A Brief Guide to Judaism

Author: Naftali Brawer
Publisher: Robinson
ISBN: 147210756X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 216

Book Description
The Jewish religion is one of the major faiths of the world yet one of the least understood. In a wide-ranging and accessible guide for the general reader Rabbi Naftali Brawer outlines the major themes and history of over 5,000 years of Jewish faith from its Abrahamic origins and the foundations of Jerusalem to the eras of exile, diaspora, and persecution. From ritual and practise to faith and politics, the theology and history of Judaism are bound together. Brawer argues that Judaism is poised between heaven and earth. On the one hand it calls on its adherents to transcend the material world through ritual and prayer: on the other hand Judaism positively celebrates joys of food, family and society. Through this seeming paradox, Brawer explores the nature and characteristics of faith - God and Man, Torah, Mitzvah, the Jewish People and the Land of Israel. He also shows how ritual and practise punctuate Jewish existence, from daily prayers to the rites of passage that chart a lifetime.

Whose Torah?

Author: Rebecca Trachtenberg Alpert
Publisher: Whose Religion
ISBN:
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 236

Book Description
In this thoughtful, articulate, and well-reasoned treatise, Alpert (religion & women's studies, Temple Univ.), one of the first women to be ordained as a reconstructionist rabbi, argues for the value of progressive and liberal Judaism reclaiming itself as a religion rooted in the pursuit of justice. Tackling complex and controversial moral and political issues such as homosexuality, abortion, race relations, the peace movement, and the need to deal more effectively with issues of poverty and the state of the environment, Alpert invokes "a loving and compassionate God who wants justice for the Jewish people and the world," using the book of Deuteronomy's notion of the phrase tzedek, tzedek, tirdof as an alembic through which to evaluate the concept of true justice and compassion. Never strident and always attempting to acknowledge the more conservative and traditional positions of historical and religious Jewish thought and teachings, Alpert expresses a much-needed balanced perspective on complex and important issues facing Jews and others. She is able to write both for an audience familiar with traditional biblical texts and for those less familiar with established Jewish religion and traditions. Recommended for synagogue libraries and Judaic study collections.--Herbert E. Shapiro, Empire State Coll., Rochester, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Judaism

Author: Mordechai Katz
Publisher: Mesorah Publications
ISBN: 9781578195176
Category : Judaism
Languages : en
Pages : 408

Book Description
What does the Torah say that makes it relevant to today? How can we understand the mitzvos? Why should I believe? Why be Jewish? What does a Jew have to do? Is science an enemy of Judaism?JEP has answers. For decades, the Jewish Education Prog

Essential Judaism: Updated Edition

Author: George Robinson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501117750
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 704

Book Description
An award-winning journalist tells you everything you need to know about being Jewish in this user-friendly guide that explains not only what Jews do and believe, but why.

Judaism's 10 Best Ideas

Author: Arthur Green
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Jewish way of life
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description

Discovering Our Jewish Roots

Author: Anna Marie Erst
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 90

Book Description
This is a simple, readable presentation of the principal beliefs, traditions, and rites of Judaism that includes an account of Judaism's influence on Christianity.

A Christian's Guide to Judaism

Author: Michael Lotker
Publisher: Paulist Press
ISBN: 9780809142323
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 174

Book Description
Do you have questions about Judaism? Do you wonder why Jews don't accept Jesus as Messiah? Why Jews are so attached to the State of Israel? Why has there been so much hatred of Jews over the centuries? What you should bring (or more importantly, what not to bring) to the Passover Seder to which you've been invited? How to relate to Jews who are close friends or even new family members of yours? If you do, then this is the book for you. Written in a friendly, informal style, A Christian's Guide to Judaism is an introduction to Jewish religion, history, culture, and holidays written especially for the curious non-Jew. Its goal is to not only answer the questions that you may have about Judaism but also to make you feel more at home when you are invited to Jewish celebrations such as weddings and bar or bat mitzvahs. Have a quick question about what's kosher or why traditional Jewish men keep their head covered? See the subject in the chapter called "Jewish Practice in Lots of Nutshells." The fascination of Christians with Judaism has taken many forms over the years, from virulent anti-Semitism to intense interest regarding the religion of Jesus. This much-needed book provides Christians with a broad overview of the Jewish people and their religion, presents thorough explanations of Jewish laws and traditions, and explains in detail the many similarities--and key differences--between the Christian and Jewish faiths. +

