The culmination of this work, Alter's masterly new translation and probing commentary combine to give contemporary readers the definitive edition of The Five Books. Alter's majestic translation recovers the mesmerizing effect of these ancient stories—the profound and haunting enigmas, the ambiguities of motive and image, and the distinctive cadences and lovely precision of the Hebrew text. Other modern translations either recast these features for contemporary clarity, thereby losing the character of the original, or fail to give readers a suitably fluid English as a point of contact. Alter's translation conveys the music and the meaning of the Hebrew text in a lyrical, lucid English. His accompanying commentary illuminates the text with learned insight and reflection on its literary and historical dimensions.

    Tensions sometimes flared, but tolerance largely prevailed until the twentieth century when the Greek army marched in, Muslims were forced out, and the Nazis deported and killed the Jews. As the acclaimed historian Mark Mazower follows the city’s inhabitants through plague, invasion, famine, and the disastrous twentieth century, he resurrects a fascinating and vanished world.

    . . Inspiring . . . Important.” —Library Journal, starred review “A marvelous yarn, loaded with near-calamitous adventures and characters as memorable as Singer creations.” —The New York Post      “What began as a quixotic journey was also a picaresque romp, a detective story, a profound history lesson, and a poignant evocation of a bygone world.” —The Boston Globe “Every now and again a book with near-universal appeal comes along: Outwitting History is just such a book.” —The Sunday Oregonian As a twenty-three-year-old graduate student, Aaron Lansky set out to save the world’s abandoned Yiddish books before it was too late. Today, more than a million books later, he has accomplished what has been called “the greatest cultural rescue effort in Jewish history.” In Outwitting History, Lansky shares his adventures as well as the poignant and often laugh-out-loud stories he heard as he traveled the country collecting books. Introducing us to a dazzling array of writers, he shows us how an almost-lost culture is the bridge between the old world and the future—and how the written word can unite everyone who believes in the power of great literature.A Library Journal Best Book A Massachusetts Book Award Winner in Nonfiction An ALA Notable Book

    The barn was then set on fire. Anyone attempting to escape, or found in hiding, was quickly killed.The story soon spread that the massacre was organised and executed by Nazi paramilitary forces. It seemed to fit. Similar atrocities had taken place in nearby villages – although none of this scale. But the truth was very different. Over the course of the twentieth century fragments of the real story began to surface. It emerged that the perpetrators of the act were in fact the Polish villagers, who, on one afternoon, turned on and killed their Jewish neighbours. But why?Part history, part memoir, part detective story, The Crime and the Silence is an award-winning journalist’s account of the events of July 1941: the true story of the massacre, a portrait of a town coming to terms with its dark past, and a vital contribution to Holocaust literature.

    Ever since it was first published in 1740 in Amsterdam, it has enjoyed great renown and was eventually adopted as a basic text for ethical study. Throughout the long history of its publication, Mesillat Yesharim fell prey to many printers' errors. A breakthrough in its restoration occurred with the remarkable discovery by Ofeq Institute of a manuscript of an earlier version in the form of a dialogue, in the author's own hand. With this discovery and the aid of the first edition, Mesillat Yesharim was restored to its original state. Over the last decade, Ofeq Institute has published both versions of Mesillat Yesharim, the Dialogue and the Thematic, in Hebrew, twin editions. For although the two versions share the same content, they each supplement elements missing in the other. Of pivotal importance are the added chapters at the beginning of the Dialogue Version. These shed light on the profound nature of the work as a whole. It has now become common practice to study the two versions together, for the Dialogue Version reveals the brilliance of Mesillat Yesharim for all who seek to deepen their understanding of it. Ofeq has now published a new Hebrew-English edition of both versions in one volume utilizing an innovative facing-column format. With its completely new translation, invaluable commentary, Introduction and Epilogue (Bein Hamesilot), and extensive cross-referencing, this new edition allows the brilliance of the original to shine through. Available in two bindings: Hebrew-bound, i.e. right-to-left as with a standard Hebrew book, and English-bound, i.e. left-to-right as with a standard English book.

    . . you shall eat and be satisfied."?—Deut. 8:8-10A Celebration of Classic Jewish Vegetarian Cooking from Around the WorldTraditions of Jewish vegetarian cooking span three millennia and the extraordinary geographical breadth of the Jewish diaspora—from Persia to Ethiopia, Romania to France. Acclaimed Judaic cooking expert, chef, and rabbi Gil Marks uncovers this vibrant culinary heritage for home cooks. Olive Trees and Honey is a magnificent treasury shedding light on the truly international palette of Jewish vegetarian cooking, with 300 recipes for soups, salads, grains, pastas, legumes, vegetable stews, egg dishes, savory pastries, and more. From Sephardic Bean Stew (Hamin) to Ashkenazic Mushroom Knishes, Italian Fried Artichokes to Hungarian Asparagus Soup, these dishes are suitable for any occasion on the Jewish calendar—festival and everyday meal alike. Marks's insights into the origins and evolution of the recipes, suggestions for holiday menus from Yom Kippur to Passover, and culture-rich discussion of key ingredients enhance this enchanting portrait of the Jewish diaspora's global legacy of vegetarian cooking.

    A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a through and readable analysis of each of the novels in question. The books in the series all follow the same structure: a biography of the novelist, including other works, influences, and, in some cases, an interview; a full-length study of the novel, drawing out the most important themes and ideas; a summary of how the novel was received upon publication; a summary of how the novel has performed since publication, including film or television adaptations, literary prizes, and so forth; a wide range of suggestions for further reading, including web sites and discussion forums; and a list of questions for reading groups to discuss.

