The Assistant Religion Quotes

How we cite our quotes: The book doesn't have numbered or titled chapters, but it is broken up into sections with sub-sections under these. We'll call this Chapter:Section:Paragraph.

Quote #7

Although she had only loosely been brought up as Jewish she felt loyal to the Jews, more for what they had gone through than what she knew of their history or theology—loved them as a people, thought with pride of herself as one of them; she had never imagined she would marry anybody but a Jew. (6.1.5)

Helen's Judaism is largely a matter of cultural, family, and personal identity. It's what unites her with her parents and theirs, and what she hopes will keep her one with any children she has.

Quote #8

"When a Jew dies, who asks if he is a Jew? He is a Jew, we don't ask. There are many ways to be a Jew." (9.5.10)

The rabbi speaking at Morris's funeral seems to share Morris's view that Judaism isn't about following all of the rules and regulations—it's what you feel in your soul.

Quote #9

Suffering, he thought, is like a piece of goods. I bet the Jews could make a suit of clothes out of it. The other funny thing is that there are more of them around than anybody knows about. (9.5.17)

It's Frank's own suffering that makes him sympathize with the Bober family and their faith. It's one of the reasons he becomes a Jew himself.