Over 400,000 people were cut off from the outside world in the ghetto, among them a 47-year-old school teacher who kept a record of the terrible events and conditions. Part of Abraham Lewin's diary, covering the period from April 1942 to January 1943, was found hidden in a milk churn after the war and is now published in English for the first time. This document, fit to rank with the accounts of Anne Frank and of Emanuel Ringelblum, is especially illuminating on how far the Jews were aware of their possible fate and on how they reacted to the threat of deportation to the death camps. Antony Polonsky's introduction and notes place the events in the history of the Warsaw Ghetto and the fate of Polish Jewry as a whole, and demonstrate how Lewin's diary is an important contribution to the knowledge of the Holocaust.

    The angels asked God, "Why don't you clean up this mess?"This collection of short, funny stories is one man's interpretation of how God did just that -- with some very unlikely help.There was Adam, who decided to number the animals instead of giving them names -- until he lost count. There was Max, a matchmaking angel disguised as a camel. And who could forget the kindly dolphins of the Red Sea or the builders of the spectacularly chaotic Tower of Babel, whose foundation rests in one small girl's question: "Mommy, does God have a big toe?"Reflecting Mr. Gellman's lifelong love for his subject, this witty collection of "midrashim" provides a wonderful way to learn about and to share the stories of the Bible. Distinguished artist Oscar de Mejo brings the right blend of reverence and humor with his magnificent oil paintings. Notable Books of 1989 (NYT)Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1989 (NYT)Children's Books of 1989 (Library of Congress)

    Because it is virtually impossible to fully understand the holidays without some knowledge of the Jewish calendar, some basic information is presented at the outset.

    Though he was a swordsman, his book was not limited to combat but addressed the much broader question of how to achieve excellence in life through study, discipline, and planning. It is still avidly read in Japan today. Arthur Kornberg's book is a modern-day Book of Five Rings that replaces the medium of swordsmanship with that of biochemistry, particularly enzymology. As Kornberg describes his successive research problems, the challenges they presented, and the ultimate accomplishments that resulted, he provides us with a primer in the strategies needed to do scientific work of great significance. Moreover, these strategies are played out in the context of solving some of the great biochemical problems of the twentieth century.The ability to manipulate and alter DNA fired a revolution that forever changed the nature of biology. Arthur Kornberg is a primary architect of that revolution, arguably one of the two or three most important biologists of this time. Prior to Kornberg, genetic information and later DNA were imbued by biologists with an almost vitalistic aura. Kornberg demonstrated that DNA is a molecule synthesized by enzymes, like all other chemical constituents of the cell. More important, he trained a school of scientists who focused on and discovered many of the enzymatic activities that act on DNA. It is these enzymes in particular that allow modern "genetic engineering."For the Love of Enzymes does not describe a single lucky or hard-won accomplishment. Rather, it is the story of thirty years of decisive campaigns, nearly all of which led to insights of major significance. In relating his story, Kornberg never avoids the difficult question of "why" why he felt classical nutritional studies had reached a plateau, why he turned to enzymology as a discipline in which the important answers would be found, and why he believes the study of enzymes will grow ever more important as we face the new scientific frontier of brain function.This book will challenge students of biology and chemistry at all levels who want to do important work rather than simply follow popular trends. It will also delight and inform readers who wish to understand how "real" science is done, and to learn of the values that guide one of our greatest researchers.

    Not only does this observance remind us of our rescue from Egyptian bondage, but, we remember Messiah's last supper, a Passover seder. The theme of redemption is seen throughout the evening. What's so unique about our Haggadah is the focus on Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah and his teaching, especially on his last night in the upper room. Now, we've included words and sheet music of the songs mentioned in the book and sung on Passover. Singing them will enrich your experience. Also, we've used the popular Complete Jewish Bible for translations where Scripture is quoted.

    Sean Hand's introduction gives a complete overview of Levinas's work and situates each chapter within his general contribution to phenomenology, aesthetics, religion, politics and, above all, ethics. Each essay has been prefaced with a brief introduction presenting the basic issues and the necessary background, and suggesting ways to study the text further.

