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Williamsburg, perhaps one of the most famous communities in the borough of Brooklyn, has been the subject of art, music, theater, and literature throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This is largely due to gentrification, but also due to the unique demographic mix that resides within this enclave. North, South, East, and West Williamsburg are home to distinct populations—from Latino immigrants to large Orthodox Jewish families to African-Americans to hipsters looking for an environment with desirable restaurants, and art and music scenes. But what of the educational culture of Williamsburg? What of friendships across the demographic lines? Chaim Potok’s novel, The Chosen, renders an interpretation of Williamsburg in the 1940s told through the eyes of a young man, Reuven Malter, and his friendship with Danny Saunders.

Reuven and Danny meet at a neighborhood softball game—their schools are competing against one another and thanks to an eye injury, Reuven and Danny become close friends. Both boys are smart, focused, and excited about their education, but Danny struggles in unconventional ways with his studies. He is expected to eventually take over his father’s position as the community’s rabbi, but instead, wants to study psychology. He reads Freud, Jung, and other thinkers in secret—a transgressive act in an ultra-orthodox Hasidic household—but he confides in Reuven of his aspirations. Reuven supports him, talks psychology with him, and watches Danny struggle to tell his parents of his dreams. The larger community of Williamsburg looks up to Danny’s father, who is a leader and counselor for many; Danny’s own path away from becoming a rabbi would rattle the neighborhood’s cohesion and stability, which is already dealing with the aftermath of the Holocaust and the formation of the state of Israel in the late 1940s. Potok explores the tensions between expectations and human choices in this touching book, and frames the friendship shared by the two young men as the central force of the novel.

Reuven’s role as a sounding-board for Danny shows readers how to support friends in emotional turmoil. Sympathy, empathy, and listening skills are foundational practices for a good friendship, and are equally important for academic success. The road to good grades and self-confidence is only strengthened by the role our friends play in our lives. Good friends, with the same goals, will keep their peers on a path to a bright future with encouragement. This is demonstrated in the friendship of Reuven and Danny, which makes the novel one of the most touching illustrations of the powerful bonds we can make when we reach out and help other people.

Grade Potential tutors in Williamsburg live up to the legacy of The Chosen with their careful attention and dedication to every student they work with. One-on-one, they help turn bad grades around in their sessions, and show their clients how to effectively study to procure success. They may even form friendships with their work, in the same manner Reuven formed his with Danny in Chaim Potok’s fictional world.