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Judaism For Dummies
by David Blatner Rabbi Ted FalconYour plain-English guide to JudaismWhether you're interested in the religion or the spirituality, the culture or the ethnic traditions, Judaism For Dummies explores the full spectrum of Judaism, dipping into the mystical, meditative, and spiritual depth of the faith and the practice.In this warm and welcoming book, you'll find coverage of: Orthodox Jews and breakaway denominations; Judaism as a daily practice; the food and fabric of Judaism; Jewish wedding ceremonies; celebrations and holy days; 4,000 years of pain, sadness, triumph, and joy; great Jewish thinkers and historical celebrities; and much more.Updates to the "recent history" section with discussions of what has happened in the first decade of the twenty-first century including: the expansion of orthodox political power in Israel; expansion of interfaith work; unfortunate recent anti-Semitic events; and other newsExpanded coverage of Jewish mysticism and meditation, which has become increasingly popular in recent yearsNew coverage on Jewish views of morality, including birth control, homosexuality, and environmental concernsRevised recipes for traditional Jewish cooking, updated key vocabulary, and Yiddish phrases everyone should knowJews have long spread out to the corners of the world, so there are significant Jewish communities on many continents. Judaism For Dummies offers a glimpse into the rituals, ideas, and terms that are woven into the history and everyday lives of Jewish people as near as our own neighborhoods and as far-reaching as across the world.
Judaism For Dummies (For Dummies Ser.)
by David Blatner Rabbi Ted FalconJudaism isn’t a race or even a particular culture or ethnic group. There are about 13 or 14 million Jews spread around the world, including about 6 million in the United States and about 5 million in Israel – so Judaism clearly isn’t “a nation.” So what does it mean to be Jewish? Here are the basics: Being Jewish (being “a Jew”) means you’re a Member of the Tribe (an M-O-T). The tribe started with a couple named Abraham and Sarah about 4,000 years ago, it grew over time, and it’s still here today. You can become part of the Jewish tribe in two ways: By being born to a Jewish mother or joining through a series of rituals (called converting). Judaism is a set of beliefs, practices, and ethics based on the Torah. You can practice Judaism and not be Jewish, and you can be a Jew and not practice Judaism. Whether you're interested in the religion or the spirituality, the culture or the ethnic traditions, Judaism For Dummies explores the full spectrum of Judaism, dipping into the mystical, meditative, and spiritual depth of the faith and the practice. In this warm and welcoming book, you'll find coverage of Orthodox Jews and breakaway denominations Judaism as a daily practice The food and fabric of Judaism Jewish wedding ceremonies Celebrations and holy days 4,000 years of pain, sadness, triumph, and joy Great Jewish thinkers and historical celebrities Jews have long spread out to the corners of the world, so there are significant Jewish communities on many continents. Judaism For Dummies offers a glimpse into the rituals, ideas, and terms that are woven into the history and everyday lives of Jewish people as near as our own neighborhoods and as far-reaching as across the world.
Judaism For Dummies (For Dummies)
by Ted Falcon David BlatnerYour plain-English guide to Judaism Whether you're interested in the religion or the spirituality, the culture or the ethnic traditions, Judaism For Dummies explores the full spectrum of Judaism, dipping into the mystical, meditative, and spiritual depth of the faith and the practice. In this warm and welcoming book, you'll find coverage of: Orthodox Jews and breakaway denominations; Judaism as a daily practice; the food and fabric of Judaism; Jewish wedding ceremonies; celebrations and holy days; 4,000 years of pain, sadness, triumph, and joy; great Jewish thinkers and historical celebrities; and much more. Updates to the "recent history" section with discussions of what has happened in the first decade of the twenty-first century including: the expansion of orthodox political power in Israel; expansion of interfaith work; unfortunate recent anti-Semitic events; and other news Expanded coverage of Jewish mysticism and meditation, which has become increasingly popular in recent years New coverage on Jewish views of morality, including birth control, homosexuality, and environmental concerns Revised recipes for traditional Jewish cooking, updated key vocabulary, and Yiddish phrases everyone should know Jews have long spread out to the corners of the world, so there are significant Jewish communities on many continents. Judaism For Dummies offers a glimpse into the rituals, ideas, and terms that are woven into the history and everyday lives of Jewish people as near as our own neighborhoods and as far-reaching as across the world. Judaism For Dummies (9781119643074) was previously published as Judaism For Dummies (9781118407516). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.
