A clinical psychologist and Jewish educator use the Torah and other Jewish texts to offer psychological and practical insights into parenting and sharing practical advice on how to develop realistic expectations for each child, teach respect for adults, deal with frustration, enhance independence, and more.

    Rabbi Kushner suggests that the path to a truly successful life lives in friendship, family, acts of generosity and self-sacrifice, as well as God's forgiving nature.

    

    Also, blessings for the Torah and haftarot, full-color maps, glossary, timeline of biblical events, and indexes.

    Richard Elliott Friedman, the bestselling author of Who Wrote the Bible?, integrates the most recent discoveries in biblical archaeology and research with the fruits of years of experience studying and teaching the Bible to illuminate the straightforward meaning of the text -- "to shed new light on the Torah and, more important, to open windows through which it sheds its light on us."While other commentaries are generally collections of comments by a number of scholars, this is a unified commentary on the Torah by a single scholar, the most unified by a Jewish scholar in centuries. It includes the original Hebrew text, a new translation, and an authoritative, accessibly written interpretation and analysis of each passage that remains focused on the meaning of the Torah as a whole, showing how its separate books are united into one cohesive, all-encompassing sacred literary masterpiece. This landmark work is destined to take its place as a classic in the libraries of lay readers and scholars alike, as we seek to understand the significance of the scriptural texts for our lives today, and for years to come.

    in English literature from Cambridge University. The Particulars of Rapture, the sequel to her award-winning study of the Book of Genesis, takes its title from a line by the American poet Wallace Stevens about the interdependence of opposite things, such as male and female, and conscious and unconscious. To her reading of the familiar story of the Israelites and their flight from slavery in Egypt, Avivah Zornberg has brought a vast range of classical Jewish interpretations and Midrashic sources, literary allusions, and ideas from philosophy and psychology. Her quest in this book, as she writes in the introduction, is "to find those who will hear with me a particular idiom of redemption," who will hear "within the particulars of rapture . . . what cannot be expressed."Zornberg's previous book, The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis, won the National Jewish Book Award for nonfiction in 1995 and has become a classic among readers of all religions. The Particulars of Rapture will enhance Zornberg's reputation as one of today's most original and compelling interpreters of the biblical and rabbinic traditions.From the Hardcover edition.

    Their captors were Arab and German terrorists, aided by the Ugandan army; their liberators were members of Israel's elite commando unit, Sayeret Matkal, simply known as the Unit. Lt.-Col. Yoni (Jonathan) Netanyahu, the Unit's commander, earned world-wide fame in the wake of the operation's stunning success. He was the only Israeli soldier killed in the Entebbe raid. As a brother of the rescue force's commander, and himself a member of the Unit, Iddo Netanyahu had ready access to the participants in the raid. He was able to obtain detailed accounts from the men of the Unit who, for the first time, described the planning and preparations for the mission and its near-perfect execution. What emerged from their accounts is a powerful and stirring story of how the daring undertaking was accomplished after only 48 hours of frantic preparations. Yoni's Last Battle portrays the men who carried out an incredibly hazardous operation in far-away Africa. Above all, it depicts the heroic - and tragic - figure of their commander, Yoni.

    Autobiography of a Holocaust survivor.

    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 ofOrthodox 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.

    It included Hebrew, a touch of the Romance and Slavic languages, and a large helping of German. In a world of earthly wandering, this pungent, witty, and infinitely nuanced speech, full of jokes, puns, and ironies, became the linguistic home of the Jews, the bond that held a people together.Here is the remarkable story of how this humble language took vigorous root in Eastern European shtetls and in the Jewish quarters of cities across Europe; how it achieved a rich literary flowering between the wars in Europe and America; how it was rejected by emancipated Jews; and how it fell victim to the Holocaust. And how, in yet another twist of destiny, Yiddish today is becoming the darling of academia. Yiddish is a history as story, a tale of flesh-and-blood people with manic humor, visionary courage, brilliant causes, and glorious flaws. It will delight everyone who cares about language, literature, and culture.

    Louis Post-Dispatch While religion has fueled the often violent conflict plaguing the Holy Land, Yossi Klein Halevi wondered whether it could be a source of unity as well. To find the answer, this religious Israeli Jew began a two-year exploration to discover a common language with his Christian and Muslim neighbors. He followed their holiday cycles, befriended Christian monastics and Islamic mystics, and joined them in prayer in monasteries and mosques in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden traces that remarkable spiritual journey. Halevi candidly reveals how he fought to reconcile his own fears and anger as a Jew to relate to Christians and Muslims as fellow spiritual seekers. He chronicles the difficulty of overcoming multiple obstacles—theological, political, historical, and psychological—that separate believers of the three monotheistic faiths. And he introduces a diverse range of people attempting to reconcile the dichotomous heart of this sacred place—a struggle central to Israel, but which resonates for us all.

    Rabbi Bradley Artson, one of the truly inspirational and knowledgeable teachers of Torah of our time, weaves together the insights of ancient rabbis and sages, medieval commentators and philosophers, and modern scholars and religious leaders. The reflections in this collection offer three different commentaries on each of the 50 Torah portions, enlightening you into the Torah's infinite layers of meaning and offering opportunities to discover interpretations of your own.The Bedside Torah is an introduction to Jewish text study that is both learned and engaging . . . The language is conversational, the insights provocative, and the chapters are just the right length for reading before an inspired night's sleep. --Anita Diamant, author of The New Jewish Wedding, Choosing a Jewish Life, How to Be a Jewish Parent, The Red Tent, and Good HarborBradley Artson is one of the most insightful and articulate rabbis of his generation, as this volume clearly attests.--Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good PeopleIn The Bedside Torah, Rabbi Artson combines wisdom garnered from traditional Jewish sources and commentaries with anecdotes and insights drawn from his own life as well as the lives of all those he has served. In so doing, he has turned each weekly Torah portion into a series of revelations for the reader. The Bedside Torah is a treasure that will surely enrich the religious life of Jews as well as all those who seek comfort and guidance from Jewish scriptures.--Rabbi David Ellenson, Ph.D., president, Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion

    In recent years, scholars have sought a better understanding of this early polytheistic milieu and its relation to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Drawing on ancient Ugaritic texts and looking closely at Ugaritic deities, Mark Smith examines the meaning of divinity in the ancient near East and considers how this concept applies to Yahweh.