    One, a Polish-born woman from Bialystok, where virtually the entire Jewish community would soon be sent to the ghetto and from there to Hitler’s concentration camps, was determined not only to live but to live with pride and defiance. The other, a Russian-born intellectual and introvert, would eventually become a high-level censor under Stalin’s regime. At war’s end, both women found themselves in Moscow, where informers lurked on every corner and anti-Semitism reigned. It was there that Ester and Ruzya would first cross paths, there that they became the closest of friends and learned to trust each other with their lives. In this deeply moving family memoir, journalist Masha Gessen tells the story of her two beloved grandmothers: Ester, the quicksilver rebel who continually battled the forces of tyranny; Ruzya, a single mother who joined the Communist Party under duress and made the compromises the regime exacted of all its citizens. Both lost their first loves in the war. Both suffered unhappy unions. Both were gifted linguists who made their living as translators. And both had children—Ester a boy, and Ruzya a girl—who would grow up, fall in love, and have two children of their own: Masha and her younger brother.With grace, candor, and meticulous research, Gessen peels back the layers of secrecy surrounding her grandmothers’ lives. As she follows them through this remarkable period in history—from the Stalin purges to the Holocaust, from the rise of Zionism to the fall of communism—she describes how each of her grandmothers, and before them her great-grandfather, tried to navigate a dangerous line between conscience and compromise. Ester and Ruzya is a spellbinding work of storytelling, filled with political intrigue and passionate emotion, acts of courage and acts of betrayal. At once an intimate family chronicle and a fascinating historical tale, it interweaves the stories of two women with a brilliant vision of Russian history. The result is a memoir that reads like a novel—and an extraordinary testament to the bonds of family and the power of hope, love, and endurance.From the Hardcover edition.

    Employing traditional rabbinic resources, Greenberg presents readers with surprising biblical interpretations of the creation story, the love of David and Jonathan, the destruction of Sodom, and the condemning verses of Leviticus. But Greenberg goes beyond the question of whether homosexuality is biblically acceptable to ask how such relationships can be sacred. In so doing, he draws on a wide array of nonscriptural texts to introduce readers to occasions of same-sex love in Talmudic narratives, medieval Jewish poetry and prose, and traditional Jewish case law literature. Ultimately, Greenberg argues that Orthodox communities must open up debate, dialogue, and discussion-precisely the foundation upon which Jewish law rests-to truly deal with the issue of homosexual love. This book will appeal to all people of faith struggling to merge their belief in the scriptures with a desire to make their communities more open and accepting to gay and lesbian members.

    Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lore collected in the modern era, Schwartz has gathered together nearly 700 of the key Jewish myths. The myths themselves are marvelous. We read of Adams diamond and the Land of Eretz (where it is always dark), the fall of Lucifer and the quarrel of the sun and the moon, the Treasury of Souls and the Divine Chariot. We discover new tales about the great figures of the Hebrew Bible, from Adam to Moses; stories about God's Bride, the Shekhinah, and the evil temptress, Lilith; plus many tales about angels and demons, spirits and vampires, giant beasts and the Golem. Equally important, Schwartz provides a wealth of additional information. For each myth, he includes extensive commentary, revealing the source of the myth and explaining how it relates to other Jewish myths as well as to world literature (for instance, comparing Eves release of evil into the world with Pandoras). For ease of use, Schwartz divides the volume into ten books, Myths of God, Myths of Creation, Myths of Heaven, Myths of Hell, Myths of the Holy Word, Myths of the Holy Time, Myths of the Holy People, Myths of the Holy Land, Myths of Exile, and Myths of the Messiah.

    Tracing American Judaism from its origins in the colonial era through the present day, Jonathan Sarna explores the ways in which Judaism adapted in this new context. How did American culture—predominantly Protestant and overwhelmingly capitalist—affect Jewish religion and culture? And how did American Jews shape their own communities and faith in the new world? Jonathan Sarna, a preeminent scholar of American Judaism, tells the story of individuals struggling to remain Jewish while also becoming American. He offers a dynamic and timely history of assimilation and revitalization, of faith lost and faith regained.The first comprehensive history of American Judaism in over fifty years, this book is both a celebration of 350 years of Jewish life in America and essential reading for anyone interested in American religion and life.

    With teachings and stories from many traditions, as well as numerous practical suggestions, Jewish with Feeling is Reb Zalman's uniquely warm and welcoming approach to awakening the soul.

    Radical Then, Radical Now is a popwerful testimony to the amazing resilience of the Jeqwish people who have, through their endurance of four thousand years of persecution and exile, earned a unique place in history. Without land or power, they created an identity for themaselves throguh their shared dreams of freedom, justice, dignity and human rights.Yet far more than Jewish history is contained withoin the pages of this book. Jonathan Sacks reminds us all of the l;egacy of those dreams and of our responsibility to our fellow man. he challenegs us to build a better woprld.'Of all the questions of life, the two most penetrating are ' Who Am ? Who Are We? Rabbi Sacks answers beautifully. On matters of faith he is one of my favourite writers' --Michael Novak, Scholar at The American Enterprise Institute

    Captivated by the myriad meanings in every twist of the bread's braid, she spent years doing research and recipe testing. The result is this landmark guide to the amazing variety of Jewish breads found in communities all over the world, from Guatemala to Russia and everywhere in between. In it are more than 60 impeccably tested recipes both old and new, for challah and other Sabbath and holiday loaves and an exploration of the rich symbolism of their hisory, the rituals governing their baking and eating, and the sacred texts and commentaries from which these rituals derive. There are best-ever recipes for babka and honey cake, bagels, matzot, crackers, and everyday breads such as Jewish-deli rye. It is also loaded with totally unexpected breads that thrill, such as anise, almond, and sesame-studded Moroccan Purim bread; the spiced and leaf-wrapped Ehtiopian bereketei (whole wheat Sabbath bread); and the pitalike nooni honegi of the Bukharan Jews. Oral histories, ancient legends, shtetl folktales, aphorisms, and proverbs delight and inspire, and stories of grandmothers and great-grandmothers that recall life as it once was complete this volume, the most in-depth and wide-ranging one ever published on the subject.

    God, Man and History examines the underpinnings of Judaism as a whole, from theology to law to the meaning of Jewish nationhood.

