Judaism Books
Cambridge University Press How Theology Shaped TwentiethCentury Philosophy
Book SynopsisMedieval theology had an important influence on later philosophy which is visible in the empiricisms of Russell, Carnap, and Quine. Other thinkers, including McDowell, Kripke, and Dennett, show how we can overcome the distorting effects of that theological ecosystem on our accounts of the nature of reality and our relationship to it. In a different philosophical tradition, Hegel uses a secularized version of Christianity to argue for a kind of human knowledge that overcomes the influences of late-medieval voluntarism, and some twentieth-century thinkers, including Benjamin and Derrida, instead defend a Jewish-influenced notion of the religious sublime. Frank B. Farrell analyzes and connects philosophers of different eras and traditions to show that modern philosophy has developed its practices on a terrain marked out by earlier theological and religious ideas, and considers how different philosophers have both embraced, and tried to escape from, those deep-seated patterns of thought.Trade Review'This wide-ranging and fascinating book should be required reading for anyone who is interested in placing twentieth-century philosophy in intellectual history, not just the history of philosophy.' John McDowell, University of PittsburghTable of ContentsAcknowledgments; Introduction: the thinning out of the world; 1. Empiricism and theology; 2. John McDowell: rejecting the defensive move inward; 3. Aristotle redivivus: on Saul Kripke; 4. Hegel, theology, and Pippin's reading of Hegel; 5. Walter Benjamin: incarnation or radical incommensurability?; 6. Rolling back the Protestant Reformation: Wittgenstein and Dennett; 7. McDowell (II): active and passive faculties and the theological framework; 8. Derrida, the religion of the sublime, and the messianic; 9. Literature today and the sublime absence of aesthetic experience; 10. Where do we go from here?; Bibliography; Index.
£30.99
Cambridge University Press Heidegger and His Jewish Reception
Book SynopsisOffering a breadth unmatched by any other study to date, this book deals with the intense Jewish engagement with Martin Heidegger's philosophy. It demonstrates that while his anti-Semitism made his Jewish reception inevitably fraught, no other philosopher has impacted and fomented twentieth century Jewish European thought more than Heidegger.Trade Review'… Through meticulous philological and textual control, and an acute theoretical sophistication, Daniel M. Herskowitz illumines the historical and conceptual frame of reference for the Jewish reception of Heidegger … Eschewing a simplistic political disavowal of Heidegger on account of his Nazi affiliation, the book demonstrates the complexity of thought and the need to look beyond platitudes to understand the depth of philosophical reflection. The book will most surely provoke discussion and stimulate further research into this important and timely topic.' Elliot R. Wolfson, Marsha and Jay Glazer Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara'Daniel M.Herskowitz does not avoid Heidegger's infamous antisemitism in his brilliant new book … in Heidegger and His Jewish Reception, Herskowitz shows that the German philosopher influenced an astonishingly wide array of twentieth century Jewish philosophers, theologians, and scholars.' Steven E. Aschheim, Jewish Review of Books'The book engages with an impressive range of immediate recipients of Heidegger … commendable work done in this text …' Deborah Casewell, Political Theology'This is a major work in Jewish intellectual history that will be of interest to a variety of scholars of religion who deal with secularization in its various forms.' Martin Kavka, Journal of the American Academy of ReligionTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Herkunft and Zukunft: Heidegger, Christianity, and secularization; 2. Kant's legacy and new thinking: Heidegger, Cassirer, and Rosenzweig; 3. A Christian anthropology? Early Jewish readings of Sein und Zeit; 4. Dwelling prophetically: Martin Buber's response to Heidegger; 5. The destruktion of Jerusalem: Leo Strauss on Heidegger; 6. God, being, pathos: Abraham Joshua Heschel's theological rejoinder to Heidegger; 7. Uprooting paganism: Emmanuel Levinas faces Heidegger; Conclusion. Which God will save us? Heidegger and Judaism.