    Drawing from the ancient tradition of midrash, the author brings to life the inner world and the experiences of these women, weaving rabbinic legends and her own imagination into the biblical texts. Readers will discover Lilith—not as the night demon alluded to in Isaiah, but as another aspect of Eve herself. Sarah is a moon priestess and as great a prophet as Abraham. Miriam is not merely a figure of song and dance, but also one of revelation, a source of Torah. These stories were written to give biblical women the honor they deserve—due to them as prophets, rulers, and teachers. The Introduction to Sisters at Sinai offers the rationale and the need for midrash - the writing in the margins - expressing how it can be liberating as well as deeply comforting. Perfect for women’s studies courses, adult study groups, confirmation classes and book groups.

    She takes her reader on an extraordinary journey through the history of the land of Israel and the development of modern Israeli food. I was delighted to visit all the different ethnic communities that have contributed to Israeli cuisine, and my mouth watered just imagining the feast that Joan Nathan describes."--Teddy Kollek, former mayor of JerusalemIn this richly evocative book, Joan Nathan captures the spirit of Israel today by exploring its multifaceted cuisine. She delves into the histories of the people already settled in this nearly barren land, as well as those who immigrated and helped to quickly transform it into a country bursting with new produce. It is a dramatic and moving saga, interlarded with more than two hundred wonderful recipes that represent all the varied ethnic backgrounds. Every recipe has a story, and through these tales the story of Israel emerges.Nathan shows how a typical Israeli menu today might include Middle Eastern hummus, a European schnitzel (made with native-raised turkey) accompanied by a Turkish eggplant salad and a Persian rice dish, with, perhaps, Jaffa Orange Delight for dessert. On Friday nights she visits with home cooks who may be preparing a traditional Libyan, Moroccan, Italian, or German meal for their families, the Sabbath being the focal point of the week throughout Israel (all her recipes are accordingly kosher). And she takes us to markets overflowing with vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices.To gather the recipes and the stories, Nathan has been traveling the length and breadth of Israel for many years--to a Syrian Alawite village on the northern border for a vegetarian kubbeh and to Bet She'an for potato burekas; to the Red Sea for farmed sea bream and to the Sea of Galilee for St. Peter's fish; to Jerusalem's Bukharan Quarter for Iraqi pita bread baked in a wood-fired clay oven, to the Nahlaot neighborhood for Yemenite fried pancake-like bread, and to a Druse village for paper-thin lavash; to a tiny restaurant in Haifa for Turkish coconut cake and to a wedding at Kibbutz May'ayan Baruch in the upper Galilee for Moroccan sweet couscous; and to many, many other places. All the while, she seeks out biblical connections between ancient herbs and vegetables and their modern counterparts, between Esau's mess of pottage and today's popular taboulleh, and she delights us with tales of all she encounters.Throughout, Joan Nathan shows us how food in this politically turbulent land can be a way of breaking down barriers between Jews, Moslems, and Christians. Generously illustrated with colorful photographs, this enormously engaging book is one to treasure, not only as a splendid cookbook but also as a unique record of life in Israel.

    In 1944, 13-year-old Fritz was almost old enough to join the Hitler Youth in his German village of Kleinheubach. That same year in Tab, Hungary, 12-year-old Bernie was loaded onto a train with the rest of the village's Jewish inhabitants and taken to Auschwitz, where his whole family was murdered. How to bridge the deadly gulf that separated them in their youth, how not to allow the power of the past to separate them even now, as it separates many others, become the focus of their friendship, and together they begin the project of remembering.The separate stories of their youth are told in one voice, at Bernat Rosner's request. He is able to retrace his journey into hell, slowly, over many sessions, describing for his friend the "other life" he has resolutely put away until now. Frederic Tubach, who must confront his own years in Nazi Germany as the story unfolds, becomes the narrator of their double memoir. Their decision to open their friendship to the past brings a poignancy to stories that are horrifyingly familiar. Adding a further and fascinating dimension is the counterpoint of their similar village childhoods before the Holocaust and their very different paths to personal rebirth and creative adulthood in America after the war.Seldom has a memoir been so much about the present, as we see the authors proving what goodwill and intelligence can accomplish in the cause of reconciliation. This intimate story of two boys trapped in evil and destructive times, who become men with the freedom to construct their own future, has much to tell us about building bridges in our public as well as our personal lives.

    These flares of memory preserve the voices of over forty Jewsfrom throughout Europe who experienced a history that cannot be forgotten. Ninety-two brief vignettes arranged both chronologically and thematically recreate the disbelief and chaos that ensued as families were separated, political rights were abolished, and synagogues and Jewish businesses were destroyed. Survivors remember the daily humiliation, the quiet heroesamong their friends, and the painful abandonment by neighbors as Jews were restricted to ghettos, forced to don yellow stars, and loaded like cattle into trains. Vivid memories of hunger, disease, and a daily existence dependent on cruel luck provide penetrating testimonies to the ruthlessness ofthe Nazi killing machine, yet they also bear witness to the resilience and fortitude of individual souls bombarded by evil. I don't think that there will be many readers who will be able to put this book down.--Jerome Chanes, National Foundation for Jewish Culture

    When a tree he knocks over destroys the children's garden, he seeks God's help to fix things. Bring me the hardest word, God instructs him, and the Ziz flies off to search. He brings back words like rhinocerous, rock, and Rumplestiltskin, but none is acceptable, until he makes an important discovery.

