Read On

Read On

One City. One Book. A Million Conversations.

This winter, our Greater Boston community will read Eternal Life, a magical tale from author Dara Horn, known for her ability to make the Jewish accessible and the accessible Jewish.

A travelogue through time, Eternal Life chronicles the fate of two young lovers condemned to live forever. Their regrets, joys, and inability to be separated are beautifully embedded into the national history of a people. “The hard part isn’t living forever,” Rachel observes. “It’s making life worth living.” In April, Dara Horn will join us to explore these themes and more at a free event sponsored by CJP’s Jewish Learning and Engagement Team.

What’s the book about?
Rachel, the protagonist, is a woman with a problem: she can’t die. Her recent troubles ― widowhood, a failing business, an unemployed middle-aged son ― are only the latest in a litany spanning dozens of countries, scores of marriages, and hundreds of children.

In the 2,000 years since she made a spiritual bargain to save the life of her first son back in Roman-occupied Jerusalem, she’s tried everything to free herself. Only one other person in the world understands, a man she once loved passionately, who has been stalking her through the centuries, and is convinced they belong together forever.

But as the twenty-first century begins and her children and grandchildren ― consumed with immortality in their own ways, from the frontiers of digital currency to genetic engineering ― develop new technologies that could change her fate and theirs, Rachel knows she must find a way out.

You can find the CJP Reader’s Guide to Eternal Life here.

How do we participate?
Suggest Eternal Life as the next book for an existing book club, or use this book as a catalyst to start a new one.
Host a one-time discussion of the book and its themes, and encourage informal conversations using our Reader’s Guide.
Host a salon conversation yourself or through an organization to which you belong on the afterlife, or a panel on genetic research into prolonging life, or a discussion on the perils and pleasures of parenthood.
You can add book club meetings and events to our listings on JewishBoston.com so readers in other communities can deepen their experience right along with you. We’re happy to help you post there — reach out to Ashley at ashleyj@cjp.org.

When is the free Read On event with the author?
Join several hundred of your fellow readers on Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m. for this fascinating evening with author Dara Horn at the Back Bay Events Center.

There is no cost for this CJP-sponsored event. We encourage you to save the date and share this exciting opportunity with others. Look for your invitation early this spring.

Hungry for more?
We’ve got hundreds of high-quality options for Jewish learning for all ages in Greater Boston. Explore how you can Learn On with CJP!


Cynthia R. Janower
Chair, Board of Directors

Dena Boronkay Rashes
Chair, Committee on Development

Rabbi Marc Baker
President and CEO

Darren Black
Marjorie W. Patkin
Lisa F. Wallack
Chairs, 2019 Annual Campaign

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