This book, Questioning the Answers, by Kayla Haber Goldstein, is an interesting book, but the story behind it is even more interesting, more fascinating. 

Usually when people put acronyms and initials after their names it indicates soe professional accomplishment such as being a doctor, a phd, or some sort of professional accomplishment conveyed via the official acronyms.

Kayla Haber Goldstein included FFB-BT after her name, and that actually points to the story behind the book.

FFB, as most of you probably know, stands for Frum From Birth. She was born into a frum Jewish household, and was raised frum. BT stands for Baal Teshuva - usually someone who was raised in a not religious Jewish home but at some later stage chose on their own to become religious. Kayla using the acronym FFB-BT points to her story as someone who was raised frum from birth but is also a baal teshuva, because at a later stage she left religious Judaism, stopped believing, but later came back to religious Judaism after her search for answers to her questions. Basically somewhat of a contradiction, but one that happens often enough, though I have never seen anyone describe themselves in that manner. Even more interesting than the acronym is that she chose to use it at all, which itself is very unusual.

Basically, briefly, Goldstein's story is that after a near death experience she stopped believing and left religion. She was married to a rabbi, and they stayed together despite her lack of observance and set some red lines and worked it all out. When someone pushed her to not just have questions, but to search for answers, that is when things started turning around. She still doesnt seem like your typical Rebbetzin in a Haredi house but she has found her path and it works for her, and it is incredibly empowering and a fascinating story to hear her tell in detail. I heard an interview with her on the 1840 podcast, and it is definitely worth listening to. 

This book though is not her biography and it is not her story, though in the introduction she does tell her story, albeit in less detail than in the interview linked above. Just for the introduction it would be worth reading this book.

Many people have questions. Sometimes we are discouraged from actually asking them (the author describes this as part of her experience growing up, which ended up getting her labeled as a troublemaker of sorts), and sometimes we only put a small amount of effort into looking for the answers, satisfied to make do with our anger, our frustration, our questions. Kalya Goldstein went on a search for answers to her questions, and the answers are this book, Questioning the Answers. Most frum people grow up without discussing these types of issues, without researching and investigating these matters. She did not just take basic answers at face value but worked to get to the root of the matter, to understand what was bothering her and how it really works. 

These are answers that worked for her, that helped her understand, that helped her find her way. They are not anything she is trying to push on you. It is part of her story, not a kiruv book, even though much of it is discussion of questions of faith and how to resolve them. Questioning the Answers is really part of Kayla Haber Goldstein's story, as it helped her find her way and to arrive at a place where she is happy and satisfied with herself and with her lifestyle.

This would be a great book to take into Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (and maybe even to take to shul to read during the "downtime")..

• buy Questioning the Answers on Mosaica Press
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NOTE: I was not paid to review this book. It is an unbiased and objective review. If you have a book with Jewish or Israel related content and would like me to write a review, contact me for details of where to send me a review copy of the book.