"Sunday Jews" (2002) by American author Hortense Calisher is a novel that delves into the lives and experiences of the Duffy family, particularly focusing on the matriarch, Zipporah Duffy, also known as Zoe. The novel explores their Jewish identity, personal struggles, and their evolving connections with religion and tradition. The story begins with a Sunday gathering at Zipporah's home, where she is at the height of her happiness and power. She decides to sell her apartment and embark on a world tour with her husband, Peter, causing confusion and outrage among her adult children. As they contemplate her decision, unexpected events, including a family member's shooting, add complexity to their lives.
Zipporah and Peter continue with their travel plans, but Peter's senile dementia becomes increasingly apparent. Debra Cohen, an Israeli military nurse, arrives to assist during Peter's decline. After Peter's passing, Debra disappears, leaving Zipporah to grieve. Widowhood brings new beginnings as Zipporah inherits a fortune and starts a passionate affair with Foxy Mendenhall.
The novel also explores the stories of Zipporah's five children, each of whom grapples with their upbringing's emphasis on universalism in religion and identity. Zipporah's grandson, Bert, becomes a central figure, initially studying for the rabbinate but not believing in God. He searches for a meaningful project, feeling like a "refugee from something."
Throughout the novel, themes of identity, faith, love, and family dynamics are explored, offering a complex and multi-faceted examination of the Duffy family's experiences and the broader spectrum of beliefs and identities found among American Jews.
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