Judaism Is About Love: Recovering the Heart of Jewish Life
by Shai HeldA profound, startling new understanding of Jewish life, illuminating the forgotten heart of Jewish theology and practice: love.A dramatic misinterpretation of the Jewish tradition has shaped the history of the West: Christianity is the religion of love, and Judaism the religion of law. In the face of centuries of this widespread misrepresentation, Rabbi Shai Held—one of the most important Jewish thinkers in America today—recovers the heart of the Jewish tradition, offering the radical and moving argument that love belongs as much to Judaism as it does to Christianity. Blending intellectual rigor, a respect for tradition and the practices of a living Judaism, and a commitment to the full equality of all people, Held seeks to reclaim Judaism as it authentically is. He shows that love is foundational and constitutive of true Jewish faith, animating the singular Jewish perspective on injustice and protest, grace, family life, responsibilities to our neighbors and even our enemies, and chosenness.Ambitious and revelatory, Judaism Is About Love illuminates the true essence of Judaism—an act of restoration from within.
Judaism Made Simple: Flash
by C. M. HoffmanThe books in this bite-sized new series contain no complicated techniques or tricky materials, making them ideal for the busy, the time-pressured or the merely curious. Judaism Made Simple is a short and to-the-point guide to Judaism. In just 96 pages, the reader will learn all about the history, beliefs and traditions of this major world faith. Ideal for the busy, the time-pressured or the merely curious, Judaism Made Simple is a quick, no-effort way to break into this fascinating topic. discover the Torah learn about synagogues find out what is kosher look at jewish festivals think about the holocaust
Judaism Made Simple: Flash
by C. M. HoffmanThe books in this bite-sized new series contain no complicated techniques or tricky materials, making them ideal for the busy, the time-pressured or the merely curious. Judaism Made Simple is a short and to-the-point guide to Judaism. In just 96 pages, the reader will learn all about the history, beliefs and traditions of this major world faith. Ideal for the busy, the time-pressured or the merely curious, Judaism Made Simple is a quick, no-effort way to break into this fascinating topic. discover the Torah learn about synagogues find out what is kosher look at jewish festivals think about the holocaust
Judaism Since Gender
by Miriam Peskowitz Laura LevittJudaism Since Gender offers a radically new concept of Jewish Studies, staking out new intellectual terrain and redefining the discipline as an intrinsically feminist practice. The question of how knowledge is gendered has been discussed by philosophers and feminists for years, yet is still new to many scholars of Judaism. Judaism Since Gender illuminates a crucial debate among intellectuals both within and outside the academy, and ultimately overturns the belief that scholars of Judaism are still largely oblivious of recent developments in the study of gender. Offering a range of provocations--Jewish men as sissies, Jesus as transvestite, the problem of eroticizing Holocaust narratives--this timely collection pits the joys of transgression against desires for cultural wholeness.
Judaism and Collective Life: Self and Community in the Religious Kibbutz (Routledge Studies in Religion)
by Aryei FishmanExamining the relationship between Judaism as a religious culture and kibbutz life, this is a ground-breaking work in the research of Judaism.The book takes as its point of departure the historical fact that it was Orthodox pioneers of German origin, in contrast to their Eastern European counterparts, who successfully developed religious kibbutz life. Employing sociological concepts and methods, the author examines the correlations between two evolutionary phases in kibbutz development and two modes of Judaism: the rational Halakhic and the emotive Hassidic modes. In doing this, he explores the relationship between two diverse dispositions towards the divinity - the transcendent and the immanent - and two diverse modes of the self and their related communities. This innovative and insightful work will be of essential interest to scholars of the sociology of religion, Jewish studies, modern Jewish history and Israel's national history, and will also interest those more broadly engaged with theology and religious studies.