£21.84
Palgrave MacMillan Us Decolonial Judaism Triumphal Failures of Barbaric Thinking New Approaches to Religion and Power
Book SynopsisIt argues that during the postcolonial and post-Holocaust era, Jewish thinkers in different parts of the world were influenced by Global South thought and mobilized this rich set of intellectual resources to confront the assimilation of normative Judaism by various incipient neo-colonial powers.Trade Review“Decolonial Judaism is both an intellectual tour-de-force and a pointed critique of the Jewish historical story presented primarily as a Western European event … . In the contemporary moment where colonialism still hovers in the background and decolonialism continues to chart a new and richer redirection in Western thought, Slabodsky’s Decolonial Judaism is an important contribution to this project.” (Steven Leonard Jacobs, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 43 (04), December, 2017)“This is an extraordinary book. It’s perhaps even ironic and poignant, given the rising antisemitism under a turn to the right in the USA, the UK, and France … . Slabodsky takes such problems head on through a creative and provocative synthesis of theories from the global south. … as this book shows, it should also do so at methodological levels, as the sources, approach, and modes of argumentation are fine exemplars of … the creolization of theory.” (Caribbean Philosophical Association Frantz Fanon Prize 2017 recipients, caribbeanphilosophicalassociation.org, January, 2017)Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Past Was Worse (and We Miss It) 1. Jewish Thought, Postcolonialism, and Decoloniality: The Geo-Politics of a Barbaric Encounter 2. The Narrative of Barbarism: Western Designs for a Globalized North 3. Negative Barbarism: Marxist Counter-Narrative in the Provincial North 4. Transitional Barbarism: Levinas's Counter-Narrative and the Global South 5. Positive Barbarism: Memmi's Counter-Narrative in a Southern Network 6. Barbaric Paradoxes: Zionism from the Standpoint of the Borderlands 7. After 9/11: New Barbarism and the Legacies in the Global South Epilogue: Duped by Jewish Suffering (Analectical Interjections)
£47.49
Palgrave MacMillan Us The Jewish Encounter with Hinduism Wisdom Spirituality Identity Interreligious Studies in Theory and Practice
Book SynopsisHinduism has become a vital 'other' for Judaism over the past decades. The book surveys the history of the relationship from historical to contemporary times, from travellers to religious leadership. It explores the potential enrichment for Jewish theology and spirituality, as well as the challenges for Jewish identity.Trade Review“This book by Alon Goshen-Gottstein is a wonderful contribution, as it comes at the right time – when awareness about pluralism and its effects is continuing to increase, especially in the Western context. … I feature this book because I found it enlightening.” (Lefrandy Praditya, Current Dialogue, Vol. 74 (5), December, 2022)'Alon Goshen-Gottstein is an important, world class pioneer in developing Judaism's approach to other religions. In this book, he gives us deeper insight into Hinduism and Judaism. This book will help enable readers to connect to and learn from one of the oldest religions in human history. Such understanding is essential to the credibility and standing of Judaism as a world religion.' - Irving GreenbergTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Situating the Project - Personal and Collective Dimensions 2. The Hindu-Jewish Encounter - The Present Context 3. The Jews of India - What Can We Learn from Them? 4. Sarmad the Jew - A Precursor of the Encounter 5. Judaism(s) and Hinduism(s) 6. Judaism and Hinduism - Insights from the Comparative Study of Religion 7. The Passage to India, The Quest for Spirituality 8. Saints - Encountering the Divine in Humanity 9. The Wisdom of India - Ancient Images and Contemporary Challenges 10. The Encounter Within: Hinduism and Configurations of Jewish Identity 11. The Encounter Becomes Official: Hindu-Jewish Summits 12. Hinduism and a Jewish Theology of Religions 13. Summary and a Personal Epilogue
£42.74
Taylor & Francis The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Jewish
Book SynopsisThe Routledge Handbook to Contemporary Jewish Cultures explores the diversity of Jewish cultures and ways of investigating them, presenting the different methodologies, arguments and challenges within the discipline. Divided into themed sections, this book considers in turn: How the individual terms Jewish and culture are defined, looking at perspectives from Anthropology, Music, Literary Studies, Sociology, Religious Studies, History, Art History, and Film, Television, and New Media Studies. How Jewish cultures are theorized, looking at key themes regarding power, textuality, religion/secularity, memory, bodies, space and place, and networks. Case studies in contemporary Jewish cultures. With essays by leading scholars in Jewish culture, this book offers a clear overview of the field and offers exciting new directions for the future.Table of ContentsPart 1: Defining Terms: Disciplinary Perspectives 1. Anthropology, Misha Klein 2. Music, Judah M. Cohen 3. Literary Studies, Marc Caplan 4. Sociology, Ben Gidley 5. Religious Studies, Andrea Lieber 6. History, Klaus Hödl 7. Art History, Samantha Baskind and Larry Silver 8. Film, Television, and New Media Studies, Nathan Abrams Part 2: Theorizing Contemporary Jewish Cultures 9. Power, Michael Rothberg 10. Textuality, Devorah Baum 11. Religious/Secular, Naomi Seidman 12. Memory, Nils Roemer 13. Bodies, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett 14. Spaces, Barbara E. Mann 15. Networks, Laurence Roth Part 3: Case Studies in Contemporary Jewish Cultures 16. "Jewface" and "Jewfaçade" in Poland, Spain, and Birobidzhan, S.I. Salamensky 17. Television Blackface: Jews, Race and Comedy in the UK and Australia, Jon Stratton 18. Mizrahi/Arab/Israeli/Queer: The Cultural Politics of Dana International, Ted Swedenburg 19. Jewish News Making: Imagining Audiences in the Turkish Public Sphere, Marcy Brink-Danan 20. The Idea of Yiddish: Re-globalizing North American Jewish Culture, Amelia Glaser 21. Yiddish and Multilingual Urban Space in Montreal, Sherry Simon 22. Pop, Piety, and Modernity: The Changing Spaces of Orthodox Culture, Abigail Wood 23. Seeing and Being in Contemporary Orthodox Jewish Dress, Jonathan S. Marion 24. Life Drawing: Autobiography, Comics, Jewish Women, Sarah Lightman 25. Playing with History: Jewish Subjectivity in Contemporary Lens Based Art, Rachel Garfield 26. Scoreboard: Sports and American Jewish Identities, David J. Leonard 27. Theorizing "Jewish Genetics": DNA, Culture, and Historical Narrative, Yulia Egorova 28. Jewish Spirituality and Late Capitalism, Ayala Fader
£47.49
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Journey of Deacon Bodo from the Rhine to the
Book SynopsisThe story of Bodo begins in the ninth century around the time of the death of Charlemagne in 814. It centres on a young Aleman aristocrat and his conversion to Judaism in 838, followed by his flight to the Muslim world of Al-Andalus. His apostasy constitutes an arresting footnote in the history of the Carolingian period, his change of faith viewed as a shocking episode attributed by some to an overly lax policy towards Judaism and its powerful merchants. Another factor could be ascribed to the study of Judaism and its links with Christianity, which was a feature of the time.Bodo moved from a monastery on the Rhine, where he went as a small boy, to the imperial court, where he was now a gifted young scholar groomed for a top position. His unexpected abandonment of Christianity challenged his background and learning, and this was seen as a rebuke of the court network to which he belonged. Bodo left behind a growing conflict over succession between the emperor, Louis the PiTrade Review‘Scholars interested in the nature of conversion in the early Middle Ages will find this book stimulating’ - Ruth Mazo Karras, Reading Religion'This erudite and engaging reconstruction of the life of Bodo/Eleazar situates its elusive protagonist at the intersection of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish worlds in flux, providing a sweeping account of the political and religious transformations of the ninth and tenth centuries and shedding new light on the meanings of inter-religious conversion' - Paola Tartakoff, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey'This is a nuanced and well-written study of Bodo/Eleazar, a ninth-century Christian convert to Judaism. As the first book dedicated to him and his journey from the Carolingian empire to the caliphate of Cordoba, it will be of great interest to scholars of medieval religious history, literature, and Jewish-Christian relations. Riess draws on a wide array of evidence, including archival documents, poetry, letters, and contemporary polemics to paint a fine-grained portrait of Bodo/Eleazar’s life and times. The richness of the historical account and attentive reading of relevant sources make this a valuable new study of an extraordinary yet overlooked figure' - Ryan Szpiech, University of MichiganTable of ContentsList of maps and plates; Acknowledgements; Permissions; List of abbreviations; Chronology of events; Overture; 1 God’s gift; 2 Father and sons; 3 The Messiah who never was; 4 What the emir saw; 5 Córdoba relics and the archbishop’s letter; 6 The Talmud and the Academy; 7 The answer of Maimonides and Judah Halevi; 8 Afterlives; Coda; Bibliography; Index
£128.25
Taylor & Francis Ltd Ethical Monotheism
Book SynopsisThe term Ethical Monotheism is an important marker in Judaism's tumultuous transition into the modern era. The term emerged in the context of culture-wars concerning the question of whether or not Jews could or should become emancipated citizens of modern European states. It appeared in arguments whether or not Judaism could be considered a Religion of Reasona symbolic, motivational representation of a universal morality, and in debates about whether or not Judaism could or should reform itself into a Religion of Reason. This book is both a decisive departure from such discussions and an attempt to add a further, post-modern, statement to their ongoing development. As departure, it refuses to take for granted a philosophical conception of Religion of Reason as the standard for Ethical Monotheism according to which Judaism was to be evaluated or reformed. As continuation, the book undertakes a phenomenology of Jewish modes of ethical religiosity that allowTable of ContentsIntroduction: Holistic Study of Judaism 1. The Tree of Knowledge: Limits of God’s Power Over Chaos 2. Afflictions of Love: Rabbinic Moral Psychology 3. Cosmological Halakha: Maimonides’s Ethico-Theology 4. Theosphic Torah: A Kabbalist Theory of Justice 5. Before the Law: Buber and Levinas - Totality vs Transcendence 6. Concluding Reflections Postscript: Can Judaism Become Archaic? Appendices
£128.25
Taylor & Francis Ltd Judaism
