Making the Cut

I liked the Jewish jokes, she says. Oh, it s OK , I say. I m allowed to make them. Her eyes light up.And so it all begins. When Max meets Eliana, a dazzling modern Orthodox Jewish girl, in a bar in Edinburgh one night, he never expected it kickstart an agonising identity crisis. While their connection is instant and deep, Max discovers a devastating truth: that despite his upbringing, to millions around the world, including the girl he s fallen for, he is deemed non-Jewish.Determined to build a future with her, comedian and writer (and uncircumcised liberal Jew) Max Olesker embarks on one of the world s most demanding religious conversion processes. He attempts to navigate the dizzying complexities of Jewish law, the challenges of maintaining a relationship without physical contact, and the looming prospect of a date with a scalpel. From moving into the home of an Orthodox family for eight months to enduring gruelling interrogations by a high court of Rabbis, Max s journey is a rollercoaster of humour, heartbreak, and self-discovery.A hilarious and moving true account of one man s quest to marry the love of his life, Making the Cut will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the transformative power of love.