Comparing Reuven And Danny's Culture

Our culture helps to define who people are and is an extremely important part in people’s lives. Not all cultures are the same and most people grow up in different cultures. We can see this between Reuven and Danny. In Reuven and Danny’s culture, there are many differences and similarities in their religion, the dynamics of their family, and the customs and traditions they practice. First, religion is a major part of who we are and in Danny and Reuven’s cultures we can see similarities and differences. Danny is a Hasidic Jew and Reuven is just a normal Jew. In chapter 6 Reuven’s father is telling Reuven about Hasidim, “They followed these leaders blindly. The Hasidim believed that the tzaddik was a superhuman link between themselves and God. Every act of his and every word he spoke was holy” (108). The tzaddik is just another way of saying Rabbi; to the Hasids, this is a god on earth and they make a sort of idol out of him. Because of the way that they viewed the tzaddik, Hasidim is different from many other religions. When Reuven is in the hospital, his dad telling him he can pray, "I brought you your tefillin and prayer book. If they tell you it is all right, you should pray with your tefillin and prayer book” (51). The quote shows how Reuven

Due to the fact that Reuven and his dad have frequent conversation, they have a much closer relationship and Reuven loves and admires his father very much. Danny is showing Reuven his house, “Danny took me to the third floor rooms. They were identical with the ones in which my father and I lived” (161). Because they grew up in the same neighborhood, the places where their families lived are basically the same. While they may have their differences, because Reuven and Danny grew up in the same area, family living dynamics are very