Essential Torah

Author: George Robinson
Publisher: Schocken
ISBN: 0805241868
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 621

Book Description
Whether you are studying the Bible for the first time or you're simply curious about its history and contents, you will find everything you need in this "accessible, well-written handbook to Jewish belief as set forth in the Torah" (The Jerusalem Post). George Robinson, author of the acclaimed Essential Judaism, begins by recounting the various theories of the origins of the Torah and goes on to explain its importance as the core element in Jewish belief and practice. He discusses the basics of Jewish theology and Jewish history as they are derived from the Torah, and he outlines how the Dead Sea Scrolls and other archaeological discoveries have enhanced our understanding of the Bible. He introduces us to the vast literature of biblical commentary, chronicles the evolution of the Torah’s place in the synagogue service, offers an illuminating discussion of women and the Bible, and provides a study guide as a companion for individual or group Bible study. In the book’s centerpiece, Robinson summarizes all fifty-four portions that make up the Torah and gives us a brilliant distillation of two thousand years of biblical commentaries—from the rabbis of the Mishnah and the Talmud to medieval commentators such as Rashi, Maimonides, and ibn Ezra to contemporary scholars such as Nahum Sarna, Nechama Leibowitz, Robert Alter, and Everett Fox. This extraordinary volume—which includes a listing of the Torah reading cycles, a Bible time line, glossaries of terms and biblical commentators, and a bibliography—will stand as the essential sourcebook on the Torah for years to come.

The Book of Jewish Values

Author: Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
Publisher: Harmony
ISBN: 0307794458
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 546

Book Description
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin combed the Bible, the Talmud, and the whole spectrum of Judaism's sacred writings to give us a manual on how to lead a decent, kind, and honest life in a morally complicated world. "An absolutely superb book: the most practical, most comprehensive guide to Jewish values I know." —Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People Telushkin speaks to the major ethical issues of our time, issues that have, of course, been around since the beginning. He offers one or two pages a day of pithy, wise, and easily accessible teachings designed to be put into immediate practice. The range of the book is as broad as life itself: • The first trait to seek in a spouse (Day 17) • When, if ever, lying is permitted (Days 71-73) • Why acting cheerfully is a requirement, not a choice (Day 39) • What children don't owe their parents (Day 128) • Whether Jews should donate their organs (Day 290) • An effective but expensive technique for curbing your anger (Day 156) • How to raise truthful children (Day 298) • What purchases are always forbidden (Day 3) In addition, Telushkin raises issues with ethical implications that may surprise you, such as the need to tip those whom you don't see (Day 109), the right thing to do when you hear an ambulance siren (Day 1), and why wasting time is a sin (Day 15). Whether he is telling us what Jewish tradition has to say about insider trading or about the relationship between employers and employees, he provides fresh inspiration and clear guidance for every day of our lives.

Simply Jewish: An Illustrated, Get-To-The-Point Guide to Judaism

Author: Reuven Epstein
Publisher: Khal Publishing
ISBN: 9781602040175
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 213

Book Description
This remarkable handbook is like having a personal Rabbi on call to walk you through the basic how's and why's of every major mitzvah, practice and aspect of Jewish life. It covers every holiday, lifecycle event, and ritual you will ever encounter, and virtually every question you have ever asked about Judaism. Simply Jewish includes step-by-step guides and handy resources, and presents everything in a clear, concise and easy-to-read format. ItÆs that simple. Book jacket.