Quadruple synergies: thoughts on Art of Making Kosher Wine by Dr. Barry Nadel
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“Synergy” is such an overused word in the business world that I am hesitant to use it. However, I did not find a better one to describe what occurred to me while reading “The Art of Making Kosher Wine” by Dr. Barry Nadel. I was looking for a word or expression that I could apply to the process when two or more distinct aspects of reality come together and mutually enhance each other, maybe even creating something new. Disclaimer: This kind of “synergy” often gives me great pleasure, so I am quite biased and predisposed to notice it even if it may not be present. In this case, I observed four levels of coalescence, which is rare even for me:
- The subject of the book: winemaking and kashrut
- My perspective: Jewish educational background and a wine educator wife
- The author’s perspective: a nonfiction author who is also a spiritual fiction writer
- Our perspective: he likes to write, and so do I.
There’s a unique thrill when a book fulfills its promise, delivering precisely what its title suggests. For non-fiction books, when the title reveals the topic, it also sets expectations. As I delved into the text, eager to learn about the process of making wine, it met all those expectations. Another disclaimer: I gained some knowledge previously while discussing this topic with my wife, an educated wine educator, as she studied it for her certification. To put it another way, I felt knowledgeable enough to judge whether the book was accurate. It was just a feeling, and I now know that I was not. It was much more detailed, and I learned a lot. If your goal is the same, you cannot do better than reading this book and even using it as a manual. Structured, with a good balance of text, tables, and visuals, and concise yet comprehensive descriptions, the book possesses all these helpful traits to serve its purpose.
The middle chapter (the sixth out of 11) focuses explicitly on kashrut, i.e., what makes wine kosher. The essence starts on page 21: “Maintaining the kashrut of your wine requires that God-fearing Jews, such as Shomer Shabbat and Kashrut (religious Jews), handle the juice-wine from the moment you crush the grapes until you double seal the wine or boil it.” The details are the five areas of Halacha, Jewish law that need to be considered, and he covers them all. I was aware of some of them; e.g., “Orla refers to the biblical prohibition against eating fruit from trees during their first three years of growth,” and the prohibition of idol worship in any form, which in this case means that wine made by non-Jews cannot be kosher. However, there are a few more rules, and Dr. Nadel presents them all in detail, along with explanations.
If you are looking for a book about making kosher wine, you cannot do better than this. It fermented the two topics together into a perfect, juicy book. The author holds a B.Sc. in Enology and Viticulture, an M.Sc. in Grape Genetics, a PhD in Plant Genetics, and has decades of experience. The author knows not only his liquid, but also how to make it, and his religion. The appendices and index at the end are also invaluable. So raise your glass to tradition, craftsmanship, and culture—The Art of Making Kosher Wine is a rich and flavorful journey that lingers long after the last page, much like a beautifully aged vintage.
If you are only interested in a book review, you can stop reading now. But if you are ready for my synergistic (there, I overused it now too) perspectives, stay with me. I learned about winemaking by osmosis, simply by being around my wife as she studied for two years in college to earn her degree in wine. I studied Judaism in a more structured manner, including a year in a rabbinic seminary, and in addition, spent countless hours with rabbis and lay leaders over several decades. So, when I received the inquiry about reviewing this book, my first reaction was “how perfect,” I am practically trained for this. I love coincidences like this.
Dr. Nadel is not just an academic, a winemaker, and a non-fiction author, but also a prolific fiction writer. Specifically, he wrote twenty volumes, so far, of the “Hoshiyan Chronicles.” On his website, he describes the mythical fantasy thriller series as “a highly spiritual work based on the principles of Justice, Righteousness, and Faith.” I read and reviewed the first volume and can attest to it. I don’t know anything else about the author beyond what I’ve read in his two books and what is published on his website. But I do wonder about him: what kind of synergies within him enable such diverse creative efforts? A spiritual, religious man, with high-level secular knowledge, exploding imagination, and a strong drive to make the world a better place.
How do I know he wants to make the world a better place? By reading his words. He obviously likes to write. How else would one have the stamina to write and self-publish 20 volumes of a series? I wrote that the first one was ”page-turner, an exciting mystery combined with technical details of archeology and history, combined with guidelines for ethical and spiritual living.” By sharing what he believes in (“Justice, Righteousness, and Faith”), he knows (“The Art of Making Kosher Wine”) that his goals, beyond self-expression, must include the betterment of humankind. I am all up for that, too. I also enjoy writing, although I mainly reflect on and draw inspiration from the intellectual work of others. My writing goal is primarily to allow the ideas that want to come out to do so. But I want to believe that on a deeper level it is also about sharing positivity in the world and making it at least a little bit nicer place to be. It can never be kind enough.
The author’s website: drbnadel.com
The author’s page on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Disclaimer: I have received a digital copy of this book and a small amount from the author, which did not affect my review in any way.
Year first published: 2024
