How we cite our quotes: The book doesn't have numbered or titled chapters, but it is broken up into sections with sub-sections under these. We'll call this Chapter:Section:Paragraph.
Quote #1
Breitbart nodded absently, then picked up the Jewish paper and read. (1.2.6)
Religious communities had (and still have) their own media, which allow people to keep up to speed on the events and news within that community. The Jewish paper was especially important to the few Jews living in this neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.
Quote #2
Both of the women beside her seemed stolidly deaf. One held a rosary in her heavy hand. (1.3.9)
This is one of the few images of non-Jewish religion, but despite its singularity, it reinforces the religious diversity of the setting and that the few Jewish families in the neighborhood are a minority.
Quote #3
The Karps, Pearls, and Bobers, representing attached houses and stores, but otherwise detachment, made up the small Jewish segment of this gentile community. (1.3.24)
You've got to admire the play on words.
Quote #4
The stranger smiled at the Jew. "He was a great man. The way I look at it, it takes a certain kind of nerve to preach to birds." (2.1.12)
It's likely that Frank had something of a Catholic upbringing, but he doesn't seem to practice Catholicism these days. He doesn't attend church or appear to have an active prayer life. To him, St. Francis is a figure of nerve and go-get-'em attitude.
Quote #5
Her expression as she dipped in among the soggy beans pieces of ham from a butt she had cut up caught his eye, and he felt for her repugnance for hating to touch the ham, and some for himself because he had never lived this close to Jews before. (3.1.19)
The Bobers practice Judaism without subscribing to all of its prohibitions, like not eating ham, but all these rules still influence them anyway. Ida seems to care more about keeping kosher than Morris does, which causes conflict between them.
Quote #6
"Sometimes," Morris answered, flushing, "to have to eat, you must keep open on holidays. On Yom Kippur I don't keep open. But I don't worry about kosher, which is to me old-fashioned. What I worry is to follow the Jewish Law."
[…]
"This means to do what is right, to be good. This means to other people." (5.4.12,14)
For Morris, honestly and righteousness are more important to being Jewish than being kosher or not working on holidays. He's quite the virtuous guy.
Quote #7
Although she had only loosely been brought up as Jewish she felt loyal to the Jews, more for what they had gone through than what she knew of their history or theology—loved them as a people, thought with pride of herself as one of them; she had never imagined she would marry anybody but a Jew. (6.1.5)
Helen's Judaism is largely a matter of cultural, family, and personal identity. It's what unites her with her parents and theirs, and what she hopes will keep her one with any children she has.
Quote #8
"When a Jew dies, who asks if he is a Jew? He is a Jew, we don't ask. There are many ways to be a Jew." (9.5.10)
The rabbi speaking at Morris's funeral seems to share Morris's view that Judaism isn't about following all of the rules and regulations—it's what you feel in your soul.
Quote #9
Suffering, he thought, is like a piece of goods. I bet the Jews could make a suit of clothes out of it. The other funny thing is that there are more of them around than anybody knows about. (9.5.17)
It's Frank's own suffering that makes him sympathize with the Bober family and their faith. It's one of the reasons he becomes a Jew himself.
Quote #10
One day in April Frank went to the hospital and had himself circumcised. For a couple of days he dragged himself around with a pain between his legs. The pain enraged and inspired him. After Passover he became a Jew. (10.7.9)
For Frank, rage is an inspiration. Here he finally does something specific and permanent with his life.