The idea behind God was in this Place and I, i did not know it is excellent. Take the famous line from Jacob at Beth-el, and see how it has been interpreted throughout the ages by various Jewish worthies. In the process, have them talk to Jacob in a kind of free form midrash, unshackled by time. And since the writer is Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, add a bit a personal reflection and home grown stories.
All the elements are here, but the book never gets off the ground. In juggling so many elements in so short a space, Kushner gets lost, and the book lacks a real sense of forward momentum or thrust. This would have been a good idea for two, maybe even three books. Kushner would have then allowed himself the luxury of exploring some of the very good themes he has laid down here and not fully explored.
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