    Noa is studying photography in Jerusalem and Amir is a psychology student in Tel Aviv. They choose a small apartment in a village in the hills, midway between the two cities. Originally called El-Kastel, the village was emptied of its Arab inhabitants in 1948 and is now the home of Jewish immigrants from Kurdistan. Not far from the apartment lives a family grieving for their eldest son who was killed in Lebanon. The younger brother left behind, Yotam, forgotten by his parents, turns to Amir for support. Further down the street, Saddiq watches the house while he works at a building site. He knows that this house is the one from which his family was driven by the Jews when he was a boy, and to which his mother still has a rusty key. Despite friendships that develop and lives that become entwined, tensions among this melting pot of characters seem to be rising to the surface.This enchanting and irresistible novel offers us windows into the characters’ lives. Each comes from somewhere different but we gradually see that there’s much about them that’s the same. Homesick is a beautiful and moving story about history, love, family and the true meaning of home.

    This book, a publication of the Conservative movement, was produced through a joint venture of the Rabbinical Assembly, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and The Jewish Publication Society. hardcover edition and is ideal for personal study and travel. It contains all the material in the original, excerpt for the essays. The Bible text, translations, and commentaries as well as the blessings, artwork, maps, glossary and other reference tools for the worshiper and student of Torah reader are included. use.

    For others, God is an imaginary Friend who is there to fix problems after we create them. Rabbi David Aaron, an inspiring and gentle guide, can help you discover a mature new understanding of God and lead you to discover the wellspring of Divinity within you. By drawing on teachings of Kabbalah that were secret for millennia, he helps you to reclaim the power you've given away to negative images of God or passive images of yourself. These mystical secrets of Judaism can offer reassuring guidance, meaning, and purpose to the lives of people of all faiths. In the journey to discovering God's secret life you will:    •  Awaken to your life's deepest purpose    •  Know that you matter and that everything you feel and do is important to God    •  Delight in a deeper connection to your true inner self, God, and others    •  Learn to experience God's infinite love for you    •  Rise to new heights, cope with challenges, and make courageous choices    •  Achieve true peace of mind and freedom from anxiety Rabbi Aaron shares these profound ancient teachings in simple, everyday language with a touch of wit and humor. Rich in personal stories and anecdotes, his examples from daily life help us tap the transformational power hidden within and illuminate the surprising paradoxes of spiritual growth. Awakened to finally experience a personal connection to God, we are at last able to receive God's love unconditionally and discover our ultimate identity, divine purpose, and true happiness.

    In an engaging and accessible style, Frankel brings together tales and teachings from the Bible, the Talmud, Kabbalah, and the Hasidic traditions as well as evocative case studies and stories from her own life to create an original, inspirational guide to emotional healing and spiritual growth.

    Full color; designed to work both for beginners and for already-knwledgeable Jews who want to deepen their understanding of Shabbat practices.

    But it underscores Yuri Slezkine's provocative thesis. Not only have Jews adapted better than many other groups to living in the modern world, they have become the premiere symbol and standard of modern life everywhere.Slezkine argues that the Jews were, in effect, among the world's first free agents. They traditionally belonged to a social and anthropological category known as service nomads, an outsider group specializing in the delivery of goods and services. Their role, Slezkine argues, was part of a broader division of human labor between what he calls Mercurians-entrepreneurial minorities--and Apollonians--food-producing majorities.Since the dawning of the Modern Age, Mercurians have taken center stage. In fact, Slezkine argues, modernity is all about Apollonians becoming Mercurians--urban, mobile, literate, articulate, intellectually intricate, physically fastidious, and occupationally flexible. Since no group has been more adept at Mercurianism than the Jews, he contends, these exemplary ancients are now model moderns.The book concentrates on the drama of the Russian Jews, including �migr�s and their offspring in America, Palestine, and the Soviet Union. But Slezkine has as much to say about the many faces of modernity--nationalism, socialism, capitalism, and liberalism--as he does about Jewry. Marxism and Freudianism, for example, sprang largely from the Jewish predicament, Slezkine notes, and both Soviet Bolshevism and American liberalism were affected in fundamental ways by the Jewish exodus from the Pale of Settlement.Rich in its insight, sweeping in its chronology, and fearless in its analysis, this sure-to-be-controversial work is an important contribution not only to Jewish and Russian history but to the history of Europe and America as well.

    Following this model, there would have been one religion known as Judaism before the birth of Christ, which then took on a hybrid identity. Even before its subsequent division, certain beliefs and practices of this composite would have been identifiable as Christian or Jewish.In Border Lines, however, Daniel Boyarin makes a striking case for a very different way of thinking about the historical development that is the partition of Judaeo-Christianity.There were no characteristics or features that could be described as uniquely Jewish or Christian in late antiquity, Boyarin argues. Rather, Jesus-following Jews and Jews who did not follow Jesus lived on a cultural map in which beliefs, such as that in a second divine being, and practices, such as keeping kosher or maintaining the Sabbath, were widely and variably distributed. The ultimate distinctions between Judaism and Christianity were imposed from above by border-makers, heresiologists anxious to construct a discrete identity for Christianity. By defining some beliefs and practices as Christian and others as Jewish or heretical, they moved ideas, behaviors, and people to one side or another of an artificial border--and, Boyarin significantly contends, invented the very notion of religion.

    Chava Rosenfarb, herself a survivor of the Lodz Ghetto, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen, draws on her own history to create realistic characters who struggle daily to retain a sense of humanity and dignity despite the physical and psychological effects of ghetto life. Although the novel depicts horrendous experiences, the light of faith in the human spirit shines through this novel’s every page.Winner of the 1972 J. J. Segal Prize and the 1979 Manger Prize for Yiddish Literature

    In Perek Shirah, all components of Creation - natural phenomena, animals, birds, fish - sing their own praises of their Maker. In this beautiful full-color book, each page features a magnificent photo, accompanied by the text and a lyrical translation of that creation's song, and an incisive, stimulating comment that lets us "hear" and absorb the inner meaning of Perek Shirah.Hebrew text with English translation and commentary.

    They appeared in Warsaw in 1933 when Heschel was 26 years old and still a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Berlin. Written between 1927 and 1933 - and never published in English before - this is the intimate spiritual diary of a devout European Jew, loyal to the revelation at Sinai and afflicted with reverence for all human beings.

    He shares the little known story of the family groups of Jews and partisan fighters, composed of Poles and Russians from Siberia, who roamed the forests outside the towns in search of food and weapons. As a partisan fighter, Kahn was given professional guerilla training and soon became an expert in blowing up German trains. The story of the partisan struggles is as engrossing as it is terrible, for Kahn describes in detail those uncertain times when one never knew who was friend, and who was enemy.

