The Chosen

I just finished reading The Chosen by Chaim Potok for the second time and I have to say that this is one of my favorite books. I had forgotten how much I love it. It's the story of two Jewish boys who come from distinctly different religious backgrounds but share a common Jewish identity. Their friendship is akin to David and Jonathan of the Bible. The story takes them through the challenges that result from one of the boys' hardline orthodox father, their intensive schooling in the Torah, the impact of Hitler's holocaust, and the fear of breaking faith with family. I nearly started crying as I came to the end of the story. This story would probably be best appreciated by 12+.