Judaism and Environmental Ethics: A Reader
by Jeremy Cohen Martin D. Yaffe E. L. Allen Bradley Shavit Artson Jeremy Benstein Joan G. Ehrenfeld David EhrenfeldMartin D. Yaffe's Judaism and Environmental Ethics: A Reader is a well-conceived exploration of three interrelated questions: Does the Hebrew Bible, or subsequent Jewish tradition, teach environmental responsibility or not? What Jewish teachings, if any, appropriately address today's environmental crisis? Do ecology, Judaism, and philosophy work together, or are they at odds with each other in confronting the current crisis? Yaffe's extensive introduction analyzes and appraises the anthologized essays, each of which serves to deepen and enrich our understanding of current reflection on Judaism and environmental ethics. Brought together in one volume for the first time, the most important scholars in the field touch on diverse disciplines including deep ecology, political philosophy, and biblical hermeneutics. This ambitious book illustrates--precisely because of its interdisciplinary focus--how longstanding disagreements and controversies may spark further interchange among ecologists, Jews, and philosophers. Both accessible and thoroughly scholarly, this dialogue will benefit anyone interested in ethical and religious considerations of contemporary ecology.
Judaism and Human Rights
by Carlos RipollAreligion or a culture like Judaism, at least three thousand years old, cannot be expected to be all of one piece, homogeneous, self-contained, consistent, a neatly constructed system of ideas. If Judaism were that, it would have died centuries ago and would be a subject of interest only to the historian and archaeologist. Judaism has been a living force precisely because it is a teeming, thundering, and clamoring phenomenon, full of contrary tendencies and inconsistencies. Although there are no words or phrases in Hebrew Scriptures for "human rights," "conscience," or "due process of law," the ideals and values which these concepts represent were inherent in the earliest Jewish texts.This volume begins with four essays on the concept of man's being born "free and equal," in the image of God. The underpinning of this concept in Jewish law is explored in Section 2, entitled "The Rule of Law." Section 3, "The Democratic Ideal," traces the foundations of democracy in the Jewish teachings in the Bible and the Talmud, which in turn influenced the whole body of Western political thought. Relations between man and man, man and woman, employer and employee, slave and master are all spelled out. Section 4 presents essays analyzing man's freedom of conscience, and his God-given rights to dissent and protest. Section 5 deals with aspects of personal liberty, including the right of privacy. Section 6, entitled "The Earth is the Lord's," deals with the Jewish view of man's transient tenancy on God's earth, his obligations not to destroy anything that lives or grows, and to share the earth's bounty with the poor, the widowed, and the orphaned. Section 7 delivers an analysis of the "end of days" vision of Micah and man's continuing need to strive for peace and not for war. The volume concludes with three new essays, dealing with contemporary issues: "In God's Image: The Religious Imperative of Equality under Law"; "The Values of a Jewish and Democratic State: The Task of Reaching a Synthesis"; and "Religious Freedom and Religious Coercion in the State of Israel."This enlarged edition is accessibly written for a general and scholarly audience and will be of particular interest to political scientists, historians, and constitutional scholars.
Judaism and Imperial Ideology in Late Antiquity
by Alexei M. SivertsevThis book explores the influence of Roman imperialism on the development of Messianic themes in Judaism in the fifth through the eight centuries CE. It pays special attention to the ways in which Roman imperial ideology and imperial eschatology influenced Jewish representations of the Messiah and Messianic age. Topics addressed in the book include: representations of the Messianic kingdom of Israel as a successor to the Roman Empire, the theme of imperial renewal in Jewish eschatology and its Roman parallels, representations of the emperor in late antique literature and art and their influence on the representations of the Messiah, the mother of the Messiah in late antique and Byzantine cultural contexts, and the figure of the last Roman Emperor in Christian and Jewish tradition.