    When Germany occupied Hungary on March 19th, 1944, Erika Jacoby was deported to Auschwitz, together with her mother. She was among the youngest that escaped the selection of Dr .Mengele and together with her mother, who was among the oldest, she endured and outlasted the atrocities and deprivations of the Nazi persecutors. In her book she describes how the teachings and values that she absorbed and incorporated into her life in her home helped her survive Auschwitz and the other concentration camps. She writes movingly about her painful disappointments in the behavior of her fellow human beings, while never losing her faith in God. This unshakable trust in the divine personal protection inspired others as well not to give up hope. In her memoir we witness how this young girl took upon herself the enormous responsibility for her mother's survival, and the impact of that on their relationship after the war and, indeed, throughout their lives. The author, a clinical social worker, examines this relationship with much insight and compassion. This book is a remarkable account of one person's resiliency, ability to cope with adversity and survive not only physically but also spiritually.

    His clear, calm voice brings hope and encouragement to all of us struggling to come to terms with modern, turbulent times.In the UK, that calm voice is frequently heard on the country's most popular morning BBC radio news show. He regular presents a "Thought for the Day" in which he addresses a current issue with characteristic brevity and clarity.Here, the Chief Rabbi has selected his favorite "Thoughts for the Day" for publication. The result is a book that will appeal to a very wide audience — people with religious belief and those with little or none.

    In Lubavitcher Rabbi's Memoirs, Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn, sixth leader of Chabad-Lubavitch, takes us back three centuries, to a time of extreme physical and spiritual hardship for the Jews of Eastern Europe. Here, we meet the heroes, the brilliant scholars and simple cobblers, the princes and dreamers, the giants of spirit that spawned this revolutionary movement. These captivating tales will warm the heart, stir the spirit, and inspire the soul.

    When Papa comes home carrying all the ingredients for latkes, Selma is worried. Can they make the latkes without Mama? In Michelle Edwards’s poignant story, warmly illustrated by Stacey Schuett, Selma comes to realize that while Chanukah — and especially latkes — will never be the same without Mama, Selma can still celebrate, and will always remember.- A Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year- An Association of Jewish Librarians Notable Children’s Book of Jewish Content- A Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice- A Sydney Taylor Notable Children’s Book

    Their insistence on following rabbinic form and their statements that Jewish believers need to be in Messianic synagogues in order to maintain their identities are unbiblical. Telchin discusses the growth of this movement, its unscriptural doctrines, and its ineffectiveness in Jewish evangelism. Those who have been swept up by the nostalgia and beauty of "Jewishness" or who have been hurt by division in the Body or who love Israel will find their hearts and minds freed by this firm but loving message.

    It concerns itself with universal philosophical questions, rather than events in the history of Israel and in the Hebrews’ covenant with God. Koheleth, the speaker in this book, ruminates on what—if anything—has lasting value, and how—if at all—God interacts with humankind. Koheleth expresses bewilderment and frustration at life’s absurdities and injustices. He grapples with the inequities that pervade the world and the frailty and limitations of human wisdom and righteousness. His awareness of these discomfiting facts coexists with a firm belief in God’s rule and God’s fundamental justice, and he looks for ways to define a meaningful life in a world where so much is senseless. Ecclesiastes is traditionally read on the Jewish holiday Sukkot, the harvest festival.

    Abraham J. Twerski's powerful insights and skilled practicality once again come to the fore as he speaks to couples embarking on their first year of marriage. How strange it is, he remarks in his introduction, that countless hours are spent making arrangement for the wedding and so little time is spent preparing for the marriage itself! Most young couples, the author boldly asserts, will not believe they need a book like this as they contemplate their upcoming perfect marriage. Rabbi Twerski explains at the outset that every couple needs to understand the mechanisms of adjustment and change; that they must be aware of the differences in their upbringings and expectations. These life experiences are neither "right" nor "wrong," but require honest discussion as the marriage takes root and differences surface. Rabbi Twerski's stunning portrayals of everyday situations will make you say, "That's us! How did he know?" He knows because he has counseled thousands of people and he knows the value of advance awareness and solid advice. This is a book that should be read -- and absorbed! -- by engaged couples, newly married couples, and their parents. Taking it to heart will prevent needless aggravation and pave the way to the loving, nurturing, and fulfilling marriage every couple deserves. Rabbi Twerski is the perfect guide through the first crucial stages of marriage to a lifetime of happiness!

    In addition to the Talmud, one of the classical sources of Jewish mysticism, the Hebrew Bible and the Zohar or Book of Splendor are discussed in an all-embracing synthesis of our earthly individuality to our essential identity with the Absolute.

    A complete guide to childbirth for the mind, body, and soul of the Jewish woman This comprehensive and invaluable guide for the Jewish woman covers every important stage of labor and birth in an easy-to-read format and includes over forty helpful illustrations and moving birth stories.

    Rabbi Rapoport combines an unswerving commitment to Jewish Law, teachings and values with a balanced, understanding perspective that has, arguably, been lacking among many in the Orthodox Jewish establishment. This work represents a milestone in understanding an issue at the heart of a great deal of debate, not to mention prejudice and discrimination. It will undoubtedly be a vehicle for future discussion and will serve as a brick in the wall of an increasingly harmonious World Jewish Community. The book combines clearly written prose for instant and easy access with exhaustive endnotes for all those who wish to explore the issue further. Judaism and Homosexuality is the first word on Orthodox attitudes to homosexuality, and will be a 'must have' on the desk of all professionals who find themselves in positions of guidance with the Jewish community.

