Judaism

An accessible and fascinating exploration of the Torah The Torah For Dummies, 2nd Edition is an easy-to-follow and insightful guide to the first five books of the Hebrew bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. This helpful resource walks you through the foundations of Jewish tradition, religion, and theology, explaining Judaism's rich and ancient history and how it is interpreted...

Unlock the wisdom, guidance, and spiritual insight of the Talmud The Talmud For Dummies introduces you to the Jewish guidebook on life and the overall cornerstone text of Judaism, the Talmud. This easy-to-understand book makes the Talmud's 63 volumes approachable, so you can deepen your understanding of Jewish teachings. You'll learn about what the Talmud is, get guidance on how...

Your plain-English guide to Judaism Whether you're interested in the religion or the spirituality, the culture or the ethnic traditions, Judaism For Dummies explores the full spectrum of Judaism, dipping into the mystical, meditative, and spiritual depth of the faith and the practice. In this warm and welcoming book, you'll find coverage of: Orthodox Jews and breakaway denominations; Judaism as...

Ivan Strenski debunks the common notion that there is anything "essentially" Jewish in Durkheim's work. Seeking the Durkheim inside the real world of Jews in France rather than the imagined Jewishness inside Durkheim himself, Strenski adopts a Durkheimian approach to understanding Durkheim's thought. In so doing, he shows for the first time that Durkheim's sociology (especially his sociology of religion)...

The golden age of Jewish humour flourished in the second half of the twentieth century, enjoyed by Jews and non-Jews alike, but its twilight years are now in sight. Telling jokes has the potential to reaffirm community once religion, political loyalties and victimhood are stripped away: from the 1960s on, a unique cultural dynamism bound up in these jokes reminded...

Ever since Plato's Republic, Jewish scholars, thinkers, and popularisers have contributed notably to this genre. Strikingly few have turned their attention to the history of Jewish leaders—that is, leaders specifically of the Jewish people—in particular. And yet, there has been no lack of such outstanding figures, from the biblical period of Jewish sovereignty in the Holy Land, once again in...

Shlomo Sand was born in 1946, in a displaced person’s camp in Austria, to Jewish parents; the family later migrated to Palestine. As a young man, Sand came to question his Jewish identity, even that of a "secular Jew." With this meditative and thoughtful mixture of essay and personal recollection, he articulates the problems at the centre of modern Jewish...

A groundbreaking Jewish feminist short story collection. Short story collections focusing on Jewish writers have typically given women authors short shrift. This new volume represents the best Jewish feminist fiction published in Lilith Magazine and does what no other collection has done before in its geographic scope. It showcases a wide range of stories offering variegated cultures and contexts and...

The story of the hardest-fought air war of the jet era, where highly trained Israeli air forces almost met their match against Egypt and Syria's high-tech MiGs and missiles. The Yom Kippur War 1973, also known as the October War of 1973, was perhaps the most intensive and savage air war in history. It pitted more than 300 Israeli combat...

In War Against the Jews: How to End Hamas Barbarism, Alan Dershowitz—#1 New York Times bestselling author and one of America's most respected legal scholars—explains why the horrific attack of October 7 and Israel's just response changes everything. It has changed the relationship between Israel and the United States, especially with regard to the possibility of direct American intervention. It...

Isaac Deutscher is widely recognised as one of the foremost political biographers of the twentieth century. His full-scale studies of Trotsky and Stalin, translated into many world languages, have played a major role in elucidating the character and fate of the Russian Revolution. He died on 19 August 1967, at the height of his powers. From his papers, his widow,...

How Jewish responses during the Holocaust shed new light on the dynamics of genocide and political violence. Focusing on the choices and actions of Jews during the Holocaust, Ordinary Jews examines the different patterns of behaviour of civilians targeted by mass violence. Relying on rich archival material and hundreds of survivors' testimonies, Evgeny Finkel presents a new framework for understanding...

The terrorist massacre committed by Hamas against innocent Israelis on October 7, 2023, brought great trauma to the State of Israel. But it also has brought great clarity. It is this clarity that tells us we must try something new. It is this clarity that tells us Israel must plan its future on its own and not obsess about what...

Nazi Germany and the Jews by Saul Friedlander is a historical masterpiece that offers perhaps the richest examination of the Holocaust yet written. Crucially, it never loses sight of the experiences of individuals while discussing Nazi politics, the terrible statistics, and the technological and administrative sophistication of the Final Solution. The book's first part, dealing with the National Socialist campaign...

Exploring American Jewish History through 50 Historic Treasures offers students and general readers new perspectives on the rich complexity of Jewish experiences in America. As one of America's most fascinating and enduring minorities, American Jews have played key roles in every era of American history and every region of the country. The 50 treasures are depicted in full colour and...

The much-dissected Pew Research Center study of 2013, "A Portrait of Jewish Americans," revealed that most U.S. Jews locate their Jewishness in their ancestry and culture, not in religion. Abigail Pogrebin wondered if perhaps that's because we haven't all looked at religion closely enough. Although she grew up following some holiday rituals, Pogrebin realised how little she knew about their...

