Best of
Judaism

1989

Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith


Marvin R. Wilson - 1989
    This volume delineates the link between Judaism and Christianity, between the Old and the New Testament, and calls Christians to reexamine their Hebrew roots so as to effect a more authentically biblical lifestyle.As an introduction to the world of Hebrew thought, Our Father Abraham is biblical, historical, and cultural in nature. At the same time, the writing is personal and passionate, reflecting Marvin Wilson's own spiritual pilgrimage and his extensive dialogue with Jews. The book (1) develops a historical perspective on the Jewish origins of the church, (2) sets forth the importance and nature of Hebrew thought, (3) discusses how the church can become more attuned to the Hebraic mind-set of Scripture, and (4) offers practical suggestions for interaction between Jews and Christians. The study questions at the end of each chapter enhance the book's usefulness as a text and also make it suitable for Bible-study and discussion groups. All Christians--and Jews too--will profit from Wilson's sensible treatments of biblical texts, his thorough understanding of both the Christian and the Jewish faith, and his honest historical analysis of the general failure of the Christian church to acknowledge and understand its relation to Judaism.

Go My Son


Chaim Shapiro - 1989
    And he went. In this timeless, spell-binding autobiographical, Chaim Shapiro recounts his miraculous survival, a testament to G-d's Divine Providence that clearly sheltered him, enabling him to reach his destination. Dramatic, moving, and sometimes humorous, this riveting account of a young rabbinical student's trek across the globe inspires, enriches, and uplifts.From frozen tundras to veritable battlefields, a young yeshivah student escapes certain death in this spine-tingling yet eminently upbeat story of survival, faith, and ingenuity. This is the true story of Chaim Shapiro's adventure-filed odyssey through both war-torn Europe and Asiatic Russia. The author describes his many dramatic, and sometimes humorous encounters, as he flees from the Nazis, in a vivid and engrossing personal memoir.

From the Book to the Book: An Edmond Jabès Reader


Edmond Jabès - 1989
    But what discoveries are made possible for the visitor! The new path permits him to see what no one other than himself could have perceived from that angle. All the more so because I am not sure that one can enter a written work without having forced one's own way in first." - from In Place of a Foreword

Does God Have a Big Toe?: Stories about Stories in the Bible


Marc Gellman - 1989
    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)

The Correspondence of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem, 1932-1940


Walter Benjamin - 1989
    Benjamin, acknowledged today as one of the leading literary and social critics of his day, was known during his lifetime by only a small circle of his friends and intellectual confreres. Scholem recognized the genius of his friend and mentor during their student days in Berlin, and the two began to correspond after Scholem's emigration to Palestine. Their impassioned exchange draws the reader into the very heart of their complex relationship during the anguished years from 1932 until Benjamin's death in 1940.

Jewish Book of Why - Boxed Set with The Jewish Book of Why and The Second Jewish book of Why


Alfred J. Kolatch - 1989
    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.

Narrative Art in the Bible


Shimon Bar-Efrat - 1989
    Many examples are provided to clarify the issues discussed as well as to shed fresh light on the narratives.

The Artscroll Tehillim


Nosson Scherman - 1989
    Pocket size: has Bircas HaMazon, Sheva Berachos, Tefillas HaDerech, and the Bedtime Shema.

Leviticus: The Traditional Hebrew Text With the New Jps Translation (J P S Torah Commentary)


Baruch A. Levine - 1989
    Each volume is the work of a scholar who stands at the pinnacle of his field. Every page contains the complete traditional Hebrew text, with cantillation notes, the JPS translation of the Holy Scriptures, aliyot breaks, Masoretic notes, and commentary by a distinguished Hebrew Bible scholar, integrating classical and modern sources. Each volume also contains supplementary essays that elaborate upon key words and themes, a glossary of commentators and sources, extensive bibliographic notes, and maps.

The Talmud, The Steinsaltz Edition: A Reference Guide (Steinsaltz Edition)


Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz - 1989
    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.

Crossing the Narrow Bridge: A Practical Guide to Rebbe Nachman's Teachings


Chaim Kramer - 1989
    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.

Settings of Silver: An Introduction to Judaism


Stephen M. Wylen - 1989
    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.

Rosh Hashanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come: A Messianic Interpretation of the Feast of Trumpets


Joseph Good - 1989
    His books, tapes, and speaking engagements are designed to reveal to bothe Jew and non-Jew the original intent of the scripture from their Hebraic form.

Hebrew/English Dictionary


Ben Yehuda - 1989
    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.

Exiled in the Word


Jerome Rothenberg - 1989
    anthology of Jewish lit, tr Rothenberg/Lenowitz

Wisdom of the Zohar: An Anthology of Texts


Isaiah Tishby - 1989
    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.

The Lost Prophet: The Book of Enoch and Its Influence on Christianity


Margaret Barker - 1989
    

Double Identity: A Memoir


Zofia S. Kubar - 1989
    

The Classic Tales: 4,000 Years of Jewish Lore


Ellen Frankel - 1989
    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.

The Joys of Yinglish: An Exuberant Dictionary of Yiddish Words, Phrases, and Locutions ...


Leo Rosten - 1989
    

One-Minute Jewish Stories


Shari Lewis - 1989
    One-Minute Jewish Stories retells 20 Jewish folk tales and Old Testament stories in a simple and succinct One-Minute format.

A Purity of Arms: An American in the Israeli Army


Aaron T. Wolf - 1989
    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.