    Surprisingly, very little work has been done in this area, beyond exploring the leeway for ad hoc solutions to practical problems as they arise on the halakhic plane. Most Jewish feminist critiques addressing broader theological concerns are conducted by non-Orthodox, Anglo-educated women. Their works attempt to locate in Judaism the root causes for what is allegedly wrong with the past and current state of women and offer suggestions for more fundamental reform. In relying on an avowedly selective range of sources and ignoring the full stock of Judaism's rich interpretive tradition, such studies bypass internal tools and concepts of the existing halakhic establishment and fail to engage the unique religious assumptions of the living community most totally committed to its tenets. Ross believes that this approach--in many ways extrinsic to the reality it purports to affect--has little chance of gaining the type of halakhic or theological credibility crucial for wholehearted acceptance by the Orthodox mainstream. Writing as an insider (herself an Orthodox Jew), Ross confronts the radical feminist critique of Judaism as a religion deeply entrenched in patriarchy. In exposing the largely androcentric thrust of the rabbinic tradition and its biblical grounding, she sees this critique as posing a potential threat to the theological heart of traditional Judaism--the belief in divine revelation. Ross seeks to develop a theological response that fully acknowledges the male bias of Judaism's sanctified texts, yet nevertheless provides a rationale for transforming the relative import and significance of that bias in today's world without undermining their authority. Uncovering aspects of Jewish tradition that support this response, Ross proposes an approach to divine revelation which she calls "cumulativism." Building upon some interesting points of contact between postmodernist thinking and traditional Jewish ideas with regard to the meaning and function of religious language and the significance of context, this approach is based on a conflating of strict boundaries between text and its interpretation, or divine intent and the evolution of human understanding. Ross believes that the greater fluidity afforded by cumulativism in understanding the mechanics of revelation and halakhic deliberation is necessary for legitimizing the insights of feminism and fully absorbing women's changed status within the religious rubric of Jewish tradition. Emphasizing that continuity with tradition can be maintained only when the halakhic system is understood as a living and dynamic organism that grows via affirmation of its historical legacy and respect for its constraints, her book shows that the feminist revolution in Orthodox Judaism reaches beyond its practical effect upon individual lives to teach us something more profound about the nature of religious practice in general.

    Drawing on almost thirty years of scholarship, prominent Yiddish scholar Dovid Katz traces the origins of Yiddish back to the Europe of a thousand years ago, and shows how those origins are themselves an uninterrupted continuation of the previous three millennia of Jewish history and culture in the Near East. Words on Fire narrates the history of the language from medieval times onward, through its development as written literature, particularly for and by Jewish women. In the wake of secularizing and modernizing movements of the nineteenth century, Yiddish rose spectacularly in a few short years from a mass folk idiom to the language of sophisticated modern literature, theater, and journalism. Although a secular Yiddish culture no longer exists, Katz argues that its resurgence among religious Jewish communities ensures that Yiddish will still be a thriving language in the twenty-first century. For anyone interested in Jewish history and tradition, Words on Fire will be a definitive account of this remarkable language and the culture that created and sustained it.

    Writing his letter to the Galatians in the midst of that struggle, Paul was concerned to find a way by which he could assert the radical newness of God’s act in Christ while still affirming the positive relation of that act to the solemn promise God had made centuries earlier to Abraham.With the skill of a seasoned scholar and teacher, J. Louis Martyn enables us to take imaginary seats in the Galatian churches so that we may hear Paul’s words with the ears of the early Christians themselves. Listening in this manner, we begin to sense the dramatic intensity of the theological struggle, thus coming to understand the crucial distinctions between the theology of Paul and that of his opponents. We can therefore see why Galatians proved to be a momentous turning point in early Christianity: In this letter Paul preached the decisive and liberating newness of Christ while avoiding both the distortions of anti-Judaism and his opponents’ reduction of Christ to a mere episode in the epic of Israel’s history. Like the Galatians of Paul’s day, we can begin to hear what the apostle himself called “the truth of the gospel.”As its predecessors in the Anchor Bible series have done Galatians successfully makes available all the significant historical and linguistic knowledge which bears on the interpretation of this important New Testament book. A personal letter written by Paul in the mid-first century to friends in the churches emerging in the region of Galatia, where it was circulated, Galatians is down to earth and pragmatic. This biblical book requires the modern reader to take a seat in one of the Galatian congregations, to listen to Paul's letter with Galatian ears, and discern the contours of Paul's theology. That is exactly what Dr. Martyn makes possible in his marvelous commentary, with its careful translation and creative interpretation of Galatians. Though relatively brief, Paul's letter is filled with complex theological and historical issues that demand a thorough treatment. Readers will not be disappointed in Dr. Martyn's sensitive handling of difficult passages, and all will be delighted to have a fresh translation that makes sense to our modern ears. All in all, this volume will stand out as a shining example of top notch scholarship written for the general reader.

    Led by Papa, a great scholar and mystic, and Mama, a pragmatic, loving woman, the family overcomes great hardship in their search for the promise of America-a home to call their own, a life free from oppression.            So begins the tale of young Ariel, a wise, serious and sometimes impulsive boy, determined to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. Traversing the rugged, lawless American Southwest, Ariel encounters Lozen, the sister of the great Apache warrior chieftain Victorio. Becoming fast friends, Ariel and Lozen learn from one another how both peoples cling tenaciously and lovingly to their traditions and beliefs in the face of incredible challenges, and how the land around them is alive with wonder-and danger.

    Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. has dedicated his professional life to helping people improve their personal outlook. Through his years of research, writing and lecturing, he has earned recognition as a world-renowned authority on the positive effects of developing self-esteem - and how to do it. In this volume, Dr. Twerski offers a simple, concrete, ten-step program that will give you insight into your own personality and teach you how to improve your mindset for the better. There are no complicated formulas, no sermons - just ten easy steps that will sharpen your focus and help you become the very best person you can be. Joy is an integral part of living a Jewish life, and joy comes from knowing that you have G-d-given abilities. Through Dr. Twerski's practical instructions and uplifting stories, you will feel that a new door has opened. No matter what is happening around you, no matter how perplexing life may be - you will develop the confidence to deal with it. The ten steps are all in this handbook and it's waiting for you to put your best foot forward.