Book SynopsisThis newly revised all-encompassing textbook is a guide to the history, beliefs and practice of Judaism. Beginning with the ancient Near Eastern background, it covers early Israelite history, the emergence of classical rabbinic literature and the rise of medieval Judaism in Islamic and Christian lands. It also includes the early modern period and the development of Jewry in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Extracts from primary sources are used throughout to enliven the narrative and provide concrete examples of the rich variety of Jewish civilization.Specially designed to assist learning, Judaism: Introduces texts and commentaries, including the Hebrew Bible, rabbinic texts, mystical literature, Jewish philosophy and Jewish theology Provides the skills necessary to understand these step-by-step with the help of a companion website Explains how to interpret the major events in nearly four thousand years of Jewish Trade ReviewAlready an indispensable resource, this second edition of Judaism: History, Belief and Practice, with its outstanding clarity and comprehensive range, has a yet stronger claim to the status of core text for any student or general reader new to the serious study of Judaism. Melissa Raphael, University of Gloucestershire and Leo Baeck College, London.This Second and revised edition of Judaism: History, Belief and Practice is to be welcomed not only by those of us who teach survey courses in Judaism where this is the text for our students, but colleagues who now have at hand a ready and complete encyclopedic reference in one volume. Steve Jacobs, The University of Alabama, USATable of ContentsList of mapsList of figures Preface Tips for students Sources Acknowledgements Part I: History 1 Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization 2 The Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Civilization 3 Israelite Monotheism and Law 4 The Patriarchs 5 Exodus 6 Conquest and Settlement7 The Rise of Monarchy 8 Solomon and the Divided Monarchy 9 Kings of Israel and Judah 10 Jeroboam II to the Fall of the Northern Kingdom 11 Ahaz and Hezekiah 12 From Manasseh to Babylonian Captivity 6813 Aftermath of the Fall of Judah 14 Return and Restoration 15 The Rise of Hellenism 16 Judaism under Hellenism 17 The Kingship of Herod 18 Rebellion against Rome 19 The Rise of Christianity 20 Roman Jewish War and Aftermath 21 Jews in the Roman Empire 22 Jews in Babylonia 23 Rabbinic Scriptural Interpretation24 Rabbinic Theology 25 Judaism under Islamic Rule 26 Karaism 27 Jews in Muslim Spain and other Islamic Lands 28 Jewry in Christian Europe in the Middle Ages 29 The Jews in Christian Spain 30 Dispersion of the Marranos 31 Early Medieval Thought 32 The Philosophy of Maimonides 33 Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides 34 Rabbinic Mysticism 35 The Hasidei Ashkenaz 36 The Emergence of Kabbalah 37 Jews in the Ottoman Empire 38 The Shabbatean Movement 39 Jewry in Eastern and Western Europe 40 The Rise of the Hasidic Movement 41 The Status of Jewry in Europe 42 Jews in Eastern Europe 43 The Emergence of Jewish Thought in the Enlightenment 44 The Origins of Reform45 The Rise of Anti-Semitism 46 The Zionist Movement 47 Jews in the United States, Palestine, Africa and Asia 48 The Nazi Regime 49 The Death Camps 50 Jewry after the Holocaust 51 The State of Israel52 The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict53 The Ongoing Struggle54 Women in Modern Judaism55 Jews and Culture56 Jews in Medicine and Science57 The Future of JudaismPart II: Belief and Practice BELIEF58 The Unity of God 59 Divine Transcendence and Immanence 60 Eternity 61 Omnipotence and Omniscience 62 Creation 63 Providence 64 Divine Goodness 65 Revelation 66 Torah and Mitzvot 67 Commandments 68 Sin and Repentance 69 The Chosen People 70 The Promised Land71 Prayer 72 Love and Fear of God 73 Messiah74 The Afterlife PRACTICE75 Community Life 76 Jewish Education 77 The Jewish Calendar 78 Places of Worship 79 Worship 80 The Sabbath 81 Special Sabbaths 82 Pilgrim Festivals 83 New Year and Day of Atonement 84 The Days of Joy 85 Fasts 86 Life Cycle Events 87 Marriage 88 Divorce 89 The Home 90 Dietary Laws 91 Death and Mourning 92 Jewish Ethics 93 Conversion Glossary Reference Bibliography Judaism on the Internet Index
£45.59
St Martin's Press God Is Here
Book SynopsisToba Spitzer''s God Is Here is a transformative exploration of the idea of God, offering new paths to experiencing the realm of the sacred.Most of us are hungry for a system of meaning to make sense of our lives, yet traditional religion too often leaves those seeking spiritual sustenance unsatisfied. Rabbi Toba Spitzer understands this problem firsthand, and knows that too often it is traditional ideas of the deityhe''s too big, too impersonal, and too unbelievablethat get in the way. In God Is Here, Spitzer argues that whether we believe in God or fervently disbelieve, what we are actually disagreeing about is not God at all, but a metaphor of a Big Powerful Person that limits our understanding and our spiritual lives.Going back to the earliest sources for Judaism as well as Christianity, Spitzer discovers in the Hebrew Bible a rich and varied palette of metaphors for the divineincluding Water, Voice, Fire, Rock, Cloud, and even t
£20.69
Cambridge University Press JewishChristian Dialogues on Scripture in Late