Judaism and Islam (The Library of Essays on Sexuality and Religion)
by Stephen HuntThis volume on Judaism and Islam in The Library of Essays on Sexuality and Religion series overviews perceptions of human sexuality through two major monotheistic faiths, namely Judaism and Islam. Part 1 presents previously published articles on Judaism and sexuality from a historical perspective, in particular, through the writings of the Tanakh and traditional Judaic attitudes. Part 2 focuses more cogently on contemporary themes including both the contestation and defence of conventional Jewish standpoints on sexuality via orthodox and liberal renderings of the faith. Part 3 includes articles examining Islamic views of sexuality from a historical perspective. Here there is a special focus on the faith's construction of sexual categories, as well as the relationship between sexuality, gender and patriarchy. Part 4 takes a cross-cultural and global perspective of the subject with a particular emphasis on the connection between sexuality and moral regulation, besides scrutinising varying and contrasting cultural attitudes in Islamic communities today.
Judaism and Its Bible: A People and Their Book
by Frederick E. GreenspahnJudaism and Its Bible explores the profoundly deep and complex relationship between Jews, Judaism, and the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible has been ubiquitous in Jewish life and thought: Jews read it, interpret it, and debate it. They translate the Bible even as they deem those translations inadequate, and they cite the Bible as the basis for observances that are not even mentioned in it. Jews quote the Bible as authority for their tradition&’s preservation and innovation, as both the word of God and the language of humans, and as justification for both pro- and anti-rabbinic movements. Fascinating and comprehensive, Judaism and Its Bible describes the extraordinary two-and-a-half-millennia journey of a people and its book that has changed the world.
Judaism and Modern Western Philosophy: Collected Writings of Steven S. Schwarzschild (Amsterdam Studies in Jewish Philosophy #19)
by Steven S. SchwarzschildWhat are the implications of Franz Rosenzweig's quasi-racialist commonalities with Heidegger's thought? Was Kant a 'Jewish thinker'? Does Spinoza's philosophy lend support to totalitarianism? Was Marx's philosophy more shaped by Jewish cultural tradition than is typically assumed? Was there a strong challenge to Strauss's reading of Maimonides already in the 1940s? This volume contains a collection of Steven S. Schwarzschild's (1924-1989) most important unpublished works, the majority of which were found in his literary remains. The essays present provocative perspectives on influential philosophical figures such as Maimonides, Spinoza, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Rosenzweig, Heidegger, and Leo Strauss. As one of the most original twentieth-century thinkers in the field of Jewish philosophy, Schwarzschild's analysis provides readers with new ways of understanding modern Western philosophy, Jewish religious tradition, and the relation between them.
Judaism and Modernity: Philosophical Essays
by Gillian RoseA reinterpretation of thinkers from Benjamin and Rosenzweig to Simone Weil and DerridaJudaism and Modernity: Philosophical Essays challenges the philosophical presentation of Judaism as the sublime ‘other’ of modernity. Here, Gillian Rose develops a philosophical alternative to deconstruction and post-modernism by critically re-engaging the social and political issues at stake in every reconstruction.
Judaism and Modernity: The Religious Philosophy of David Hartman
by Jonathan W. MalinoIn the past quarter-century, David Hartman has established himself as one of the pre-eminent religious and Jewish thinkers of our age. Refusing to be limited by the traditional focus on metaphysics and theology, Hartman has developed a religious philosophy through sustained reflection on the concrete experience of individual, communal and national Jewish life. In Judaism and Modernity, prominent Israeli and American scholars of philosophy, religion, law, political theory, and Judaism engage Hartman's wide-ranging and provocative work. Touched by Hartman's passion for religious dialogue, humanism, and the interplay between traditional texts and modern thought, the contributors advance their own ideas on the philosophy of religion, religious anthropology, pluralism, Zionism, and medieval Jewish philosophy. This is a rich collection for students, professional academicians, and all who seek to incorporate the wisdom of the past into the evolving wisdom of the future.