    The momentous declaration of the new State of Israel is only four months away and Muslim and Jewish forces are fighting fiercely over an ancient land they are prepared to die for. On this day, two events occur which irreversibly alter the lives of three families forever.THE Gale Family: Joseph and Ester Gale lost most of their family members to the holocaust that destroyed Europe's once vibrant Jewish communities. Now lonely holocaust survivors living in Palestine and fighting for the dream of a Jewish state, the young couple are anxiously awaiting the birth of their third child.THE Antoun Family: During the heated battle for the hillside city of Haifa, Palestine, George and Mary Antoun are forced to flee the only home they have ever known. Not allowed to return home even at war's end the Palestinian couple are forced to raise their extraordinary son, Demetrius, in the Shatila refugee camp in Beruit, Lebanon.THE Kleist Family: Even as the Arabs and Jews collide in their struggle for control of Palestine former S.S. officer Friedrich Kleist's life is fueled by haunting nightmares of the atrocities he witnessed while serving as a German guard in the Warsaw Ghetto. When his daughter Christine travels to Beiruit to volunteet as a nurse at Shatila Camp, she falls in love with Demetrius Antoun. This love leads Christine to a remarkable story that happened in Poland a generation ago.When these three families are united in a searing drama you will never forget, readers are taken on an emotional roller-coaster ride of tradgedy, hope, and ultimate renewal. The exceptional medley of dazzling story-telling historical purity and exhilarating adventure that Jean Sasson captures in this memorable epic make Ester's Child impossible to put down.

    Michael Berg has accomplished the monumental task of translating the eternal truths of life into spiritual common sense. Without a doubt, The Way will become one of the sacred texts of your own life."-Caroline Myss, Ph.D., author of Anatomy of the Spirit and Sacred ContractsThe spiritual way of Kabbalah has grown from a hidden treasure into a widespread mainstream movement that has helped people from every walk of life, all around the world, to improve their lives. In this bestselling book, Michael Berg of The Kabbalah Centre-the world's leading educational institution teaching the wisdom of Kabbalah-shows you how to recognize and understand the key spiritual laws in order to improve your life and the lives of everyone around you. The Way will teach you meditation and prayer techniques and how to reduce emotional chaos and increase personal harmony. At once groundbreaking and so clearly written that it is accessible to anyone following any spiritual path, The Way provides the spiritual power tools to attain true fulfillment and happiness.

    Kelemen's research offers pratical long-term solutions to the most difficult problems faced by modern parents and teachers with scholarly evidence that reveals that the fad parenting tricks presented by many of today's most well-known experts may do more harm than good.

    It is a tradition that may at times, for Christians, feel strangely familiar and will, for Christians and Jews, always challenge you to see yourself and your world through a new lens."--from the IntroductionJewish spirituality is an approach to life that encourages us to become aware of God's presence and purpose, even in unlikely places. "This world and everything in it is a manifestation of God's presence," says Rabbi Lawrence Kushner. "Our challenge and goal is to find it and then act in such a way as to help others find it too."In this special book, Kushner guides Christians through the rich wisdom of Jewish spirituality. He tailors his unique style to address Christians' questions, and, in doing so, opens new windows on their own faith.Jewish Spirituality is a window into the Jewish soul that people of all faiths can understand and enjoy. From the Talmud and Torah, to "repentence" (teshuva) and "repairing the world" (tikkun olam), Kushner shows all of us how we can use the fundamentals of Jewish spirituality to enrich our own lives.

    Kertzer presents shocking revelations about the role played by the Vatican in the development of modern anti-Semitism. Working in long-sealed Vatican archives, Kertzer unearths startling evidence to undermine the Church’s argument that it played no direct role in the spread of modern anti-Semitism. In doing so, he challenges the Vatican’s recent official statement on the subject, We Remember. Kertzer tells an unsettling story that has stirred up controversy around the world and sheds a much-needed light on the past.

    1929) is the author of such novels as The Chosen (1967), The Promise (1969), The Book of Lights (1981), and Davita's Harp (1985). Each of his novels explores the tension between tradition and modernity, and the clash between Jewish culture and contemporary Western civilization, which he calls "core-to-core culture confrontation." Although primarily known as a novelist, Potok is an ordained Conservative rabbi and a world-class Judaic scholar who has also published children's books, theological discourses, biographies, and histories. Conversations with Chaim Potok presents interviews ranging from 1976 to 1999. Potok discusses the broad range of his writing and the deep influence of non-Jewish novels-in particular, Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited and James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man-on his work. Interviews bear witness to Potok's many other influences-Orthodox Jewish doctrine, Freudian psychoanalytical theory, Picasso's Guernica, and Jewish kabbalah mysticism. Though labeled an American Jewish writer, Potok argues that Flannery O'Connor should then be called an American Catholic writer and John Updike an American Protestant writer. "In his mind," editor Daniel Walden writes, "just as Faulkner was a writer focused on a particular place, Oxford, Mississippi, . . . so Potok's territory was a small section of New York City." Potok often explores conflict in his writings and in his interviews. Strict Jewish teachings deem fiction an artifice and therefore unnecessary, yet since the age of sixteen Potok has been driven to write novels. At the root of all of these conversations is Potok's intense interest in the turmoil between Jewish culture, religion, and tradition and what he calls "Western secular humanism." As he discusses his work, he continually includes broader issues, such as the state of Jewish literature and art, pointing out with pride and enthusiasm his belief that Jewish culture, in the twentieth century, has finally begun to have a significant role in producing and shaping the world's art and literature. Whether discussing the finer details of Talmudic textual analysis or his period of chaplaincy during the Korean War, Potok is articulate and philosophical, bringing deep consideration into what may seem small subjects. Although his novels and histories take place primarily in the recent past, the Chaim Potok that emerges from this collection is a writer deeply rooted in the tensions of the present. Daniel Walden is Professor Emeritus of American Studies, English and Comparative Literature at Penn State University. He has written or edited several books, including On Being Jewish (1974), Twentieth Century American Jewish Writers (1984), The World of Chaim Potok (1985), and American Jewish Poets: The Roots and the Stems (1990).

