Why Am I a Jew?

“This is not merely a hugely ambitious book but a courageous one. Baum invites readers of all faiths and none to accompany him on his extraordinary and deeply personal spiritual journey in quest of the essence of God and the nature of Jewish identity. The result is an exhilarating and rewarding intellectual adventure. Hold on tight and enjoy.”


—David H. Stone, University of Glasgow, emeritus





“This most-readable, impressive, and challenging account of the mysterium tremendum that reveals itself to Baum through the sciences he has mastered and the moral philosophy he has embraced gets mightily close to a religious odyssey. His blistering critique of the numerous atrocities that are perpetrated in the name of religion is most timely, and his basic thesis that ‘we are looking for God in the wrong place’ resonates strongly with some Jewish mystical ideas.”


—Jeffrey M. Cohen, author of The Book of Psalms: Poetry in Poetry





“A thought-provoking memoir. . . . Baum has internalized the Royal Society’s motto—‘Take nobody’s word for it’—as a directive to study and refine medical treatments and to wrestle with God’s teachings . . . in a continuing attempt to heal the world. I would love to be his next-door neighbor, sharing experiences and insights and debating our obligations to this world and its people.”


—Avrum Z. Bluming, University of Southern California, emeritus