Chaim Potok

AmericanLiterary FictionFamily Sagab. 1929 — d. 2002

Chaim Potok (born Herman Harold Potok) was an American novelist, playwright, editor, and rabbi. He is best known for his novels that explore the tensions between traditional Orthodox Jewish life and modern secular society, including his debut bestseller 'The Chosen'. Raised in an Orthodox Jewish home in the Bronx, he later became a Conservative rabbi and served as a U.S. Army chaplain in South Korea, an experience that profoundly influenced his worldview and writing.

Awards

['Edward Lewis Wallant Award', 'Athenaeum Literary Award', 'National Jewish Book Award for Fiction']

Notable Works

['The Chosen', 'The Promise', 'My Name Is Asher Lev', 'In the Beginning', 'The Book of Lights', "Davita's Harp", 'The Gift of Asher Lev', 'I Am the Clay', 'Old Men at Midnight']