     Now, you will be able to master this essential commentary to the Torah - thanks to the new ArtScroll Edition of Ramban. Newly typeset text of the Torah text and translation. Newly typeset Hebrew Rashi and Targum Onkelos text. Newly typeset Ramban in Hebrew, complete with nikud, punctuation, paragraph breaks, and footnote references for ease of use. Phrase-by-phrase translation and elucidation of Ramban. Added words and phrases for smooth reading and clear understanding. Introductory notes to set the stage for the commentary. Thousands of explanatory footnotes. Unexcelled in depth, breadth, scope, and profundity, Ramban's comprehensive commentary is exceedingly brilliant, exceedingly seminal - and exceedingly complex. Few are those who have mastered this masterpiece. Now, thanks to a superb group of exceptional scholars, writers, and editors, Ramban's Chumash commentary is coming alive in English for everyone. Following the renowned pattern of the magnificent Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud and the Sapirstein Edition of Rashi, this classic commentary is presented with unprecedented clarity. No effort has been spared to make this new Chumash clear, accurate, and "user-friendly". In short, this treatment of Chumash-Ramban will be the last word for generations to come. When completed, it will be seven volumes of excellence.

    It is great investment in a youngster's future! This Siddur was compiled by Shmuel Blitz, in consultation with master teachers. It has the basic prayers with which children begin their lives. The translations and instructions are on their level. And they?ll be fascinated by all the ?Did you Knows? and ?Closer Looks?. And Tova Katz's full-color illustrations throughout are lovely and enticing. They?ll keep children coming back to this Siddur again and again. Large 8? x 11 page size.

    Appelfeld found that it was only in a cafe - and only in a Jerusalem cafe - that he could write his novels, shaping meaning and wholeness out of the fragments of his painful past. A TABLE FOR ONE is an interchange between one artist and another, father and son, about their city, Jerusalem. It brings together an unknown side of Aharon Appelfeld's writing, with the subtle, haunting paintings of his son, Meir Appelfeld, who studied fine art at the Royal Academy of Art, London, and exhibits widely.

    Rabbi Nissel provides answers to questions like "if a woman has limited time, what prayers should take priority?" with rulings by eminent Torah scholars covering Ashkenaz, Sefard-Chasidi and Sefardi nusachs and extensive footnotes for those interested in studying the original sources.

    This groundbreaking volume draws upon both Jewish tradition and the classical foundations of pastoral care to provide invaluable guidance.Offering insight on pastoral care technique, theory and theological implications, the contributors to Jewish Pastoral Care are innovators in their fields, and represent all four contemporary Jewish movements.This comprehensive resource provides you with the latest theological perspectives and tools, along with basic theory and skills for assisting the ill and those who care for them, the aging and dying, those with dementia and other mental disorders, engaged couples, and others, and for responding to issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse and disasters.Contributors: Barbara Eve Breitman, MSW, LSW - Anne Brener, MAJCS, MA, LCSW - Rabbi Amy Eilberg, MSW - Rabbi Nancy Flam, MA - Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman, MSW, MAJCS, BCC - Gus Kaufman, Jr., PhD - Rabbi Myriam Klotz, MA - Rabbi Yaacov Kravitz, EdD - Rabbi Ellen Jay Lewis, NCPsyA - Wendy Lipshutz, LMSW - Rabbi Sheldon Marder - Rabbi Joseph S. Ozarowski, DMin - Simcha Paull Raphael, PhD - Rabbi Stephen Roberts, BCC - Rabbi Rochelle Robins - Rabbi Drorah Setel, MTS - Rabbi Jeffery M. Silberman, DMin - Marcia Cohn Spiegel, MAJCS - Rabbi Karen Sussan - Rabbi Bonita E. Taylor, MA, BCC - Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, CSW - Rabbi David J. Zucker, PhD, BCC

    This collection of three stories interlaces the history of one Aleppo family?the author's own?with the social and political turmoil spanning over a century, reaching from Syria to France to Israel. A master of Hebrew ancient and modern, Sabato has been hailed as Agnon's successor. Philip Simpson's translation from the originally entitled Emet Mi Eretz Titzmach lifts a veil on a lost world.

