In this new collection of essays, contemporary historians examine the ways earlier historians have framed, written, and "made" the Jewish past. Probing the ideology and methodology of their professional predecessors, American and Israeli historians offer new perspectives on some of the central figures of twentieth-century Jewish historiography, including Gershom Scholem, S. D. Goitein, Yitzhak Baer, Elias Bickerman, and Cecil Roth, as well as the Israeli "New Historians." Through their critical examinations of the construction of the Jewish past, the contributors to this volume develop important insights into current attitudes toward the dominant canons and ideals of historical scholarship and the future of historiography. They shine new light on the formation of a historical worldview and the "making" of history.

Danziger's biographical sketches of the primary figures in the ancient rabbinic Judaism continue to hold value and interest for today's readers. Written in engaging narrative style, these essays were among the earliest studies in America to reflect the traditions of German Jewish historical scholarship applied to the formative period of Judaism. His notes reflect a sound reading of Jewish sources. In particular, his chapters on Hillel, Akiva and Judah ha-Nasi illuminate how their sharpness of mind and strength of purpose forged the tools for Jewish survival during the next millennia.

Koheleth: The Man and His World is a book written by Robert Gordis that explores the philosophical and existential themes of the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, also known as Koheleth. The book of Ecclesiastes is known for its pessimistic tone and its exploration of the futility of human existence. Gordis delves into the historical and cultural context of the book, as well as its literary style and structure. He also analyzes the philosophical ideas presented in the book, such as the meaning of life, the nature of wisdom, and the inevitability of death. Throughout the book, Gordis provides his own interpretations and insights into the text, drawing on his extensive knowledge of Jewish tradition and philosophy. Koheleth: The Man and His World is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of one of the most fascinating and enigmatic books of the Hebrew Bible.Texts And Studies Of The Jewish Theological Seminary Of America, V19.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

From the bestselling author of The Red Tent and Good Harbor , a collection of intimate, autobiographical reflections on the milestones, revelations, and balancing acts of life as a wife, mother, friend, and member of a religious community. Before The Red Tent won her international literary acclaim, Anita Diamant was a columnist in Boston. Over the course of twenty years, she wrote essays that reflected the shape and evolution of her life, as well as the trends of her generation. In the end, her musings about love and marriage, birth and death, nature versus nurture, politics and religion—and everything from female friendships to quitting smoking—have created a public diary of the progress of her life that resonated deeply with her readers. Now, Pitching My Tent collects the finest columns of a writer who is a reporter by training and a storyteller by heart, all revised and enriched with new material. Personal, inspiring, and often funny, Pitching My Tent displays the warmth, humor, and wisdom that Diamant's legions of fans have come to cherish.

Few luminaries in Jewish history, particularly in modern times, have made such a lasting and profound contribution to our spiritual heritage as Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812). His works embrace the entire spectrum of Jewish thought - mysticism, philosophy, psychology, ethics and law - and represent an expression of unparalled creative genius.This richly detailed biography traces Rabbi Schneur Zalman's life from his childhood and formative years to his trials and triumph as a leader who revolutionized Jewish life. It reveals many hitherto unknown facts, and offers the reader considerable insight into his extraordinary strength of character. Vilified by many of his contemporaries and arrested by the Czar, Rabbi Schneur Zalman emerged victorious; today his teachings continue to inspire and vitalize Jewish life all over the world.

A followup to Beyond the Ashes. Fifteen gripping stories of people who have found healing through past-life recall of the Holocaust.

"A heartfelt account of how Rabbi Weinblatt confronts cancer after receiving this devastating diagnosis, this memoir traces his journey from beginning to end. It deals with his emotions, fears, and treatment and offers comfort, encouragement, and inspiration from a Jewish perspective. Using humor and coupling it with the wisdom of Jewish and Biblical sources as reflected in his sermons and other communications and writings, his words are a vehicle for sharing his experience and insights as he battles this disease. As a comforter to others, as well as a recipient of comfort, support, and love from family, friends, and members of his congregation, this book is also a valuable tool for clergy and health care professionals who interact with and counsel individuals in similar situations"--

When Luke Ford, the youngest son of a heretical Seventh Day Adventist theologian, converted to Judaism in 1992, he burned his pornography collection, but his curiosity about the forbidden did not disappear in the flames. In the fall of 1995, Ford began investigating the San Fernando Valley's hardcore industry. On his website www.lukeford.com, he broke stories about HIV-infection, Mafia control, and pay-for-placement porn journalism. As his name began showing up in the newspapers and his face on television, Ford received an ultimatum from his rabbi--give up investigating porn or give up the synagogue. XXX-Communicated: A Rebel Without a Shul explores the tensions between freedom and friends, faith and reason, reality and religion.

