There is a great deal of symmetry in the Theater J production of “The Chosen” at Arena Stage. There are two fathers, two sons, two baseball teams, two communities and two very different views of Judaism. An adaptation of Chaim Potok’s novel, “The Chosen” is set in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, beginning in 1944. In Aaron Posner’s effective adaptation, the story establishes the mood of an era, illuminating the sights and smells of 1940s Brooklyn, then moves on to reveal the inner lives of two 15-year-old boys who face off on a baseball diamond. Although they live five blocks apart, their worlds are totally separate: Reuven is a modern Orthodox Jew, Danny is a member of the Hasidic community.

The play is narrated by an adult version of Reuven (Aaron Davidman). As he recalls how he and Danny played, fought and taught each other the virtues of friendship, he provides the gentle, philosophic tone that is essential to this production.