    The book you hold in your hands is the result of the kinds of rituals we have sculpted together over the years. It is not a prayer book or even a compendium of obligatory Jewish rituals. Rather, it is a source for all to use creatively.--from the IntroductionDecades of experience by CLAL--The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership in connecting spirituality with daily life come together in this one comprehensive handbook. In these pages, you have access to teachings that can help to sanctify almost any moment in your day.Offering a meditation, a blessing, a profound Jewish teaching, and a ritual for more than one hundred diverse everyday events and holidays, this guide includes sacred practices for:Lighting Shabbat candlesBlessing your parentsRunning a marathonVisiting the sickBuilding a sukkahSeeing natural wondersMoving into a new homeSaying goodbye to a beloved petMaking a shiva callTraveling ... and much moreDrawing from both traditional and contemporary sources, The Book of Jewish Sacred Practices will show you how to make more holy any moment in your daily life.Contributors:Rabbi Judith Z. Abrams, PhD - Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard, PhD - Rabbi Daniel Silberman Brenner - Shari Cohen, PhD - David M. Elcott, PhD - Rabbi Niles E. Goldstein - Michael Gottsegen, PhD - Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg, PhD - Rabbi Steven Greenberg - Rabbi Brad Hirschfield - Janet R. Kirchheimer - David Kraemer, PhD - Rabbi Jennifer E. Krause - Rabbi Irwin Kula - Rabbi Benay Lappe - Rabbi Natan Margalit - Rabbi David Nelson, PhD - Vanessa L. Ochs, PhD - Rabbi Rachel T. Sabath - Robert Rabinowitz, PhD - Andrew Silow-Carroll - Rabbi Lawrence Troster

    Bert Lewyn was a teenager, only 18 years old. Like thousands of other Jewish families, Bert, his mother and father were all arrested and taken away. His parents were deported to a concentration camp and Bert was conscripted as a slave laborer, forced to work in a weapons factory building machine guns for the German Wehrmacht. This is a story of Bert's escape and subsequent struggle to survive on his own, living underground in Nazi Berlin.

    It includes essays entitled “When and Where Was the Book of Esther Written?”; “Sex and Spies”; and “Rabbinic Interpretation.”

    Many of these refugees landed in northern Africa, specifically Morocco, and a unique cuisine was born of the marriage of Spanish, Moorish, and traditional Jewish culinary influences. SCENT OF THE ORANGE BLOSSOMS celebrates this cuisine, presenting the elegant and captivating flavors passed down through generations of Jews in Morocco. The mouthwatering recipes include Fresh Fava Bean Soup with Cilantro for Passover, Chicken Couscous with Orange Blossom Water for Yom Kippur, and Honey Doughnuts for Hannukah. Illuminating the important connection among food, family, and tradition, the recipes are interspersed with letters between mothers and newly married daughters, discussing special events and menu planning. ‚Ä¢ Features black-and-white photography of traditional Sephardic families.‚Ä¢ Includes sample menus for all major Jewish holidays.

    It gives an overview of wedding rituals and customs practiced by Jews through the centuries and describes how Jewish weddings are responding to the evolving family composition.

    It demonstrates how those who affirm the dead Rebbe's messiahship have abandoned a Jewish core belief in favor of the doctrine of a second coming. It also decries the equanimity with which the standard- bearers of Orthodoxy have legitimated this development by continuing to recognize such believers as Orthodox Jews in good standing. This abandonment of the age-old Jewish resistance to a quintessentially Christian belief is a development of striking importance for the history of religions, and it is an earthquake in the history of Judaism. David Berger chronicles this development from a personal viewpoint. He describes the growing concern that impelled him to undertake an anti-messianist campaign - publications, correspondence, and the sponsorship of a Rabbinical Council of America resolution excluding this belief from authentic Judaism. He argues that a large number, almost certainly a substantial majority, of Lubavitch hasidism believe in the Rebbe's messiahship; a significant segment, including educators in the central institutions of the movement, maintain a theology that goes beyond posthumous messianism to the affirmation that the Rebbe is pure divinity. While many Jews see Lubavitch as a marginal phenomenon, its influence is in fact so remarkable that its representatives are poised to dominate Orthodox religious institutions in several major countries throughout the world. This book analyzes the boundaries of Judaism's messianic faith and its conception of God. It assesses the threat posed by Lubavitch messianists and points to the consequences, ranging from undermining a fundamental argument against the Christian mission to calling into question the kosher status of many foods and ritual objects prepared under Lubavitch supervision. Finally, it proposes a strategy to protect authentic Judaism from this assault. David Berger is Professor of History at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is a Fellow of the American Academy for Jewish Research, and from 1998 to 2000 was President of the Association for Jewish Studies. He is the author of The Jewish-Christian Debate in the High Middle Ages and co-author of Judaism's Encounter with Other Cultures: Rejection or Integration?.

    

    When a son is born, every Jewish parent knows what ceremony will welcome him into the community and signal his part in the Jewish people--the brit milah. What to do when a girl is born? How can you welcome your new daughter in a truly Jewish way, and celebrate your joy with family and friends? In the past, parents who wanted a simchat bat (celebration of a daughter) ceremony for their new daughter often had to start from scratch. Finally, this first-of-its-kind book gives families everything they need to plan the celebration.History & Tradition--The roots of simchat bat in Jewish tradition, how it has evolved and how the past can be used to bring today's dynamic ceremonies to life.A How-to Guide--New and traditional ceremonies, complete with prayers, rituals, handouts to copy and step-by-step instructions for creating your own unique ceremony.Planning the Details--What to call your daughter's welcoming ceremony, when and where to have it, setting it up, how long it should be, how to handle the unexpected, how to prepare a program guide and more.Ideas & Information--Practical guidelines for planning the event, and special suggestions and resources for families of all constellations.

    'Nature's Song' is the only comprehensive English elucidation of the entire text of Perek Shirah. It makes use of rare ancient commentaries on Perek Shirah, as well as contemporary insights from modern science. The result is a spiritual encyclopedia of the natural world, synthesizing the ancient with the modern, that enables one to perceive new depths of insight into the natural world that surrounds us.