    Her six books of verse were honored by Israel's most prestigious literary awards and have remained bestsellers beyond the poet's lifetime. Marcia Falk, a well-known poet in her own right, was a good friend of Zelda's and a frequent visitor to her Jerusalem home. Fulfilling a promise she made long ago to her friend, Falk presents here the first major compilation of Zelda's poetry in English translation. A devoutly religious Jew descended from the line of prominent Hasidic rabbis, Zelda Schneaurson Mishkovsky inhabited the world of ultra-Orthodoxy her entire life. Her utterly unique poetry, which draws abundantly from classical Jewish texts, portrays at the same time a world of personal mystical imagery-the "strange plant," "enchanted bird," "black rose," "golden butterfly." Marcia Falk's sensitive translations, lucid introduction, and comprehensive notes to the poems reveal the power of Zelda's poetry to create out of primitive inner experience strikingly original pictures that reach beyond the borders of tradition to redeem pain and celebrate life.

    She outlines its origins in the third to first centuries BCE, going on to trace its subsequent history to the fifth century CE. The Septuagint's relationship with the standard Hebrew text and its translational characteristics are examined, as is its value as a collection with its own literary and exegetical character.The Septuagint is shown to be an important source for biblical studies (both Old and New Testament), to make a distinctive contribution to the history of biblical interpretation, and to be of considerable interest for understanding the early development of both Judaism and Christianity.

    Have you ever felt the delicious thrill of lying across a lover’s lap and getting spanked good and hard? Or been the one doing the spanking, enjoying the sting as your hand collides with your lover’s ass? Or have you simply dreamed about the gorgeous heated generated by a truly perfect spanking? If so, this book’s for you! Naughty Spanking Stories From A to Z has it ALL, from disobedient students and stern mistresses to kinky cops and naughty captives, to men and women who simply love getting spanked!With stories by acclaimed writers such as Kate Dominic, Michael Hemmingson, Tsaurah Litzky, Bill Noble, Thomas Roche, Simon Sheppard, Lisabet Sarai, Sage Vivant, and Michele Zipp, plus a daring foreword by noted sex educator Violet Blue, this book will have you itching to bend over and bare your bottom!

    In The Kabbalah Method, renowned Kabbalist Rav Berg looks to the original spiritual wisdom for answers. This illuminating book, based on decades of study, takes readers on a journey that begins before the universe came into existence, in the infinite, endless realm of total fulfillment and perfection. By understanding the microcosm that is within everyone, says Berg, it is possible to connect with the macrocosm that is the infinite power of the universe, thereby taking that power into oneself and using it to find new meaning in being alive. The Kabbalah Method is addressed to seekers on all levels who want to begin or continue the journey toward deeper understanding. Using the Kabbalistic principles explained here, readers acquire a new sense of self that can transform their inner and outer lives.

    The movement surrounding this messianic pretender was enormous, and Shabbatai's mission seemed to be affirmed by the numerous supporting prophecies of believers. The story of Shabbatai and his prophets has mainly been explored by specialists in Jewish mysticism. Only a few scholars have placed this large-scale movement in its social and historical context.Matt Goldish shifts the focus of Sabbatean studies from the theology of Lurianic Kabbalah to the widespread seventeenth-century belief in latter-day prophecy. The intense expectations of the messiah in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam form the necessary backdrop for understanding the success of Sabbateanism. The seventeenth century was a time of deep intellectual and political ferment as Europe moved into the modern era. The strains of the Jewish mysticism, Christian millenarianism, scientific innovation, and political transformation all contributed to the development of the Sabbatean movement.By placing Sabbateanism in this broad cultural context, Goldish integrates this Jewish messianic movement into the early modern world, making its story accessible to scholars and students alike.

    Sammy watches as Josh and his parents build and decorate the little hut. Then as a special treat, Sammy even gets to sleep there under the stars!

    For his daughter Rivkele, however, Jack aspires for something more—respectability through her marriage to a religious scholar. But Rivkele’s tender love affair with Manke, one of Jack’s prostitutes, threatens to destroy the upcoming marriage, and with it, Jack’s dream of redemption. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Donald Margulies transforms Sholom Asch’s classic mortality tale into a work of spellbinding power.Donald Margulies received the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Dinner with Friends. The play received numerous awards, including the American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, the Dramatists Guild/Hull-Warriner Award, the Lucille Lortel Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award and a Drama Desk nomination, and has been produced all over the United States and around the world. In addition to his adaptation of God of Vengeance, his many plays include Collected Stories, The Country House, Sight Unseen, The Model Apartment, The Loman Family Picnic, What’s Wrong with This Picture? and Time Stands Still. Mr. Margulies currently lives with his wife and their son in New Haven, Connecticut, where he teaches playwriting at Yale University.

    Confined to bedrest during a difficult pregnancy, she happily awaits the return of her husband and little girl from a ballet recital, only to find that her worst fears have finally been realized. All seems lost until a phone call to her grandmother in America unexpectedly revives a decades-old oath, creating a force that transends time and place, to rescue her loved ones. Over the course of five terror- and hope-filled days, the ties that bind two generations forge a potent alliance against contemporary evil.

    These are actual letters found over the last 50+ years, and collected by Yad Vashem, the major Holocaust Museum in Israel.

    Buy Rabbi Berel Wein's "Crash Course in Jewish History" and become knowledgeable in this great story of civilization. The Jewish story is almost 4000 years old. It extends from Abraham leaving Mesopotamia until the return of the Jewish people in our time to the Land of Israel. Rabbi Berel Wein's series of five tapes gives a sense of history to the Jewish story and to the events of all human civilization. The story of biblical Israel, the Babylonian Exile, The Second Temple, the long exile of the Jewish people, the Crusades, the Spanish expulsion, the Renaissance and Reformation, the Enlightenment and Modernism, Zionism, the emigration to North America and the Land of Israel, the Holocaust and the creation of the State of Israel - all are covered in this informative and educational five-hour tape series. History is our rear view mirror of life. Know the story of your people!

    For centuries, the teachings (Torah means "teaching") contained in this sacred 3,500-year-old document have been read aloud in the synagogue and studied privately by those seeking to extract from it meaningful life lessons. Maintaining the sanctity of the Torah scroll is of high priority in Jewish tradition, and to achieve that end many laws have been introduced and customs established. In addition, numerous requirements relating to the writing of the Torah scroll and the reading of the scroll in the synagogue have evolved over time. Following the "why" format he introduced in The Jewish Book of Why, in this volume Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch addresses hundreds of questions about the Torah rites and rituals that are followed today. He also traces the origins of the Torah and explains the different methods of interpretation and analysis that are used in its study. From why Mount Sinai was chosen as the site of the Revelation, to why a Torah scroll must be written on parchment with a quill, to why non-Jews are permitted to handle a Torah scroll, Rabbi Kolatch explores a wide range of fascinating issues simply, concisely, and straightforwardly. As in his other best-selling books, he makes the information both crystal clear for the layman and reflective of the attitudes and practices of Jews of all denominations. This title was previously issued as This Is the Torah.