Judaism and Violence: A Historical Analysis with Insights from Social Psychology (Elements in Religion and Violence)
by Robert EisenThis Element explores the potential in Judaism to incite Jews to engage in violence against non-Jews. The analysis proceeds in historical fashion, with sections devoted to the Hebrew Bible, rabbinic Judaism, medieval and early modern Judaism, and modern Zionism. The last topic is given special attention because of its relevance to the current Middle East conflict. This Element also draws on insights from social psychology to explain Jewish violence - particularly Social Identity Theory.
Judaism and World Religions
by Alan BrillThis companion volume to "Judaism and Other Religions" provides the first extensive collection of traditional and academic Jewish approaches to the religions of the world, focusing on those Jewish thinkers that actually encounter the other world religions of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism that is, it moves beyond the theory of inclusive/exclusive/pluralistic categories and looks at Judaism's interactions with other faiths "in practice. ""
Judaism and the West: From Hermann Cohen to Joseph Soloveitchik (New Jewish Philosophy and Thought)
by Robert ErlewineGrappling with the place of Jewish philosophy at the margin of religious studies, Robert Erlewine examines the work of five Jewish philosophers—Hermann Cohen, Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Joseph Soloveitchik—to bring them into dialogue within the discipline. Emphasizing the tenuous place of Jews in European, and particularly German, culture, Erlewine unapologetically contextualizes Jewish philosophy as part of the West. He teases out the antagonistic and overlapping attempts of Jewish thinkers to elucidate the philosophical and cultural meaning of Judaism when others sought to deny and even expel Jewish influences. By reading the canon of Jewish philosophy in this new light, Erlewine offers insight into how Jewish thinkers used religion to assert their individuality and modernity.
Judaism as Creed and Life (Routledge Library Editions: Jewish History and Identity)
by Morris JosephOriginally published in its sixth edition in 1929, this volume was one of the first to have appeared in England which was written from a liberal standpoint. It gives a comprehensive account of Jewish belief and practice as conceived by those of moderate views. A significant part of the book covers Jewish ethics, and specifically their practical aspects as well as advice for Jewish teenagers of Confirmation age.
Judaism for Everyone: Renewing Your Life Through the Vibrant Lessons of the Jewish Faith
by Rabbi Shmuley BoteachIn Judaism for Everyone Shmuley Boteach imagines a future in which his religion provides "a locus of spirituality for men and women of all faiths. " This sounds like a pretty good future. "In some religions the purpose of life is to perfect oneself," Shmuley begins. "For Judaism the purpose of life is the healing of the world. " So, in the same way that Buddhist and Hindu traditions have spawned global interest in Eastern meditation and yoga, Judaism's broad concern for the holiness of this world may catch on with gentiles. Particular traditions of observance such as the Sabbath, for instance, may help gentiles to heal the alienation and lower the noise level of modern life. Throughout the book, Shmuley describes Judaism in terms that are both startlingly fresh and strangely commonsensical, a balanced perspective that will appeal to many readers.