Book SynopsisStories portraying heretics(''minim'') in rabbinic literature are a central site of rabbinic engagement with the ''other''. These stories typically involve a conflict over the interpretation of a biblical verse in which the rabbinic figure emerges victorious in the face of a challenge presented by the heretic. In this book, Michal Bar-Asher Siegal focuses on heretic narratives of the Babylonian Talmud that share a common literary structure, strong polemical language and the formula, ''Fool, look to the end of the verse''. She marshals previously untapped Christian materials to arrive at new interpretations of familiar texts and illuminate the complex relationship between Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity. Bar-Asher Siegal argues that these Talmudic literary creations must be seen as part of a boundary-creating discourse that clearly distinguishes the rabbinic position from that of contemporaneous Christians and adds to a growing understanding of the rabbinic authors'' familiarity wTrade Review'Michal Bar-Asher Siegal unpacks several narrative dialogues in the Babylonian Talmud that have been previously misunderstood or deemed unexplainable. By reading them on the background of Christian polemics, this study succeeds in resurrecting the lively debates tucked away in these brief stories. This book combines an engaging prose style, methodological rigor, and creative insight, to recreates a previously unknown world of Christian-Jewish polemics in Babylonia. These dialogues come alive for the first time in centuries thanks to Bar-Asher Siegal's careful analysis. I feel like she has uncovered the ruins of a city long buried and that we can now hear for the first time the voices of these ancient polemicists - both their overt attacks as well as their subtle jabs and sarcastic wit.' Richard Hidary, Yeshiva University, New York'A heretic approaches a rabbi and asks a question about Scripture. 'Fool' answers the rabbi, and then he wins the ensuing argument by a knockout. Who were the 'fools' and who had the Full Torah? How much did the Babylonian Talmud know about the burning issues of Christian biblical interpretation and theology? Of Christian readings of verses and motifs? Did the rabbis imagine themselves as participating in discussions on such matters? With Christians? Minim? Heretics? Perhaps with themselves? These are just a few of the questions which Michal Bar-Asher Siegal examines in this new and riveting work on literary contacts between rabbinic and Christian tradition in the Babylonian Talmud as seen through minim narratives and the lens of Christian writings.' Joshua Schwartz, Bar-Ilan University, IsraelTable of Contents1. Mimin stories in the Talmud: introductory discussion; 2. 'A fool you call me?': On insult and folly in Late Antiquity; 3. 'He who forms the mountains and creates the wind': Amos 4:13 and the Jewish-Christian argument in b. Ḥullin 87a; 4. 'Rejoice, O barren one who bore no child': Isaiah 54:1 and the Jewish-Christian argument in b. Berachot 10a; 5. 'The best of them is like a brier': Micah 7:4 and the Jewish-Christian argument in b. 'Eruvin 101a; 6. 'He has drawn off from them': Hosea 5:6 and the Jewish-Christian argument in b. Yevamot 102b; 7. Reflections.
£22.52
WW Norton & Co How the Talmud Can Change Your Life
Book SynopsisA witty and wide-ranging exploration of a book that has perplexed and delighted people for centuries: the Talmud
£22.49
Harper Perennial The Book of Separation A Memoir
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£14.24
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Religious Hatred
Book SynopsisWhy does religion inspire hatred? Why do people in one religion sometimes hate people of another religion, and also why do some religions inspire hatred from others?This book shows how scholarly studies of prejudice, identity formation, and genocide studies can shed light on global examples of religious hatred. The book is divided into four parts, focusing respectively on: theories of prejudice and violence; historical developments of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and race; contemporary Western antisemitism and Islamophobia; and, prejudices beyond the West in the Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions. Each part ends with a special focus section. Key features include: - A compelling synthesis of theories of prejudice, identity, and hatred to explain Islamophobia and antisemitism. - An innovative theory of human violence and genocide which explains the link to prejudice. - Case studies of both Western antisemitism and Islamophobia in history and today, alongside Trade ReviewHedges has written a remarkable book, which deserves to be widely read by students of religion, as well as by those who work in community relations. It is accessible and clearly written ... work of scholarship from an expert in interreligious relations. * Reviews in Religion and Theology *Paul Hedges offers a critical and multidisciplinary contribution to the perennial questions regarding the whence, whither, wherefore, and whereby of religious hatred ... Significantly, he connects antisemitism and Islamophobia together as forms of bias and prejudice (partially explainable through social identity theory). For this, and more, the book is highly commendable ... Indeed, I’ll be employing it in my own classes precisely because of how it opens us up to debate and critical exploration. * Journal of Interreligious Studies *Religious Hatred is an ambitious book ... No one volume attempting to weave together so much history in so many places can do everything, but Hedges is able to do quite a lot to enter into and further a conversation that, I hope, will remain at the forefront. With Islamophobia and antisemitism on the rise, work like this is crucial. * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *The book is written in straightforward and jargon-free language that makes it suitable for a course book but also relevant for senior scholars and the general public. It is carefully worded with elegant alliterative sentences, inviting the reader to stop and reflect. * TEMENOS: Nordic Journal of Comparative Religion *I believe the book to be of great worth ... I have learned a lot