An essential introduction to Josephus's momentous war narrative, The Jewish War is Josephus's superbly evocative account of the Jewish revolt against Rome, which was crushed in 70 CE with the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. Martin Goodman describes the life of this book, from its composition in Greek for a Roman readership to the myriad ways...

The Jewish Cookbook is an inspiring celebration of the diversity and breadth of this venerable culinary tradition. A true fusion cuisine, Jewish food evolves constantly to reflect the changing geographies and ingredients of its cooks. Featuring more than 400 home-cooking recipes for everyday and holiday foods from the Middle East to the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa — as well...

A CHRISTMAS CAROL meets THE HATING GAME at Hanukkah, in this romcom about a jaded Jewish television producer who is visited by the eight heartbreaks of Hanukkah past after she's forced to work with her ex-husband on a live action musical of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. A charming and festive second chance romance with a Jewish spin on A Christmas Carol!...

This fierce memoir is both an elegy and an indictment. Marcel Liebman's account of his childhood in Brussels under the Nazi occupation explores the emergence of his class consciousness against a background of resistance and collaboration. He documents the internal class war that has long been hidden from history: how the Nazi persecution exploited class distinctions within the Jewish community,...

Celebrating the Jewish festival of lights with over 100 stickers. Gather round the table to light the menorah—it's time to celebrate the eight days of Hanukkah. Discover the food, songs, games, and more for the Jewish festival of lights—not to mention all the presents and Hanukkah gelt, with stickers. Explore the spirit of the festival with Little First Stickers Hanukkah...

In 1492, Spain is held in a firm grip by the Inquisition. Per decree, an announcement is made that all Jews have to leave the country, leading to a large exodus. Fifteen-year-old Yonah is left on his own after his brother and father are killed. Instead of converting to Christianity or fleeing, he decides to stand firm by his faith...

Jewish Noir II is a unique collection of twenty-three all-new stories (and one reprint) by both Jewish and non-Jewish literary and genre writers. This collection includes numerous award-winning authors such as Gabriela Alemán, Doug Allyn, Rita Lakin, Rabbi Ilene Schneider, E.J. Wagner, and Kenneth Wishnia, with a foreword by MWA Grand Master Lawrence Block. The stories explore issues like the...

Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights is a Little Golden Book edition of the story of Hanukkah—a great holiday read-aloud for the whole family! It's Hanukkah time! Preschoolers will learn all about how people celebrate Hanukkah—from eating latkes, spinning dreidels, and lighting the menorah. And they'll also learn why they celebrate—from the destruction of the Temple, the bravery of the Maccabees,...

A lively picture book celebrating holiday traditions, the patience of parenting, sibling relationships, and children's fondness for pyjamas, along with a fun, read-aloud, new book to help everyone celebrate the holiday together—whether in or out of pajamakkahs. When Ruthie receives pajamakkahs for Hanukkah, she loves them so much she refuses to take them off for all eight nights. But as...

Discover the celebration of Hanukkah with this bright, interactive lift-the-flap book! Featuring simple text, gorgeous illustrations, and satisfying lift-the-flaps, First Festivals: Hanukkah explores common Hanukkah traditions and helps young children understand the importance of this special holiday. Lift the flaps to reveal the menorah, look inside a synagogue, and see what yummy treats are being cooked in the kitchen.

Learn why and how Jewish people celebrate Passover with this beautifully illustrated Little Golden Book! Learn why and how Jewish people celebrate Passover with this beautifully illustrated Big Golden Book! Celebrate Passover by reading about how Moses helped lead the Israelites to freedom. In addition to the story of Passover, which includes the Ten Plagues, the Burning Bush, and the...

This collection from one of the great writers of Europe's Jewish diaspora shows the heat of individual passions blazing out against the levelling forces of history. In stories that move back through time from the First World War to Ancient Rome, we encounter heroes and bookworms, visionaries and gadabouts, patriarchs and rebel children—all tied together across the centuries by their...

A New York Times bestseller! A brilliantly modern take on Jewish culinary traditions for a new generation of readers, from a bright new star in the culinary world. When you think of Jewish food, a few classics come to mind: chicken soup with matzo balls, challah, maybe a babka if you’re feeling adventurous. But as food writer and nice Jewish...

A multi-award-winning journalist and former editor-in-chief of a major Australian newspaper searingly explores his Jewish identity at a time when a substantial—and growing—part of the left is opposed to the very existence of Israel as a Jewish state. Born in a displaced persons' camp two years after the end of the Holocaust, Michael Gawenda spent his childhood and teenage years...

A truly major work, both deeply moving and incredibly powerful. It is a masterpiece of research, structure and writing ... unforgettable. Sir Antony Beevor, bestselling author of Stalingrad In 1938, Vienna was the second largest Jewish city in Europe. By 1946, only a few thousand Jews remained. In this extraordinary story of loss, fear, longing, and hope, acclaimed historian Douglas...

Each of the major Jewish holidays and festivals includes special traditions and customs. In the autumn, people eat apples dipped in honey to celebrate the new year's sweetness on Rosh Hashanah. Glowing candles are an important symbol during the eight-day winter holiday of Hanukkah. In the spring, five special foods are eaten at Passover. Clear text and vibrant photos help...