Judaism for Everyone: Renewing Your Life Through the Vibrant Lessons of the Jewish Faith
by Shmuley BoteachWith the publication of his runaway bestseller Kosher Sex, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach gained instant fame as a sage and savvy commentator on public and private life. Now he turns his outspoken energy and vast erudition to the core teachings of Judaism itself. During his years as Rabbi of Oxford University and founder of the university's Jewish outreach organization, the L'Chaim Society, Boteach began to realize how well-matched the foundational beliefs of Judaism are to the broad human needs of the modern world. Unlike the dualist credo of other religions—in which the material and spiritual are always in conflict—the Jewish faith uniquely represents a spiritual philosophy concerned about life in this world, rather than in the hereafter. In Judaism for Everyone, this most unorthodox of orthodox rabbis explores the Jewish and Biblical origins of civilization's seminal moral ideas and presents Judaism as a program of action for people of all faiths. Boteach's interpretations and commentary are a vibrant celebration of the dynamism that is Judaism. Whether he's peppering his points with stories from his childhood, promoting feminism, decrying boredom, or extolling the virtues of leisure and solitude, Shmuley Boteach never fails to inform, inspire, and surprise. Judaism for Everyone is for anyone who seeks a universal moral creed to maximize human goodness and inner potential.
Judaism for the World: Reflections on God, Life, and Love
by Arthur GreenAn internationally recognized scholar and theologian shares a Jewish mysticism for our times Judaism, one of the world&’s great spiritual traditions, is not addressed to Jews alone. In this masterful book, Arthur Green calls out to seekers of all sorts, offering a universal response to the eternal human questions of who we are, why we exist, where we are going, and how to live. Drawing on over half a century as a Jewish seeker and teacher, he shows us a Judaism that cultivates the life of the spirit, that inspires an inward journey leading precisely toward self-transcendence, to an awareness of the universal Self in whose presence we exist. As a neo-hasidic seeker, he is both devotional and boldly questioning in his understanding of God and tradition. Engaging with the mystical sources, he translates the insights of the Hasidic masters into a new religious language accessible to all those eager to build an inner life and a human society that treasures the divine spark in each person and throughout Creation.
Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook (Columbia Contemporary American Religion Series)
by Marc Lee RaphaelJews have been a religious and cultural presence in America since the colonial era, and the community of Jews in the United States today—some six million people—continues to make a significant contribution to the American religious landscape. Emphasizing developments in American Judaism in the last quarter century among active participants in Jewish worship, this book provides both a look back into the 350-year history of Judaic life and a well-crafted portrait of a multifaceted tradition today. Combining extensive research into synagogue archival records and secondary sources as well as interviews and observations of worship services at more than a hundred Jewish congregations across the country, Raphael's study distinguishes itself as both a history of the Judaic tradition and a witness to the vitality and variety of contemporary American Judaic life. Beginning with a chapter on beliefs, festivals, and life-cycle events, both traditional and non-traditional, and an explanation of the enormous variation in practice, Raphael then explores Jewish history in America, from the arrival of the first Jews to the present, highlighting the emergence and development of the four branches: Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Reform. After documenting the considerable variety among the branches, the book addresses issues of some controversy, notably spirituality, conversion, homosexuality, Jewish education, synagogue architecture, and the relationship to Israel. Raphael turns next to a discussion of eight American Jews whose thoughts and/or activities made a huge impact on American Judaism. The final chapter focuses on the return to tradition in every branch of Judaism and examines prospects for the future.
Judaism in Motion: The Making of Same-Sex Parenthood in Israel (Contemporary Anthropology of Religion)
by Sibylle LustenbergerIn Israel, where the Orthodox rabbinate wields historically sanctioned influence over the legal definitions of marriage and parenthood, same-sex parenthood raises important questions such as what constitutes belonging to the national collective, who has the authority to define the norms of reproduction, and where the boundaries of Orthodox Judaism begin and end. Judaism in Motion addresses these questions from a transgenerational perspective that pays heed to how religiously informed rules, norms, and practices of transferring material properties, names, and societal belonging are adopted and transformed. It presents a detailed ethnographic account of the dynamic interaction between kinship, religion, and the state that complicates the commonly held assumption that places same-sex parenthood in a radically secular sphere that stands in stark opposition to Orthodox Judaism. Taking same-sex parenthood as a prism through which society at large is reflected, this volume further explores how transformations of societal structures take place, and what flexibility and leeway exist in organized religions.