from it, and will undoubtedly return to it ... Overall, the book offers rich reward for taking the time to read it and think about it. * Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books *Hedges’ book is an excellent resource for educators and scholars hoping to have more nuanced and balanced discussions on the realities of Islamophobia and antisemitism. His book equips his readers with the resources they need not only to conceptually understand what prejudice, hatred and violence are as human phenomena, but also to respond to these challenges with deeper historical awareness and sensitivity. * Current Dialogue *Table of ContentsPart 1: Why do we Hate? Chapter 1: Race, Religion, Rhetoric: Theories of Prejudice and Othering Chapter 2: The Hatred unto Death: When Prejudice Becomes Killing and Genocide Special Focus: What is Religious Hatred? Part 2: Bridges from the Past Chapter 3: The Oldest Prejudice? Christian Anti-Semitism from the Gospels to Luther Chapter 4: Kafir and Turks: Christians and Muslims through History Chapter 5: Enlightenment, Citizenship, and Race: The Modern Hatred of Jews, Muslims and People of Colour Special Focus: Why did the Holocaust happen? Part 3: Contemporary Western Hatreds Chapter 6: The West’s Eternal Jewish Question? Politics, Anti-Semitism, and Holocaust Denial Chapter 7: “Why do they hate us?” and Why do we hate them? Contemporary Western Islamophobias Special Focus: Are Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia Connected? Part 4: Prejudice Beyond the West Chapter 8: From People of the Book to Enemies of Islam: Islamic Anti-Semitism and Palestine-Israel Chapter 9: Killing for the Buddha: Islamophobia in the Buddhist World Chapter 10: Hindus and the Fatherland: Hindutva as Hatred Special Focus: Can we Regulate Against Religious Hatred? Epilogue: The Good News: Dialogue, Civil Rights, and Peacebuilding Bibliography Index
£22.79
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Judaism in North America
Book SynopsisBeginning with an overview of Judaism in North America, this book presents a survey of the tradition, provides historical context, and addresses key contemporary issues. It covers the essential topics in the study of Judaism in North America including the major texts of Judaism, the Jewish life cycle, rabbinic literature, and the Jewish calendar.Key topics include Jewish identity and diversity, how Americans perceive Jews, and the rise of the Jewish GenZ. With over 50 illustrations throughout, each chapter contains suggested further reading and a glossary of key terms and concepts.The chapters in this book were first published in the digital collection Bloomsbury Religion in North America. Covering North America's diverse religious traditions, this digital collection provides reliable and peer-reviewed articles and ebooks for students and instructors. Learn more and get access for your library at www.theologyandreligiononline.com/bloomsbury-re
£18.04
Lulu.com The Kabbalah of Forgiveness
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£24.25
Lulu.com Jewish Theology
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£30.30
Edinburgh University Press Obligation in Exile
Book SynopsisCombining political theory and sociological interviews spanning four countries, Ilan Zvi Baron explores the Jewish Diaspora/Israel relationship and suggests that instead of looking at Diaspora Jews' relationship with Israel as a matter of loyalty, it is one of obligation.
£18.99
Xlibris Meor Einayim
£17.95
Xlibris Meor Einayim
£24.95
£27.54
£15.95
Scribner Book Company The Blessing of a B Minus Using Jewish Teachings
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£19.20
Simon & Schuster Judaism
£14.87
Simon & Schuster The Chosen Wars
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£17.10
Simon & Schuster The Blessing of a Skinned Knee Using Jewish
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£15.29
Trafford Publishing Integral Halachah
£18.60
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Prayer in the Writings of JeanJacques Rousseau
Book SynopsisThis book casts a new light on Rousseauâs personality and beliefs. Although the predominant thinkers of the time had a deistic outlook (God as distant and impersonal) and stressed rationalism and enlightenment, Rousseau stressed manâs moral and spiritual aspects and needs, including praying to a God who listens and may respond. In this book, Charles A. Spirn has collected the prayers Rousseau wrote, which are scattered throughout his writings, thus publishing his acclaimed dissertation. Rousseauâs beliefs are shown to be largely theistic, believing in a God who rules the world and has a personal, providential, and responsive relationship with humanity. He is increasingly seen as the most influential French thinker of the 18th century who challenged the great of his day. Both clergymen and laymen turned to him for guidance in spiritual and existential matters.
£60.39
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Lev Shestov
Book SynopsisIn Lev Shestov: Existential Philosopher and Religious Thinker, Michael Finkenthal explores the evolution of Lev Shestov's philosophical and religious intellectual contributions. The hermeneutical effort is mainly based on the Shestovian oeuvre, but his thought is considered in light of existential philosophies in their evolution from Pascal, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard to those of the twentieth century. Shestov's deconstruction of philosophy is discussed parallel to the analysis of the formation of his religious thought and its relevancy in the context of efforts by Buber, Rosenzweig, and Levinas to redefine Judaism.