Find out all about the world of Judaism in this friendly first look at religion. A World of Faiths: Judaism takes a positive and celebratory look at Judaism, exploring how it began, its core beliefs, ways of worship, important festivals and more. Friendly, accessible text is complemented by a bright, colourful design and images that show Judaism in the real...

The Babylonian Talmud, or Bavli, stands as one of the central pillars of Jewish intellectual, cultural, and religious life. But what, precisely, is this monumental and heterogeneous compilation? How was it formed, redacted, and transmitted? Who composed it and for what purpose? How was it shaped by its broader cultures and historical period? How was it received and re-conceived by...

The first comprehensive history of how Jews became citizens in the modern world. For all their unquestionable importance, the Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel now loom so large in modern Jewish history that we have mostly lost sight of the fact that they are only part of—and indeed reactions to—the central event of that history: emancipation....

Horrific scenes of anti-Jewish violence in Europe filled the newsreels in American theatres in the 1930s and 1940s. What could be done to make sure it didn't happen in America? One Jewish organisation hit upon a remarkable idea — to enlist some of America's most beloved cartoonists to wage a war on bigotry. Cartoonists Against Racism uncovers the secret campaign...

‘…detailed and fair.’ - The Spectator‘An exhaustive, impressive achievement.’ - The Tablet As a minority, Jews in Britain are confident, their institutions competent and mature. And yet within Jewish life in Britain, there is a pervading sense of anxiety. Jews in Britain have risen to the top of nearly every profession; they run major companies, sit at the top tables...

‘…detailed and fair.’ - The Spectator ‘An exhaustive, impressive achievement.’ - The Tablet As a minority, Jews in Britain are confident, their institutions competent and mature. And yet within Jewish life in Britain there is a pervading sense of anxiety. Jews in Britain have risen to the top of nearly every profession. They run major companies, sit at the top...

Since the late nineteenth century, New Testament scholars have operated on the belief that most, if not all, of the narrative parables in the Synoptic Gospels can be attributed to the historical Jesus. This book challenges that consensus and argues instead that only four parables—those of the Mustard Seed, the Evil Tenants, the Talents, and the Great Supper—can be attributed...

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In Peter Beinart's view, one story dominates Jewish communal life: that of persecution and victimhood. It is a story that erases much of the nuance of Jewish religious tradition and warps our understanding of Israel and Palestine. After Gaza, where Jewish texts, history and language have been deployed to justify mass slaughter and starvation,...

How modern Yiddish children's literature gave expression to emerging forms of Jewish identity As migration carried Yiddish to several continents during the long twentieth century, an increasingly global community of speakers and readers clung to Jewish heritage while striving to help their children make sense of their lives as Jews in the modern world. Miriam Udel traces how the stories...

A celebrated novelist and an acclaimed historian of ideas, father and daughter, unravel the chain of words at the core of Jewish life, history, and culture. Why are words so important to so many Jews? Novelist Amos Oz and historian Fania Oz-Salzberger roam the gamut of Jewish history to explain the integral relationship of Jews and words. Through a blend...

An illustrated edition of the Hebrew Bible - from Genesis to the writings of the prophets From Genesis to the writings of the prophets, all the key stories from the Hebrew Bible are beautifully and clearly told in this refreshed edition of the popular Children's Illustrated Jewish Bible. The book features all the key characters and tells their stories- Adam...

This first of a two-volume work provides a new understanding of Western subjectivity as theorised in the Augustinian Rule. A theopolitical synthesis of Antiquity, the Rule is a humble, yet extremely influential example of subjectivity production. In these volumes, Jodra argues that the Classical and Late-Ancient communitarian practices along the Mediterranean provide historical proof of a worldview in which the...

Introducing a new line of stationery products from Tablet magazine, featuring photographs and illustrations from the acclaimed 100 Most Jewish Foods. In The Jewish Foods Memory Game, players will match bagel to bagel and lox to lox, learning the Hebrew words of the foods as they go.

WINNER OF THE JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL'S NATAN NOTABLE BOOK AWARD Experience the Talmud in a fresh way with recipes and stories that nourish the body and spirit. Feeding the Women of the Talmud, Feeding Ourselves produces true food for thought by retelling the stories of sixty-nine women in the Talmud and honouring them with vegan or plant-based recipes. Enjoy sixty-nine...

Jewish Holidays All Year Round by Ilene Cooper is beautifully illustrated, featuring artwork and photographs from the Jewish Museum. The visuals are complemented by drawings from Elivia Savadier, enriching the content and providing a visual journey through the featured holidays. This captivating book offers insights into the rich traditions and cultural significance of Jewish holidays, making it both an educational...

Originally published in 1896 as Der Judenstaat, The Jewish State has taken its place among the likes of The Communist Manifesto and Common Sense as polemic writings which have changed modern history. Theodor Herzl's advocacy for a separate, independent Jewish state as a remedy for centuries of hostility and persecution served as the basis for modern Zionism. Although his vision...