Rabbi Sherman Recommends: This book is concise, informative, and down-to-earth. It answers questions both Jews and non-Jews ask about Jewish practices. My students at Phillips Theological Seminary find this book to be very helpful.

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Product Description

Completely revised and reorganized, this guide to the traditions, beliefs, and practices of Judaism--for both Jew and non-Jew--tackles a wide range of subjects in a question-and-answer format. Ideal for conversion students, interfaith couples, and congregants seeking answers to essential day-to-day issues.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31458 in Books
• Published on: 1996-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 306 pages

From Library Journal
Kertzer, who died in 1984, wrote the first edition of this book in 1953. He revised it three times, most recently in 1978. Now his nephew, also a rabbi and professor at the Hebrew Union College, has revised the book again. Originally intended to "guide non-Jews to a better understanding of their fellow Jewish Americans" as well as to "enable Jews themselves to rediscover forgotten roots of tradition and belief," the book still serves this purpose admirably, addressing all of the traditional questions: What in general do Jews believe? What are Orthodox Jews? What is Torah? Also addressed are newer concerns: What is the Jewish attitude toward feminism? According to Judaism, do animals have rights? Why do Jews persist in remembering the Holocaust? About half the material in this revised edition is new; the entire book is written from a calmly instructional, nonevangelical viewpoint and in an engaging style that will appeal to young people and old, Jews and non-Jews. Highly recommended for all public and school libraries.
- Marcia Welsh, Guilford Free Lib., Ct.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Customer Reviews

G O O D.......I N F O............M I S L E A D I N G......T I T L E
This is a neat little book. It explains not only the major
rituals and holidays in Judaism, but also WHY these holidays
and rituals occur. It also explains what has happened to
these rituals and holidays through the centuries. For instance,
there is a Biblical prohibition against shaving....yet all but
the very, very, very, very Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men DO shave.
The reason for this is that "shaving" has become synomous with
using a RAZOR. When electric shavers came along, many Jewish
men, wanting to appear less conspicuous in their lives,
decided they COULD shave....with electric razors! As the
author says, "the prohibition against shaving has virtually been
re-interpreted out of existance."

I heartily recommend this book -- for Jewish people who want
to know more about their heritage, for open-minded non-Jews who are curious about what Judaism really is, and for anti-Semites, (yes!)
....because, between the covers of this book, they will learn
the gentleness and wisdom which comprise REAL Judaism. (A
reader may not agree with everything in this book..but he or
she will certainly come away with more Respect for Judaism as
a religion!)

The one misnomer in this book is it's TITLE. It would be far
more accurate for this book to be named: "What is Judaism"?
To ask,"What is A Jew?", both "super-semites" and "anti-semites"
have wrong answers. "Super-Semites", (or, as I sometimes call them, "Professional Jews" -- because Judaism seems to be all they want
to "profess"!), seem to think Jews are almost another species....and
a better one, than other people. "Anti-Semites" think the same...
only they, of course, think Jews are far, far worse than other
people. (It is one thing to love your religion, and your ancestry, and find comfort and joy in them. It is quite another to feel superiour, in any way, because of that religion and/or ancestry! This for anyone, in my opinion, Gentile or Jew!) Indeed, both of these views, in my own opinion, and that of my Rabbi, when I was growing up....are totally, completely
wrong. "Jews are no better, and no worse, than anyone else. One God created everyone. This is to show that everyone is equal before the eyes of God",
So said my Rabbi. And my parents. And I agree.

"What is a Jew"? The answer is obvious. A Jew is A Human Being!

Great as a quick reference, not intended for depth
This book is written in a unique, FAQ format: ask a question, get an answer. Questions like: do Jews believe in life after death, do Jews believe that Judaism is the only religion, etc. Therefore, it's EXTREMELY easy to find the answer you're looking for; simply find your question in the list and jump to that page. That said, the answers are very to the point and don't go into very much depth. If you're looking for an in-depth understanding of Judaism, get Kushner's "To Life!". However, if you're looking for a quick reference or just a quick overview of Jews, this is a great book (especially for the price).

If your only going to own one book on Judaism...
This is undoubtedly the best general intro to Judaism that I have come across. One important advantage of this book is that it covers in detail the views of all three branches of Judaism...Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. Another popular book on Judaism, Joseph Telushkin's Jewish Literacy is written strictly from an Orthodox perspective and therefore gives a much more limited, unyielding view of the Jewish faith than is really representative based on the overall population Since around 85% of Jews (according to a recent survey) consider themselves Conservative or Reform, it's very important to get the full views of the different branches before jumping in with Orthodox statements about homosexuality, the ordination of women, or other topics as if these views are shared by all Jews.

This book is organized in an easy question and anwer format and gives enough information without getting bogged down in too much detail on any one topic. This is the fourth revision since it's original publication in 1953 and reflects recent scholary research and re-appraisals.