    Pocket size: has Bircas HaMazon, Sheva Berachos, Tefillas HaDerech, and the Bedtime Shema.

    The guide is an historical treatise on the Talmud and its role in Jewish life, as well as an essential road map to the twenty projected volumes of the Steinsaltz translation. Brilliantly written and lavishly designed and illustrated, this full-length guide will raise interest in the Talmud.

    The main thing is not to be afraid" (Likutey Moharan II, 48). Lively, down-to-earth, and easy-to-read, this book gives clear, detailed guidance as to how to apply Rebbe Nachman's teachings in modern everyday life. The many subjects covered range from faith, truth, joy and meditation to earning a living, health-care and bringing up children. Containing a wealth of anecdotes from the lives of leading Breslover Chassidim of recent times, together with their oral teachings, this work answers many of the practical questions that puzzle those who have begun to make their acquaintance with Breslov.

    The cyclical nature of violent regimes and their overthrow is delineated in these recurring images of sin, martyrdom, and retribution that have sustained the Jewish people despite pogroms, massacres, and expulsions -- from the destruction of the First Temple through the Holocaust to the eventual return to their homeland.

    Battle-scarred from 4000 years of violent conflict, the holy city is a sacred symbol of Judaism, Islam and Christianity and its religious wars of today reflect those of the past.

    literature/Jewish Studies, tr Rosmarie Waldrop

    His position as a Jewish leader and then as the Roman court historian during the reign of Vespasian ensured that his historical works would be read and preserved by Jews and Romans alike. His narrative is not a mere chronicle; it is, in the best historiographical tradition, an attempt to make events intelligible. He does what no other historian, Greek or Latin, could have done: He examines the past in order to elucidate the underlying origins of the war. Other works chronicling the war between the Jews and the Romans circulated at the time, but soon disappeared without a trace. We know of them only because of Josephus' irritation with their inaccuracies and prejudices. Josephus, unlike the other writers, was present during the war, not as a mere bystander, but as a participant in the negotiations. The Romans employed him as an ambassador between themselves and the Jews, in the hope that Josephus could quell his people's passionate uprising. As our only eyewitness to these events, Josephus will remain important. But for his role as a Jew working with the Roman army, he will remain forever controversial. Whether Josephus was a traitor or a wise man who tried to salvage the Jewish kingdom is a question that modern historians still argue. In 1937 a group of law students in Antwerp reopened the case of Flavius Josephus, and after a mock trial found him guilty of "treason." In 1941, in the midst of the Second World War, a group of young resistance fighters who were strong supporters of Zionism reacting as French and Jewish patriots accused Josephus of "collaboration." Today, Josephus' works are read more widely in Israel than in any other country. Archaeology, Israel's "national sport," could not do without him. Caesarea, Sepphoris, Gamala, Masada, and the Jerusalem of the

    Now, its author, Stephen Wylen, performs a genuine service by updating his critically acclaimed text for the 21st century. Settings of Silver, Second Edition, reflects the changes in the political structure of Eastern Europe and other recent events, while retaining its accessibility, easy-to-understand language, and compactness. In four sections, the author covers the history of Judaism. Section One includes basic beliefs, what it means to be a Jew, the role of Torah, and the Jewish view of God. Section Two covers faith, practices and customs, including holydays, marriage and family law and ritual, dietary laws, and beliefs surrounding death and the afterlife. Section Three is a history of Judaism, from its foundations to the early part of the 20th century, with a look to mysticism, literature, philosophy and daily life in the Jewish community. In Section Four the author continues the history of Judaism up to the present day, including the Holocaust, the State of Israel, the effects of modernism on Judaism, and the future of Judaism. Engaging, timely, and appropriate for persons of all religious backgrounds, this enduring work belongs in the library of anyone (Jews included) who wants to understand Judaism and the Jewish people.