    How we learn to deal with difficulties. Winning the lottery and the trouble it causes. Paying attention to feelings. The gift of disease and our mortality. How we use our time. What are we here for? How to die laughing.  Resources such as mottos to live by and redirections. Faith and what is good for you. Vacations, trips, massages, aromas etc. Reaching out for help. Survival behavior versus one's role in life. Anger, spirituality, saying no, happy depressions. Losing track of time and avoiding aging by playing.

    And - it really happened!Let My Nation Serve Me recounts the steps towards Sinai and the drama and exhilaration of Matan Torah, making us feel as if we can visualize Moshe, Aharon, Miriam, and other Biblical figures as though they stand before us. Basing his narrative on the Talmud, Midrashim and commentaries, the author weaves a vivd and gripping tapestry that portrays the Jews' desert life and the singular event of Revelation as never before. We view the Sea of Reeds in its eerie calm, the day after the drowning of the Egyptian army; experience the bloodthirsty attack of Amalek; see the Heavenly tumult and hear the Ten Commandments; despair as the Golden Calf rises to ensnare the Jewish people in sin; and finally, relive unbounded joy and thankfulness when Divine forgiveness gives us back the Tablets of the Law, our lives and our future as His people.This is more than a story. Let My Nation Serve Me is a trip back in time, to when the Jewish nation was forged in the desert - and we are there!

    This is but one of the many challenges that confronted Maier Cahan, a young man with phenomenal courage and quick wits. And it's just part of his great and exciting story, retold here in a can't-put-down book that reads like a novel - but it really happened. It is a story of danger and survival. The story of a young man who would not surrender to despair - and who emerged triumphant. The radiance of his soul remained intact through the worst of times, and the scars on his body healed with time. Maeir's story happened during the Holocaust, but this is not a "conventional" Holocaust memoir. First of all, it is brilliantly written. Most of all, it is a story of the power of the human spirit, especially the flaming and enduring Jewish spirit that would not give in. This is a timeless book, a study in suspense, a case study in inspiration, and book that will make every reader proud to have come to know Maeir Cahan.

    Always wearing an easy smile, Hasidic rabbi Haskel Besser spreads joy wherever he goes, enriching the lives of his many friends and congregants with his profound understanding of both Orthodox Judaism and humannature.With warmth and admiration, journalist Warren Kozak writes about the rabbi's extraordinary life—from his family's escape to Palestine in the late 1930s to his witnessing of Israel's rebirth in 1948, to his move to New York City, where he lives today.A rare window into the normally closed world of Hasidic Jews, The Rabbi of 84th Street is also the story of Judaism in the twentieth century; of the importance of centuries-old traditions; and of the triumph of faith, kindness, and spirit.

    Today, Jews everywhere in the world pray and celebrate to the strains of his uplifting tunes. But Rabbi Carlebach was more than a vocalist, more than a "dancing Rebbe", as he was sometimes called. He was an extremely insightful teacher. Giving over the deepest depths of the Torah in his own inimitable style, and punctuating his songs at concerts and his teachings at study sessions there were always stories - stories about tzaddikim, about the Rebbes - chassidic stories, Jewish stories. But R' Shlomo didn't tell stories merely to provide extra entertainment at his performances or a moment of lightness to break an intense learning. His tales were vehicles for giving over profound insights, the inside of the inside of the Torah. Storytelling for him wasn't an art form. It was a form of prayer wrapped in the garment of a seemingly simple narrative. Hidden within each story of Jews of another time, struggling with and overcoming the obstacles of exile, are the seeds of our own strength in dealing with our troubled world. Find here a collection of R' Shlomo's amazing stories and be inspired.

    Modern English and Hebrew names with an analysis of their meanings and origins.

    The Handbook provides a broad view of masculinities primarily across the social sciences, with the inclusion of important debates in some areas of the humanities and natural sciences. The various approaches presented in this Handbook range across different disciplines, theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and conceptualizations in relation to the topic of men. Editors Michael S. Kimmel, Jeff Hearn, and Robert W. Connell have assembled an esteemed group of contributors who are among the best-known experts in their particular fields.

    The experience of eighteenth-century Jews in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth did not fit the pattern of integration and universalization—in short, of westernization—that historians tend to place at the origins of Jewish modernity. Hundert puts this experience, that of the majority of the Jewish people, at the center of his history. He focuses on the relations of Jews with the state and their role in the economy, and on more "internal" developments such as the popularization of the Kabbalah and the rise of Hasidism. Thus he describes the elements of Jewish experience that became the basis for a "core Jewish identity"—an identity that accompanied the majority of Jews into modernity.

    The pilot had no idea that his customer was not Austrian but a top agent in the Israeli Mossad, working under cover to set the trap for Cukurs—a criminal personally responsible for the murder of over 30,000 innocent Jews. This was the beginning of the 'war of wits' between the Nazi war criminal and the German-born Israeli (both of whose parents had perished in Nazi death camps). It was a unique duel, played out in the Sao Paolo residence of the Cukurs family, in the jungles of Brazil, by the lagoon of Porto Alegre and on the beautiful beaches of Punta del Este. In this unique book a former senior Mossad agent describes an operation carried out in 1964-65 to identify, locate and execute the notorious Nazi war criminal Herbert Cukurs, who was personally responsible for the murder of over 30,000 Latvian Jews. The main part of the operation was undertaken almost single-handedly by 'Anton Kuenzle'. He relates how he planned and carried out this risky operation, creating an identity as a successful businessman and offering Cukurs a lucrative deal to entice him away from his secure life in Brazil to a trap laid for him in Uruguay. There Cukurs met his fate at the hands of a Mossad hit team.