    Transferring what he had learned from great scholars in Europe to the United States, he adapted modern culture to serve Torah. He and his wife created a kehillah in Elizabeth, New Jersey, founded schools, and pioneered in teaching Talmud on radio, records, and audiotapes. The Jewish Educational Center in Elizabeth became a force for learning, loving, and living Torah across the globe. In addition, Rav Teitz made 22 trips to the USSR to sustain the three million Jews imprisoned there. "The Torah speaks the language of tomorrow," he said; current events reveal new meanings. Take from Rav Teitz hints on how to study the Torah yourself and claim your legacy.

    The symbols of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, are visually presented to stunning effect as young children learn to count in three different languages from one to eight. Die-cuts of colorful candles--one for each night of Hanukkah--against rich black backgrounds add up one by one with each turn of the page. The importance of the menorah, shamash candle, dreidels, and more are explained in this simple retelling of the story of Hanukkah

    But how can there be a visible and growing Jewish presence in Europe, without the significant presence of Jews? Ruth Ellen Gruber explores this phenomenon, traveling through Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, and elsewhere to observe firsthand the many facets of a remarkable trend. Across the continent, Jewish festivals, performances, publications, and study programs abound. Jewish museums have opened by the dozen, and synagogues and Jewish quarters are being restored, often as tourist attractions. In Europe, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, klezmer music concerts, exhibitions, and cafes with Jewish themes are drawing enthusiastic--and often overwhelmingly non-Jewish--crowds. In what ways, Gruber asks, do non-Jews embrace and enact Jewish culture, and for what reasons? For some, the process is a way of filling in communist-era blanks. For others, it is a means of coming to terms with the Nazi legacy or a key to building (or rebuilding) a democratic and tolerant state. Clearly, the phenomenon has as many motivations as manifestations. Gruber investigates the issues surrounding this "virtual Jewish world" in three specific areas: the reclaiming of the built heritage, including synagogues, cemeteries, and former ghettos and Jewish quarters; the representation of Jewish culture through tourism and museums; and the role of klezmer and Yiddish music as typical "Jewish cultural products." Although she features the relationship of non-Jews to the Jewish phenomenon, Gruber also considers its effect on local Jews and Jewish communities and the revival of Jewish life in Europe. Her view of how the trend has developed and where it may be going is thoughtful, colorful, and very well informed.

    It is told through the eyes of a little girl who cannot wait for Shabbos, and keeps asking her mother "It is Shabbos yet?" But there are still things to be done. It really conveys how much she is looking forwards to Shabbos, and when she says to her mother " I love Shabbos' it is with real feeling. The wonderful drawings really show the wonder of the child!

    Over the last 100 years and across the world, Jews have been subjects and citizens, refugees and victims, as well as making enormous contributions to business, medicine, science, culture and political thought. The achievements of individual Jews in the 20th century are well known - Einstein and Kafka alone epitomize science and literature - and as a race they suffered that period's greatest tragedy. This photographic history brings the turbulence and dynamism of the century to life.

    By burning and looting libraries and censoring "un-German" publications, the Nazis aimed to eradicate all traces of Jewish culture along with the Jewish people themselves. The Holocaust and the Book examines this bleak chapter in the history of printing, reading, censorship, and libraries. Topics include the development of Nazi censorship policies, the celebrated library of the Vilna ghetto, the confiscation of books from the Sephardic communities in Rome and Salonika, the experience of reading in the ghettos and concentration camps, the rescue of Polish incunabula, the uses of fine printing by the Dutch underground, and the suppression of Jewish books and authors in the Soviet Union. Several authors discuss the continuing relevance of Nazi book burnings to the present day, with essays on German responses to Friedrich Nietzsche and the destruction of Bosnian libraries in the 1990s. The collection also includes eyewitness accounts by Holocaust survivors and a translation of Herman Kruk's report on the Vilna ghetto library. An annotated bibliography offers readers a concise guide to research in this growing field.

    He'd much rather live like a rock star and do whatever he wants whenever "he" wants to do it.Stanley gets his wish when he uncovers a tarnished, antique menorah, begins to rub the schmutz off of it, and discovers a genie named Fishel.Fishel, who looks more like a haggard old man than any genie Stanley ever heard of, grants him three wishes. Finally! Stanley will get the fame and fortune he's always wanted.But why does Fishel insist on taking Stanley back in time to grant a wish? What do people who lived in the 1930s have to do with Stanley now?In this heartwarming holiday story, Jane Breskin Zalben shows us the strength of family and what being happy is really all about.

    This outstanding book, the first of its kind, utilizes fabulous full-color illustrations, humorous dialogue, and the vast wisdom of a renowned educator, to teach humility, sensitivity and character refinement to children and adults alike. A superb educational tool for every home and school. Based on the classic, 'Ways of the Tzaddikim'.

    Lee Felder asserts that you can gain access to your deeper self, improve your personal effectiveness, and even enhance your health. These seven prayers have been part of the Jewish liturgy for centuries, and within each chapter is a thoughtful translation of the prayer, an inspiring discussion about it, and suggestions for practical applications. The chapters are an ideal blend of history, spirituality, and practicality - making the book a valuable self-help tool and an endless source of energy that can enhance anyone's quality of life.