Part memoir, part commentary, Life on the Fringes charts a startling Jewish feminist journey both solitary and engaging. Haviva Ner-David draws us into the many facets of her life's story: a complex modern Orthodox childhood (including a battle with anorexia); adherence to a unique combination of Jewish observances; the emergence of her feminist commitments and support of gays and lesbians in Jewish life; a serious engagement with Jewish texts -- and now, studying for rabbinic ordination with an Orthodox rabbi in Israel, where Ner-David and her family have made their home. Over time, we see Ner-David take on both traditionally male practices -- donning a tallit and tefillin every day, wearing tzitzit at all times -- as well as those of traditional Jewish women -- covering her head, and observing in great detail the laws of niddah which govern a woman's separation from her husband in the days surrounding her menstrual period. Her personal wrestling and her halakhic analysis help us see Jewish tradition in new, more textured ways -- and lets us see new possibilities for our own lives. Writing with warmth, vision, and passion, Ner-David unwraps her often startling package of Jewish choices, inviting readers into her many worlds, even as she challenges us to examine and deepen our own allegiances and Jewish feminist journeys. No one who takes seriously the intersection of feminism and traditional Judaism will be able to ignore this book.

Jacob Neusner was a prolific and innovative contributor to the study of religion for over fifty years. A scholar of rabbinic Judaism, Neusner regarded Jewish texts as data to address larger questions in the academic study of religion that he helped to formulate. Jacob Neusner on Religion offers the first full critical assessment of his thought on the subject of religion. Aaron W. Hughes delineates the stages of Neusner's career and provides an overview of Neusner's personal biography and critical reception. This book is essential reading for students and scholars interested in Neusner specifically, or in the history of Religious Studies, Jewish Studies, and philosophy of religion more broadly.

Menaḥem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994) was the seventh and seemingly last Rebbe of the Habad-Lubavitch dynasty. Marked by conflicting tendencies, Schneerson was a radical messianic visionary who promoted a conservative political agenda, a reclusive contemplative who built a hasidic sect into an international movement, and a man dedicated to the exposition of mysteries who nevertheless harbored many secrets. Schneerson astutely masked views that might be deemed heterodox by the canons of orthodoxy while engineering a fundamentalist ideology that could subvert traditional gender hierarchy, the halakhic distinction between permissible and forbidden, and the social-anthropological division between Jew and Gentile. While most literature on the Rebbe focuses on whether or not he identified with the role of Messiah, Elliot R. Wolfson, a leading scholar of Jewish mysticism and the phenomenology of religious experience, concentrates instead on Schneerson's apocalyptic sensibility and his promotion of a mystical consciousness that undermines all discrimination. For Schneerson, the ploy of secrecy is crucial to the dissemination of the messianic secret. To be enlightened messianically is to be delivered from all conceptual limitations, even the very notion of becoming emancipated from limitation. The ultimate liberation, or true and complete redemption, fuses the believer into an infinite essence beyond all duality, even the duality of being emancipated and not emancipated--an emancipation, in other words, that emancipates one from the bind of emancipation. At its deepest level, Schneerson's eschatological orientation discerned that a spiritual master, if he be true, must dispose of the mask of mastery. Situating Habad's thought within the evolution of kabbalistic mysticism, the history of Western philosophy, and Mahayana Buddhism, Wolfson articulates Schneerson's rich theology and profound philosophy, concentrating on the nature of apophatic embodiment, semiotic materiality, hypernomian transvaluation, nondifferentiated alterity, and atemporal temporality.

"A young Jewish boy strolls through Vienna and witnesses acts of anti-Semitism during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. At night he dreams of a superhero, Judah Maccabee, who appears to defend Vienna's Jews. When he awakes, he knows there will be no Maccabean rescue and he weeps. Years pass, the boy, now an old man, returns to Vienna and sees the Jewish community and the Temple have been restored. He looks for the eternal light in his Temple and can't find it. Then suddenly it becomes clear to him: The light was there all the time; it was in his own heart"--

Presents the history of the early modern Jewish experience. Ranging from Krakow and Venice to Amsterdam and Smyrna, this title examines the historical and cultural factors unique to Jewish communities throughout Europe, and how these distinctions played out amidst the rest of society.

Rabbi Yonassan Gershom, vegetarian and lifelong pacifist, shares his best anti-war articles, thoughts, poems and memories from 40 years of peace activism. Includes his nonviolent Hanukkah service, "Eight Candles of Consciousness"; his anti-Kahane protest actions in the 1980s; essays on ecology and Judaism; why he supports gay rights; how he became a vegetarian; thoughts, essays, stories, prayers, anecdotes and quotes on peace. A fascinating retrospective, woven together in a personal style that combines good scholarship with easy reading. Accessible to both Jews and Gentiles, this anthology will forever change your ideas about Judaism and nonviolence.

Everyman's History of the Jews is a comprehensive overview of the Jewish people from ancient times to the modern era. Written by Sulamith Ish-Kishor, this book covers the major events, figures, and traditions that have shaped Jewish history and culture. The author explores the origins of Judaism, the Hebrew Bible, and the Jewish diaspora, as well as the impact of Jewish communities on world history. The book also delves into the challenges and triumphs of Jewish life, including the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel. With clear and concise writing, Everyman's History of the Jews is an accessible introduction to the rich and complex history of the Jewish people.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

With our American Philosophy and Religion series, Applewood reissues many primary sources published throughout American history. Through these books, scholars, interpreters, students, and non-academics alike can see the thoughts and beliefs of Americans who came before us.

A festschrift comprising ten contributions by British, American, and Israeli scholars assessing some of the most famous Jewish travelers, writers, and scholars and their contributions to understanding of the Islamic world. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)