£66.29
Peter Lang Publishing Inc My Share of Gods Reward
Book SynopsisMy Share of God's Reward refers to a quote from Ignatius of Antioch, speaking of the desired compensation for his impending martyrdom. The author investigates the roles and widely varying conceptions of the afterlife presented in early Christian martyrdom accounts and concludes that personal immortality is integral to the functioning of these texts, as the anticipated reward for a martyr's death. Accordingly, the very diverse conceptions of the afterlife presented in them are indicative of the frequently ignored theological diversity and experimental spirit prevalent in both early Christianity and late Second Temple Judaism. The discussion also incorporates a unique definition of martyrdom that recognizes the genealogical and developmental connections between Christian martyrdom and its antecedents.Trade Review«L. Arik Greenberg connects early Jewish and Christian martyrdoms closely with Graeco-Roman noble death traditions and offers a fresh analysis of the nexus of martyrdom and personal immortality.» (Jan Willem van Henten, University of Amsterdam) «L. Arik Greenberg has probed all the sources of Early Judaism and Early Christianity, as well as the necessary classical and hellenistic sources to offer a comprehensive view of ancient attitudes toward the noble death and martyrdom. It will serve students well for decades to come as a resource to understand ancient attitudes about martyrdom.» (James A. Sanders, Professor Emeritus, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University, California)
£66.29
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Romans 4 and the New Perspective on Paul
Book SynopsisAs the vigorous debate over the New Perspective on Paul will only be decided by means of careful consideration of the relevant Scripture passages, Romans 4 and the New Perspective on Paul makes a significant contribution to the discussion. Interpretations by scholars promoting the New Perspective approach are reviewed in detail and contrasted with those of scholars who are critical toward this method. A detailed analysis of the context and exegesis of Romans 4 completes the work. By suggesting a more nuanced exegesis of Romans 4, this book is able to offer a careful critique of the New Perspective while still noting the positive aspects of the latter approach.Trade Review«In Romans 4:4 Paul compares a ‘righteousness’ that might be attained through ‘the works of the law’ with the ‘wages’ that one earns through labour. The passage thus represents a difficulty for the New Perspective interpretation of Paul, in which ‘works of the law’ is understood instead as a reference to boundary markers and covenant membership. In this thorough and perceptive investigation, Gerhard H. Visscher draws attention to the weaknesses in various New Perspective readings of this verse and thus adds his voice to those that call for a new appreciation of old perspectives. This study is a helpful contribution to an ongoing debate.» (Terence L. Donaldson, Lord and Lady Coggan Professor of New Testament Studies, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) «No passage in the Pauline corpus is more crucial to a proper assessment of the ‘New Perspective on Paul’ than Romans 4. In his review of recent scholarship on the chapter, Gerhard H. Visscher makes an important addition to the current debate. But his careful exegesis makes its own original contribution as well, highlighting aspects of Paul’s argument that are significant though commonly overlooked.» (Stephen Westerholm, Professor of Biblical Studies, Department of Religious Studies, McMaster University)
£54.72
Peter Lang Publishing Inc The ShepherdFlock Motif in the Miletus Discourse
Book SynopsisThe Shepherd-Flock Motif in the Miletus Discourse (Acts 20:17-38) Against Its Historical Background provides a comprehensive survey of the use of the shepherd-flock motif in the ancient world for the readers of the New Testament. This review of Ancient Near Eastern, Jewish, Greco-Roman, and Christian sources is guided by a motific approach that integrates the concept of metaphor, Semantics, and the comparative method. A chief concern of this study is to apply this knowledge to the study of Luke-Acts, especially the Miletus Discourse (Acts 20:17-38). The shepherd-flock motif appears to be central in this speech and helps to integrate other motifs and themes in this discourse, such as the kingship motif. The Shepherd-Flock Motif in the Miletus Discourse (Acts 20:17-38) Against Its Historical Background is indispensable to the study of motifs in the New Testament and contributes meaningfully to the scholarly research on Luke-Acts.
£64.17
Peter Lang Publishing Inc The Moral World of James
Book SynopsisIn The Moral World of James, James Riley Strange compares the moral system in the Epistle of James with other Greco-Roman and Judaic texts. The author of the epistle prescribed moral practices in a world in which other people, both pagan and Jewish, had long been expressing similar concerns, and more would continue to take up the task centuries after Christianity was well established in the Roman Empire. In this fresh and thick analysis, Strange's systemic comparison of texts (among them works of Plato, Plutarch, Epictetus, and Aelius Aristides, as well as Greek Magical Papyri, tractates of the Mishnah, and the Community Rule of the Dead Sea Scrolls) reveals how James's vision of a distinctive way of community life was both part of and distinct from the moral and religious systems among which it emerged.Trade Review«A comprehensive and balanced account of the community and morality of James the Just, based on meticulous scholarship and profound understanding, a major contribution to the understanding of the interplay between belief and behavior in the community of Jesus and his family.» (Jacob Neusner, Editor of ‘The Brother of Jesus: James the Just and his Mission’) «Dr. Strange pays the Letter of James the compliment of taking it seriously as an important voice within the religious and moral discourse of antiquity. His study is a model of comparative rigor, distinguished at once by a largeness of vision and a patient attentiveness to specific texts. The result is a fresh and compelling vision of the moral world that James constructs.» (Luke Timothy Johnson, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Emory University)
£53.82
Peter Lang Publishing Inc The Twelve Prophets in the New Testament
Book SynopsisIt has been widely recognized that the Book of the Twelve, Hosea to Malachi, was considered a single composition in antiquity. Recent articles and monographs have discussed the internal clues to this composition, but there has been little effort to understand the way the New Testament authors quote from the Twelve in light of the compositional unity of the book. The Twelve Prophets in the New Testament contends that New Testament quotations from the Twelve presuppose knowledge of the larger whole and cannot be understood correctly apart from awareness of the compositional strategy of the Twelve.