    How should they, in turn, convey its knowledge to others? What are the effects of a traumatic past on its inheritors, and the second generation's responsibilities to its received memories?" As Eva Hoffman ponders the ambiguous consequences of the cultural preoccupation with the Holocaust and guides us through the poignant juncture at which living memory must be relinquished, she asks what insights can be carried from the past to the present, and urges us to transform potent family narratives into a fully informed understanding of a forbidding history.

    I'm always snacking -- before meals, during meals, after meals. When I get to the point that I can barely close my pants, I know it's time for a change. In my book, I learn to make healthier food choices and feel better for it.

    Himself or herself the quintessential Other in a world in which she or he has existed dispersed, in exile, as a minority, the Jew has consistently envisioned the self in relation to surrounding societies. Esther Benbassa and Jean-Christophe Attias show that alterity is a useful and morally compelling notion with which to structure Judaism's historically specific and politically charged encounters with deity, femininity, the Christian West, and the Muslim East.In Benbassa and Attias's view, the Other may be rejected, but it is also a mirror, both reminding the Jew of ethical duties and constituting a source of temptation and danger. Sometimes, the authors find, the Other is the enemy. They note that it is with the enemy that peace is made, peace with the Other and peace with the self. The Jew and the Other, which is an extended commentary on a dozen Biblical verses and which follows the five books of the Pentateuch, offers the history of that encounter as an inextricable part of the Jewish condition and is itself a meditation on this encounter.

    --David W. Tracy A major contribution to Jewish-Christian relations. --Marc Tanenbaum It will bring the Catholic community an entirely new development in their thinking about the people of the Jewish faith. --Robert F. Drinan It comes from the heart of an honest priest who is deeply moved by the poisonous horror of anti-Semitism, and who appeals to his people to remember that...it is a denial of Christian faith, a failure of Christian hope, and a malady of Christian love. --Abram Sachar A definitive work. --Benjamin Epstein This revised and updated edition of THE ANGUISH OF THE JEWS - a classic history of anti-Semitism written by a Roman Catholic priest and now with a foreword by Philip Cunningham is as relevant today as when it was first published in 1964. Hailed by Jews and Christians alike as a groundbreaking book that did much to expose the reality of historical anti-Semitism in the United States and around the world, it includes material covering the last two decades; it considers developments in the Middle East, and it explores the impact that Judaic studies have had on Christian thought. +

    Avraham Grossman covers multiple aspects of women’s lives in medieval Jewish society, including the image of woman, the structure of the family unit, age at marriage, position in family and society, her place in economic and religious life, her education, her role in family ceremonies, violence against women, and the position of the divorcée and the widow in society. Grossman shows that the High Middle Ages saw a distinct improvement in the status of Jewish women in Europe relative to their status during the Talmudic period and in Muslim countries. If, during the twelfth century, rabbis applauded women as "pious and pure" because of their major role in the martyrdom of the Crusades of 1096, then by the end of the thirteenth century, rabbis complained that women were becoming bold and rebellious. Two main factors fostered this change: first, the transformation of Jewish society from agrarian to "bourgeois," with women performing an increasingly important function in the family economy; and second, the openness toward women in Christian Europe, where women were not subjected to strict limitations based upon conceptions of modesty, as was the case in Muslim countries. The heart of Grossman’s book concerns the improvement of Jewish women’s lot, and the efforts of secular and religious authorities to impede their new-found status. Bringing together a variety of sources including halakhic literature, biblical and talmudic exegesis, ethical literature and philosophy, love songs, folklore and popular literature, gravestones, and drawings, Grossman’s book reconstructs the hitherto unrecorded lives of Jewish women during the Middle Ages.

    Kaufman can easily lay claim to its smiling counterpart. No other comic dramatist in America has enjoyed more popular success or been more fortunate in his choice of collaborators, which included George and Ira Gershwin, Moss Hart, Irving Berlin, and the Marx Brothers. Here, in the most comprehensive collection of Kaufman's plays ever assembled, are nine plays: his "backstage" play The Royal Family (1927, written w Edna Ferber); the Marx Brothers-inspired mayhem of Animal Crackers (1928, with Morrie Ryskind), in a version discovered in Groucho Marx's papers and published here for the first time; June Moon (1929, with Ring Lardner), a look at a young composer trying to make it big on Tin Pan Alley; Once in a Lifetime (1930, with Moss Hart), one of the first satires of Hollywood; Pulitzer Prize winners Of Thee I Sing (1931, with Morrie Ryskind and Ira Gershwin) and You Can't Take It with You (1936, w Moss Hart); Dinner at Eight (1932, w Edna Ferber), a ensemble piece that mixes comedy and melodrama; Stage Door (1936, w Edna Ferber), his story about young actresses trying to make it in NYC; and The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939, w Moss Hart), a burlesque of America's cult of celebrity. These plays are reminders of Broadway in its glory days.

    How to chant the Torah? Check. Choose a synagogue? Check. Visit the sick? Check. Interpret dreams? Check. The two rabbis lay out instructions in steps and include "instant information" sections that provide data that can be hard to track down, such as prohibited and permitted foods, the Hebrew calendar, and the Seven Laws of Noah. Illustrated in b&w. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

    Join him as he transforms himself from a successful businessman into a long-haired hippy, a mystical guru, a Christian healer, and finally an Old City Jew: The incredible adventures of this God-intoxicated man will not only enlighten you, they will warm your heart.

    Although most famous for his Hebrew poems, Bialik was also a master of short prose. Often expressing a realism and social awareness associated with the Russia of his youth, Bialik's stories showcase his gift for lyricism, symbolism and humor, captured in engaging vignettes of life in the Ukrainian countryside. Random Harvest & Other Novellas takes into account the large and important corpus of Bialik criticism that has been published over the years. The novellas in this collection include Random Harvest, Behind the Fence, The Shamed Trumpet, Big Harry, The Short Friday, and The Legend of Three and Four. David Patterson is President Emeritus of the Oxford Centre for Jewish & Hebrew Studies. Ezra Spicehandler is Professor Emeritus at Hebrew Union College.

    Documents the influence of Jewish music on American popular song.