Review by Booklist Review
The ongoing debate about the growing role of religion in American life raises another important issue: the urgent need to understand the beliefs and practices of each of the many religions in our multicultural society. This highly informative work covers the major elements of Jewish life, including life-cycle events (birth, bar and bat mitzvah, marriage, divorce, parenting, and death), the Sabbath and holidays, the synagogue, prayer, and the Bible and Jewish literature, among many other topics. In addition, the volume surveys a variety of other fascinating issues, including popular superstitions, attitudes toward specific foods and animals, the Israeli flag, and conversion to Judaism. Informative sidebars scattered throughout the book provide more specific information on a variety of Jewish practices and customs; a "Notes" section offers useful bibliographical references from each chapter to other pertinent works. The book concludes with a long bibliography, a list of weekly and holiday Torah readings, and an excellent keyword index. Although Seasons of Our Joy: A Handbook of Jewish Festivals 0 (Bantam, 1982) is more graphically pleasing, The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions 0 is a much more comprehensive work. The author has done a masterful job in distilling the major beliefs and practices of a 3,000-year-old religion into lively and informative prose and in creating an accessible, essential reference work. Highly recommended. --Donald Altschiller Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A number of different handbooks exist to help Jews observe the many holiday rituals and life cycle events required by Jewish tradition. Eisenberg, who is not a rabbi but rather a radiologist and a lawyer, produces a major volume that attempts to encompass all the rituals in one useful compendium. He begins with the traditions associated with the ages and stages of life from birth to death; moves to a consideration of Sabbath and festivals; and follows with a section on the synagogue and prayer. A segment on the Bible and rabbinic literature interrupts the discussion of rituals but it is then resumed by identifying prescribed daily activities (mitzvot). Before getting to the dietary laws and the role of food in Jewish tradition, Eisenberg deals with miscellaneous topics such as symbols, superstition and conversion. One appendix lists the Torah portions for weekly readings, holidays and special Sabbaths; a second sets forth the tractates of the Talmud and their topics. The presentation shows a great deal of research, and Eisenberg's behavioral prescriptions sensitively take into account differences among the various Jewish denominations. Like an encyclopedia, this is not a book to read from cover to cover. Instead, it is a handy and readable reference, based on the Jewish contention that creed follows deed and that behavior precedes belief. (Nov. 15) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
