Applying the laws of Shabbath observance to the innovations of modern life can be daunting and confusing. In response to this challenge, the classic Shemirath Shabbath Kehilchathah was compiled by Rav Yehoshua Y. Neuwirth. The complete English edition covers all aspects of Shabbos observance, with hundreds of practical applications and halachic rulings. This essential edition places proper Sabbath observance within every Jew's grasp. 3-volume gift-boxed set. Sold as a set only. (Individual volumes not sold separately.)

Not long ago, everyone knew that Judaism came before Christianity. More recently, scholars have begun to recognize that the historical picture is quite a bit more complicated than that. In the Jewish world of the first century, many sects competed for the name of the true Israel and the true interpreter of the Torah—the Talmud itself speaks of seventy—and the form of Judaism that was to be the seedbed of what eventually became the Christian Church was but one of these many sects. Scholars have come to realize that we can and need to speak of a twin birth of Christianity and Judaism, not a genealogy in which one is parent to the other. In this book, the author develops a revised understanding of the interactions between nascent Christianity and nascent Judaism in late antiquity, interpreting the two "new" religions as intensely and complexly intertwined throughout this period. Although the "officials" of the eventual winners in both communities—the Rabbis in Judaism and the orthodox leaders in Christianity—sought to deny it, until the end of late antiquity many people remained both Christians and Jews. This resulted, among other things, in much shared religious innovation that affected the respective orthodoxies as well. Dying for God aims to establish this model as a realistic one through close and comparative readings of contemporary Christian texts and Talmudic narratives that thematize the connections and differences between Christians and Jews as these emerged around the issue of martyrdom. The author argues that, in the end, the developing discourse of martyrology involved the circulation and exchange of cultural and religious innovations between the two communities as they moved toward sharper self-definition.

This book tells the story of the Dönme, the descendents of Jews who resided in the Ottoman Empire and converted to Islam along with their messiah, Rabbi Shabbatai Tzevi, in the seventeenth century. For two centuries following their conversion, the Dönme were accepted as Muslims, and by the end of the nineteenth century rose to the top of Salonikan society. The Dönme helped transform Salonika into a cosmopolitan city, promoting the newest innovation in trade and finance, urban reform, and modern education. They eventually became the driving force behind the 1908 revolution that led to the overthrow of the Ottoman sultan and the establishment of a secular republic. To their proponents, the Dönme are enlightened secularists and Turkish nationalists who fought against the dark forces of superstition and religious obscurantism. To their opponents, they were simply crypto-Jews engaged in a plot to dissolve the Islamic empire. Both points of view assume the Dönme were anti-religious, whether couched as critique or praise. But it is time that we take these religious people seriously on their own terms. In the Ottoman Empire, the Dönme promoted morality, ethics, spirituality, and a syncretistic religion that reflected their origins at the intersection of Jewish Kabbalah and Islamic Sufism. This is the first book to tell their story, from their origins to their near total dissolution as they became secular Turks in the mid-twentieth century.

A Jewish leader describes how to reinvigorate the Jewish community in North America, calling for acceptance of intermarried families and disengaged Jews, embracing of Jewish diversity, and openness to innovation and young leadership.

This substantially revised and updated edition of the 1985 classic is ideal for everyone who wants to know more about Judaism. Whether you are a long-time participant in the Jewish community, a newcomer or someone who has struggled to find a home in Jewish life, this introduction to Jewish thought and practice from a Reconstructionist perspective will offer inspiration and guidance. From Kaplan's belief through contemporary innovations, this engaging text explores Reconstructionist views on God, ethics, Zionism, spirituality, text study, Tikkun Olam, life cycle ritual, intermarriage, gay and lesbian issues... and more! A must-read.

