On Division

A Novel

By: Goldie Goldbloom

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik

"A novel of wisdom and uncertainty, of love in its greater and lesser forms, and of the struggle between how it should be and how it is. It is impossible not to be moved." (Amy Bloom, author of White Houses)

"This book brings the reader into the heart of a close-knit Jewish family and their joys, loves, and sorrows.... A marvelous book by a masterful writer." (Audrey Niffenegger, author of Her Fearful Symmetry and The Time Traveler's Wife)

"As beautiful as it is unexpected." (Claire Messud, author of The Burning Girl)

Through one woman's life at a moment of surprising change, the award-winning author Goldie Goldbloom tells a deeply affecting, morally insightful story and offers a rare look inside Brooklyn's Chasidic community

In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, just a block or two up from the East River on Division Avenue, Surie Eckstein is soon to be a great-grandmother. Her 10 children range in age from 13 to 39. Her in-laws, postwar immigrants from Romania, live on the first floor of their house. Her daughter Tzila Ruchel lives on the second. She and Yidel, a scribe in such demand that he makes only a few Torah scrolls a year, live on the third. Wed when Surie was 16, they have a happy marriage and a full life, and, at the ages of 57 and 62, they are looking forward to some quiet time together.

Into this life of counted blessings comes a surprise. Surie is pregnant. Pregnant at 57. It is a shock. And at her age, at this stage, it is an aberration, a shift in the proper order of things, and a public display of private life. She feels exposed, ashamed. She is unable to share the news, even with her husband. And so for the first time in her life, she has a secret - a secret that slowly separates her from the community.

Goldie Goldbloom's On Division is an excavation of one woman's life, a story of awakening at middle age, and a thoughtful examination of the dynamics of self and collective identity. It is a steady-eyed look inside insular communities that also celebrates their comforts. It is a rare portrait of a long, happy marriage. And it is an unforgettable new novel from a writer whose imagination is matched only by the depth of her humanity.

©2019 Goldie Goldbloom (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Insights into an Insular Community

I haven't ready many books about New York's Hasidic Jewish community where someone in the story isn't desperate to escape its constraints. Not so here. This one has a 57-year-old woman who is a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and is happy with her lot. The fulcrum of the story is whether or not she will share a secret with her husband. I found it hard to believe that so many months would pass by without her spilling or him discovering it. Nonetheless, the story is a satisfying window into family life in this insular group.

A marvelous journey into the characters’ minds

A masterful depiction of a pious Chasidic woman conflicted—loving her life on the one hand and yet wanting more. The author does a wonderful job of bringing the reader on this journey of awakening and awareness.

A heartwarming, somewhat disturbing and deeply satisfying read.

Beautiful Story!! Perfect Narration!!!

Love this book. it is a wonderful story. well worth the listen. I will prob buy a hard copy too.

Listen and learn

I was raised in the Satmar community and chose to leave it at a young age. I educated myself and flourished. The matters that are covered up and denied in the community are not an exaggeration and I do not wish to cast aspersions or point fingers at the Satmars. This type of mindset continues to flourish amongst the faithful and fanatic across many faiths and cultures. I chose to leave but have an understanding of the motives that continue to drive these communities. The author did a good job in trying to convey the layers of complexity of the Chassidishe life and either has a background as I do or did a lot of research.

For me though, the grossly mispronounced Hungarian and Yiddish words detracted greatly from the experience and I can’t help but wonder how the editors let this slide.
Yeedle was a “SOYFER”, a scribe. A “SHOYFER” is a rams horn that is blown on the Jewish New Year.
“DÉDANJU” the blind mother-in-law, should be pronounced “DAYDANYOO” and OPAH is German for grandfather. They weren’t German and they even alluded to the “Oberlanders” in the story and how different they were. “UPOO” is the diminutive pronunciation for grandfather, though he should have been called “DAYDUPOO” in alignment with the great-grandmother.

The reader kept calling one of the grandchildren “CHENYA” and I’m only guessing that the author was going for “HENYA” or “CHANCHE” (a form of Hannah) which are chassidishe names for girls.

The story took me down memory lane, both in a good and a bad way, and if the reader is not as critical as I am, it might help to illuminate the lifestyle of neighbors who live in our midst.

Authentic. Intriguing.

Very well written, and a great representation for REAL life situations in that community.

The Irony of Love

Wonderful story about a Chassidic Orthodox Jewish woman going though menopause , and discovers she is pregnant at the age of 57 with twins ! She has the same midwife as she had when she was having all 10 of her children. Married to a Rabbi who did not consider pregnancy as to why she was getting so big. She does not tell him. She gets very involved in translating for the midwife instead.

outstanding

The performance was unbelievably professional and touching. This book is so we'll written, crafted lovingly.

Slow sweet story

A (bitter)sweet story about a middle aged Hasidic woman, her marriage, and her identity within the religious community she inhabits. The main character is slightly annoying but I sympathized with her plight and enjoyed learning more about the frum household.

Interesting but not believable.

I really got into the story and enjoyed learning about the lifestyle and religious beliefs but the protagonist was frustrating and just not believable.

Beautiful Story

This is a love story. Real love stories are born through pain and the joy of true love endures and grows with age.