    Abramowitz - Bradley Shavit Artson - Leila Gal Berner - Jonathan Jaffe Bernhard - Tsvi Blanchard - Barry H. Block - Terry A. Bookman - Herbert Bronstein - Ayelet Cohen - Jerome K. Davidson - Avram Davis - Lavey Derby - Malka Drucker - Amy Eilberg - Edward Feinstein - Yehudah Fine - Mordecai Finley - James A. Gibson - Melvin J. Glazer - James Scott Glazier - Edwin C. Goldberg - Elyse Goldstein - James Stone Goodman - Irving Greenberg - Daniel Gropper - Judith HaLevy - Brad Hirschfield - Elana Kanter - Stuart Kelman - Francine Klagsbrun - Peter S. Knobel - Jeffrey Korbman - Jonathan Kraus - Irwin Kula - Neil Kurshan - Mark H. Levin - Levi Meier - Steven Heneson Moskowitz - David Nelson - Vanessa L. Ochs - Nessa Rapoport - Jack Riemer - Jeffrey Salkin - Nigel Savage - Ismar Schorsch - Harold M. Schulweis - Rami Shapiro - Rick Sherwin - Jeffrey Sirkman - Marcia Cohn Spiegel - Liza Stern - Michael Strassfeld - Michael White - Arnold Jacob Wolf - Joel H. Zaiman - Josh Zweiback - Raymond A. Zwerin

    Yet very few realize that Andrew Goodman had been in Mississippi for one day when he was killed; Rita Schwerner, Mickey's wife, had been organizing in Mississippi for six difficult months.Organized around a rich blend of oral histories, Going South followsa group of Jewish women--come of age in the shadow of the Holocaust and deeply committed to social justice--who put their bodies and lives on the line to fight racism. Actively rejecting the post-war idyll of suburban, Jewish, middle-class life, these women were deeply influenced by Jewish notions of morality and social justice. Many thus perceived the call of the movement as positively irresistible.Representing a link between the sensibilities of the early civil rights era and contemporary efforts to move beyond the limits of identity politics, the book provides a resource for all who are interested in anti-racism, the civil rights movement, social justice, Jewish activism and radical women's traditions.

    And by using those very examples, this enchanting book gently invites children to become aware of God s presence all around us.Abridged from Because Nothing Looks Like God by Lawrence and Karen Kushner, What Does God Look Like? has been specially adapted to board book format to delight and inspire younger readers.Much has been written about the importance of reading simple, beautiful books to babies and preschoolers to stimulate brain development. But perhaps even more important, what you read begins to shape your child s world, and creates the images that will remain with him or her throughout life. We read books to our children about letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and safety, but do we give their minds the early food they need to think about life s bigger questions?As spiritual development experts now tell us, each child develops an image of God by age 5, with or without religious instruction. What Does God Look Like? takes you and your child on an imaginative journey designed to help you open not only your child s mind, but your child s heart and soul as well.

    One day she ventures outside . . and nothing will ever be the same.* Sydney Taylor Book Awards, Notable Book 2001.* Lilith Magazine's 5th Annual Selection of Books for Young Readers* Included in Great Books for Girls, by Kathleen Odean (Random House)"Kanefield weaves a suspenseful tale of friendship and love." Hadassah Magazine. "The details of daily life are completely convincing, the foreign setting is made familiar, and Rivka's character rings true. A rewarding read for the romantically inclined." School Library Journal "A simple but daring adventure." Voice of Youth Advocates "This well-told tale will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and spunky female protagonists." Kliatt, Reviews of Selected Books "When Rivka befriends a man who is unjustly thrown into debtor's jail with no recourse, she is faced with a hard decision, to risk leaving the ghetto again or to abandon this man to a grim fate. Her choice creates an uproar and deeply changes Rivka's view of her world." Lilith Magazine"Readers will be pleased to find another character who shares Rivka's deep sense of justice." Booklist

    Storytelling is a major component of Jewish tradition and this book honors that heritage with stories that celebrate the joys, sorrows and challenges of being Jewish. Some stories are timely and others are timeless, yet all are filled with heart-and, of course, love. Discover the invincible power of love in the pages of this book-love of family, love of tradition, love of God. For Jews and non-Jews alike, this collection is sure to capture hearts.

    For the past century and more, American comedy has drawn its strength and soul from the comic genius of Jewish performers and writers. An incomplete listing of names makes the point: The Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Fanny Brice, George Burns, Milton Berle, Jackie Mason, Joan Rivers, Rodney Dangerfield, Mel Brooks, Alan King, Mort Sahl, Buddy Hackett, Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Andy Kaufman, Richard Belzer, Jerry Seinfeld. These men and women, among others, form the canon of Jewish-American comedy. In the words of the Detroit Jewish News, The Haunted Smile "offers us a deep and subtle understanding of how Jewish culture and American openness gave birth to a new style of entertainment." Often the best way to illuminate a point is to recount some of these comedians' own brilliant routines, and Epstein uses the comedian's work to great effect, making for a book that is both a thoughtful work of history and a great deal of fun.

    It is told through the observations of Adiel, an angel, appointed by God and the Archangel Michael, whose responsibility it is to record the events of Man--a sort of protective angel of history. Utilizing the ancient forms of Midrash, the Jewish term for literary and creative Biblical exposition, it is a reflection on the place of man in the universe, and on good and evil.The angel Adiel is chosen to witness the tragedies of the ten generations of man.Translated by Philip Simpson.

    And she's a bulldog. A bulldog with a face you could never forget, Zelda is ready to become America's favorite dog. With her straight-shooting advice and her hilarious sayings, she'll help fight off life's annoyances and the sourest of moods.This 60-pound bulldog is armed with a cynical but sweet attitude. She graduated from the school of hard knocks and is ready to share her life's lessons with you. Zelda's Wisdom will make your outlook on life better and brighter.

    The essays are authored by leading scholars in the fields of Egyptology, ancient Near Eastern studies, the Hebrew Bible, Judaica, classical Greek and Roman studies, early Christianity and patristics, and Coptic and Islamic Egypt. The strength of the present volume lies in the breadth of scholarly approaches represented. The book begins with several papyrological studies presenting important new texts in Greek and Coptic, continuing with essays focusing on taxonomy and definition. The concluding essays apply contemporary theories to analyses of specific test cases in a broad variety of ancient Mediterranean cultures.