In Augustine and the Jews, Fredriksen draws us into the life, times, and thought of Augustine of Hippo (396–430). Focusing on the period of astounding creativity that led to his new understanding of Paul and to his great classic, The Confessions, she shows how Augustine’s struggle to read the Bible led him to a new theological vision, one that countered the anti-Judaism not only of his Manichaean opponents but also of his own church. The Christian Empire, Augustine held, was right to ban paganism and to coerce heretics. But the source of ancient Jewish scripture and current Jewish practice, he argued, was the very same as that of the New Testament and of the church—namely, God himself. Accordingly, he urged, Jews were to be left alone. Conceived as a vividly original way to defend Christian ideas about Jesus and about the Old Testament, Augustine’s theological innovation survived the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, and it ultimately served to protect Jewish lives against the brutality of medieval crusades. Augustine and the Jews sheds new light on the origins of Christian anti-Semitism and, through Augustine, opens a path toward better understanding between two of the world’s great religions.

This book is a study of the Habad Hasidism movement, an influential part of the Hasidic Movement, which originated in the eigteenth century. Habad was founded by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1813) who established a Hasidic community in Belorussia and who set forth the new Habad doctrine in a book entitled Tanya (Likutey Amarim). This doctrine expounded the mystical ideas underlying the quest for God. Its essential innovation lay in the formulation of a religious outlook which concentrated upon perceiving the divinity: its essence, its nature, the stages of its manifestation, its characteristics, its perfection, its differing wills, its processes, the significance of its revelation and the possibilities of its perception. This conception generated a profound transformation of religious worship and was the cause of great controversy throughout the Jewish world.

Rabbi Cardin--writing as a religious leader, friend, neighbor, wife, mother, and daughter--guides us toward a fuller understanding of Judaism. She invites us to become weavers of tradition; to knit our personal stories together with those of our ancestors and our community; and to honor, savor, and celebrate the sacred in our lives. This important addition to the Jewish family library presents detailed explanations of each ritual, along with historical, cultural, and scriptural background. By describing traditional rites as well as contemporary innovations--the Passover seder and Miriam's Cup, baby-naming ceremonies and the practice of wrapping the newborn in a tallit--Rabbi Cardin shows how we can honor and add to our tradition. Supplementary margin notes offer: Examples of ethical wills Personal anecdotes Rabbinic stories, folk tales, and poetry Tips on addressing the December Dilemma Enhancing the volume are exquisite drawings by Ilene Winn-Lederer, a mini-prayerbook of blessings for home observance, and a 20-year calendar of Jewish holidays. Rabbi Cardin invites us to record details of our observance in Personal Weavings--favorite holiday recipes, family rituals, and prayers of the heart--so that the Jewish tradition may be renewed and enriched. The Tapestry of Jewish Time reflects a profound spirituality that inspires us all to contribute to the lush weave of Jewish life.

"Emancipation of European Jewry during the nineteenth century led to conflict between tradition and modernity, creating a chasm that few believed could be bridged. The emergence of modern traditionalism was fraught with obstacles. The essays published in this collection eloquently depict the passion underlying the disparate views, the particular areas of vexing confrontation and the hurdles faced by champions of tradition. The author identifies and analyzes the many areas of sociological and religious tension that divided the competing factions, including synagogue innovation, circumcision, intermarriage, military service and many others. With compelling writing and facile style, this illuminating work provides keen insight into the history and development of the various streams of Judaism and the issues that continue to divide them in contemporary times"--

The story of modern Orthodox Judaism is usually told only from the perspective of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. Ellenson’s work, a thorough examination of the life and work of one of Hirsch’s contemporaries, Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer, reveals another important contributor to the creation of a modern Jewish Orthodoxy during the late 1800s. like Hirsch, Hildesheirmer felt the need to continue certain traditions while at the same time introducing certain innovations to meet the demands of a modern society. This original study of an Orthodox rabbinic leader shows how Hildesheirmer’s flexible and pragmatic approach to these problems continues to be relevant to modern Judaism. The way in which this book draws upon response literature for its comprehension of Hildesheimer makes it a distinctive work in modern Jewish historiography and sociology.