet Yedidya Steinhart: a typical yeshiva bachur, or at least he would like to be. He’s left behind a tough childhood in New York and is determined to make it at an elite Jerusalem yeshiva.But then two unexpected events turn his world upside down: first, he is visited by an apparent nevuah ketanah, a “small prophecy” as described in the Talmud; second, he is falsely accused of a serious crime, with devastating consequences.Yedidya‘s quest for redemption brings unlikely friends, mentors, and adventures, as well as illuminating discoveries about happiness and faith through the ups and downs of real life.
The story is meant as a parable but also holds its own as a novel.
Criticism:
I wish it hid its allusions better and had some more editing.
Praise:
“Yedidya” reminds me of Chaim Potok’s bestseller, “The Chosen” for its successful synthesis of a literary plot and an interesting (!) religious message (a successful synthesis rarer than moon rocks) and its accurate portrayal of its Israeli-Anglo world.
And I hate reading fiction novels. I only read this one out of curiosity to see what Rabbi Yaakov Travis had to do with it.
Not including a “call to action” here…