    As a member of an interfaith household, Cox has had ample opportunity to reflect upon the essence of Judaism and its complex relationship to Christianity. Organized around the Jewish calendar from Rosh Hashanah to Yom ha-Atzmaíut, Common Prayers illuminates the meanings of Jewish holidays as well as traditions surrounding milestone events such as death and marriage. Describing in elegant, accessible language the holidays’ personal, historical, and spiritual significance and the lessons they offer us, Cox “is instructive and enlightening, revealing the depth and passion of his religious thought and practice” (Boston Herald). As seen through his eyes, the Jewish holidays offer a wellspring of discovery and reflection for every reader.

    Making these ancient truths accessible to modern readers, Seeing God also provides simple exercises to put the principles into practice... * overcome childhood fears about God that stifle our happiness and spiritual fulfillment * reclaim God's love and compassion and infuse life with greater creativity and vitality * achieve new clarity and greater awareness-in order to see and enjoy the extraordinary in the ordinary * tap into the Divine Life Force, the only true source of love, wisdom, and success "Inspirational, wise, warm, and witty...David Aaron gives us a down-to-earth understanding of the Kabbalah, revealing the secrets to living a soulful, happy, and more meaningful life." (Deepak Chopra, author of How to Know God) "After reading this superb book, for the first time I actually felt the spiritual powers of which the Kabbalah teaches-a change for me from an abstract philosophical exercise to a visceral reality." (Dr. Gerald Schroeder, author of The Hidden Face of God)

    Oddly, instead of being overjoyed, Nechy is in turmoil.

    It's a comprehensive textbook, grammar and exercise book for the beginner adult student. Widely used by high school and university students. The instructions for the exercises as well as the translations of the vocabulary lists are in English. Otherwise, the course is based on Hebrew-only instruction.

    In some cultures, diviners studied patterns in nature - the flight of birds, the forms of clouds, or the arrangement of the stars in the night sky. In others, they created elaborate divinatory systems such as the I Ching and the Tarot. Drawing from the legacy of 50,000 years of human encounters with the Divine, renowned Tarot scholar Rachel Pollack has created the "Shining Tribe Tarot," a revised and expanded version of the popular "Shining Woman Tarot." The "Shining Tribe Tarot" is steeped in symbolism drawn from culturally diverse systems including Neolithic rock art, Native American and African shamanism, Aboriginal art, the Kabbalah, Jungian psychology, and the traditional Tarot. The name "Shining Tribe" has a special meaning, says Ms. Pollack: "All of us who work with Tarot form a kind of tribe, one whose roots go back many thousands of years before the actual appearance of Tarot cards. This is the tribe of diviners, those special magicians, shamans, psychics, and visionaries who use cards, or sticks, or trees, or stones, or shells to communicate with the Gods." The accompanying book includes detailed descriptions of the origin and history of the symbols depicted on each card of this unique deck, as well as explanations of their meanings in divinatory spreads. In addition, you will also learn how to read the cards for a variety of purposes, including divination, advice, and guidance along your own personal sacred journey. Learn how to gain insights into the nightly messages from your subconscious mind with dream readings, and how to activate a card to bring its qualities into your everyday life. Rachel Pollack invites you to join the shining tribe of diviners and visionaries. As you continue along the sacred journey of self-discovery, let the "Shining Tribe Tarot" cards shine a path for you.

    Yet preparing all those favorites you grew up with--like challah, hamantaschen, a roast leg of lamb drizzled in herbs--delicious enough to please a roomful of hungry guests as well as fulfill holiday expectations can be pretty intimidating. Yet it doesn't have to be. With Jewish Cooking For Dummies, you'll discover the fabulous combinations of tastes and ingredients essential to Jewish cuisine, the significance of certain foods (such as honey and carrots), the ins and outs of keeping kosher, how to shop and select foods, and, most of all, how a rich and ancient heritage is kept alive miraculously at every meal. Plus, you'll see how simple and thoroughly engrossing mastering Jewish cooking can be. This down-to-earth guide shows you how to:Stock your pantry and where to shop--including surprising sources of kosher food Select spices, herbs, and condiments--including bottled salsa, Israeli style Become acquainted with the beans, pastas and grains, vegetables, dairy foods, and meats used in traditional recipes Maximize your efficiency when cleaning, slicing, and preparing vegetables Not only will you explore the roots of Jewish cuisine, you'll get a handle on the difference between the Ashkenazic and Sephardic cultures (and how the egg noodle and pita bread are just one glorious manifestation of their varying cuisines!). And with over 100 recipes to choose from, you'll experience the rich and delicious world of the Jewish dining table, holiday by holiday:Rosh Hashanah--including Cinnamon Carrot Coins and Sweet Beet Salad with Orange Hanukkah--including Spicy Vegetable Latkes and Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce Passover--including My Mother's Fluffy Matzo Balls, Garlic Roast Lamb with Potatoes, and Easy Almond Macaroons With over 100 delicious recipes, plus sixteen pages of color photos, a summary cheatsheet of need-to-know info, black-and-white how-to illustrations, and humorous cartoons, Jewish Cooking For Dummies lets you experience the warmth and wisdom of the Jewish table.

    This book not only publicizes Jewish texts that are indisputably authoritative, but also enables people who do not have the skills or resources to access this experience on their own to directly encounter kabbalistic source material. Its luminous wisdom is sure to inspire a respect and affection for the Torah and its traditions. In Kabbalistic Writings on the Nature of Masculine and Feminine, the texts speak for themselves. Their authoritative voices are the soul and might of this work. As proof texts they verify statements made in their name, and as holy texts they transform all who take them to heart.