    Designed expressly for the widest possible variety of interests and professions—for students, teachers, travelers, and home and office libraries—this dictionary is derived from the eight-volume Dictionary and Thesaurus of the Hebrew Language by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda. In this dictionary you will find over 30,000 vocabulary entries, alphabetically arranged, a thorough and accessible explanation of grammar, including tables of irregular verbs, keys to proper pronunciation, abbreviations, up-to-date technical terms, examples of idiomatic usage, tables of numerals, weights, measures and currency, and much more.

    This edition is reprinted from the 1859 English edition, with a more recent introduction by R. Laird Harris, Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary.

    anthology of Jewish lit, tr Rothenberg/Lenowitz

    Isaiah Tishby's classic and definitive Wisdom of the Zohar makes the world of the Zohar available to the English-speaking reader in all its complexity and poetry. The extended extracts are arranged by topic, each section being prefaced by introductory explanations and accompanied by copious notes. There is also a General Introduction on the complex symbolism of the Zohar and on its historical and literary background. The scholarly value of David Goldstein's acclaimed translation is enhanced by an index expanded to include references to passages cited in the introduction and notes, and by the addition of a subject index and an index of biblical references.

    

    Culled from traditional sources-the Bible, Talmud, Midrash, hasidic texts, and oral folklore-and retold in modern English by Ellen Frankel, these stories represent the brightest jewels in the vast treasure chest of Jewish lore. Beautifully clothed in contemporary language, these classic tales sparkle with the gentle and insightful humor of the Jewish folk imagination. And like so much of Jewish literature, these stories abound in allusions to classic Jewish texts. Biblical cadences, phrases from the prayer book, and ideas from Jewish proverbs and heroic legends resonate in the air when these tales are read or told aloud. In The Classic Tales, history sheds its dust to become as intimate as family memory. While the breadth and depth of this book make it completely unique, three special features also help distinguish it: God appears without gender (though certainly not without personality); women characters, so often nameless in the original biblical text, wear their midrashic names (e.g., Noah's wife Naamah, Abraham's mother Amitlai, Lot's wife Edith); and many tales of Sephardic origin have been included to correct the common American bias toward Eastern European sources. What's more, this volume has been uniquely designed to be of use to educators, rabbis, parents, and students. It features a chronological table of contents as well as six separate indexes?arranged by Jewish holidays, Torah and Haftorah readings, character types, symbols, topics, and proper names and places-to make the tales easily referenced in a wide variety of ways. Anyone who needs a story to inspire a child, to illustrate a point, to develop a sermon, or just to uplift his or her own thirsting soul will find just the right one in The Classic Tales.

    Each major topic is prefaced by a specially written introduction, as is the volume as a whole, thereby integrating the material and focusing it on minority group concerns. Joshua Fishman's well-known dedication to worldwide cultural democracy and cultural pluralism, not only as moral imperatives but as empirical assets, shines through all of these selections and unifies them philosophically as well as scientifically.

    He has a telling eye for detail and a crisp style that moves us through forced desert marches and perilous parachute jumps. He creates a context to understand both the native-born Israeli and the immigrant, as well as the plight of the Palestinians pressed to serve in the Intifada. This is not an account of high-level Middle East diplomacy, done so well in Thomas Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem but one of individuals caught in the troubling context of Middle East politics.

    I attempt to argue, below, however, that the failure of this method in the hands of Montefiore, Schweitzer, and others was due to an underestimation of the complex nature of first-century Judaism. When the Judaisms of late antiquity are allowed a voice in the debate on Paul, Paul appears as less a renegade than a reformer. . . . ""The argument below must not be taken to conclude that there was no discontinuity between Paul and Judaism. It is only an attempt to show that in his basic attitude toward the law Paul stands in continuity with parts of the Hebrew scriptures and with many Jewish contemporaries."" --from the Preface Frank Thielman is professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University where he has taught New Testament for nearly twenty years. He is the author, among other books, of Paul and the Law: A Contextual Approach, The Law and the New Testament: The Question of Continuity, and Theology of the New Testament: A Canonical and Synthetic Approach.

    3 3/4" x 5 3/4" .