£58.00
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim
Book SynopsisThe Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi includes a collection of articles discussing the latest scholarly findings in the field of the Old Testament studies. Scholars from around the world conducting research in the Old Testament text, theology, canon, interpretation, and criticism have contributed their recent findings in the fields of their research and teaching to this volume.
£46.26
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim
Book SynopsisThis is the third of three volumes dedicated to Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi. Volume 3 of Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi is a collection of articles discussing the latest findings in a variety of theological subjects related to the Bible as received and interpreted in the Orthodox Church tradition. Scholars from around the world have contributed their recent findings in the field of their research and teaching in this volume.Table of ContentsContents: Stelian Tofană: The Contribution of Professor Paul N. Tarazi to the Development of Romanian Biblical Studies – Michael G. Azar: «Bow your head low to the great; rescue the oppressed from the oppressor.» Ben Sira and the Struggle with Elitism – John A. Jillions: Can These Bones Live? Ezekiel, Jesus and the Challenge of the «Other» – Yohanna Katanacho: Peaceful or Violent Eschatology: A Palestinian Christian Reading of the Psalter – Rev. Fr. Sergius Halvorsen: You are the Man, 2 Samuel 11-12 as a Rhetorical Paradigm for Contemporary Preaching – Rev. Fr. Christopher Salamy: A Linguistic and Metaphoric Approach to Scripture – Bishop Maxim Vasiljevic: Does the Biblical Qadosh Lead to a Hypostatic Personhood? – Merja Merras: Early Syriac Evidence on the Chosen People and the Promised Land – Cornelia B. Horn/Robert R. Phenix, Jr.: Perspectives on Women in Early Christian Apocryphal Texts – Ann Bezzerides: Teach Us John Chrysostom: Biblical Education and Rhetorical Art.
£62.78
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Jews in the Age of Authenticity
Book SynopsisIn this book, Rachel Werczberger takes stock of the Jewish New Age spirituality scene in Israel at the turn of the millennium. Led by highly charismatic rabbis, the Hamakom and Bayit Chadash communities attempted to bring about a Jewish spiritual renewal by integrating Jewish tradition especially Kabbalah and Hasidism with New Age spirituality. Having spent over two years in field research, Werczberger presents a comprehensive ethnographic account of these two groups, examining their rise and fall after only six years of activity. At the core of their aspiration for Jewish spiritual renewal, claims Werczberger, was the quest for authenticity. She investigates the ways in which the language of authenticity was embraced by the members of the communities in their construction of a new spiritual Jewish identity, their re-invention of Jewish rituals, and their failed attempt at constructing community. She concludes that all these elements point to the dual form of politics of authenticTable of ContentsPreface: From Dharamsala to Jerusalem – Introduction: Jews in the Age of Authenticity – New Age Judaism in Israel and the Quest for Authenticity – Collective Rituals of the Self – An Identity of Choice, a Spirituality of Search – Community Building and Charismatic Leadership – Conclusion: New Age Judaism and the Politics of Authenticity – References – Index
£46.12
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Jews in the Age of Authenticity
Book SynopsisIn this book, Rachel Werczberger takes stock of the Jewish New Age spirituality scene in Israel at the turn of the millennium. Led by highly charismatic rabbis, the Hamakom and Bayit Chadash communities attempted to bring about a Jewish spiritual renewal by integrating Jewish tradition especially Kabbalah and Hasidism with New Age spirituality. Having spent over two years in field research, Werczberger presents a comprehensive ethnographic account of these two groups, examining their rise and fall after only six years of activity. At the core of their aspiration for Jewish spiritual renewal, claims Werczberger, was the quest for authenticity. She investigates the ways in which the language of authenticity was embraced by the members of the communities in their construction of a new spiritual Jewish identity, their re-invention of Jewish rituals, and their failed attempt at constructing community. She concludes that all these elements point to the dual form of politics of authenticTable of ContentsPreface: From Dharamsala to Jerusalem – Introduction: Jews in the Age of Authenticity – New Age Judaism in Israel and the Quest for Authenticity – Collective Rituals of the Self – An Identity of Choice, a Spirituality of Search – Community Building and Charismatic Leadership – Conclusion: New Age Judaism and the Politics of Authenticity – References – Index
£76.95
Peter Lang Publishing Inc The Most Precious Possession
Book SynopsisFinding a precious object a gem, a ring or a coin inside the belly of a fish is a favorite motif in western literatures that can be traced back to the Greek historian Herodotus. In Herodotus' account of the rise and fall of the tyrant Polycrates of Samos, the hero cast his beloved ring, his most precious possession, into the sea in order to appease or fend off the gods' envy of his unstoppable successes, but was ultimately disappointed to discover that same ring inside a serving of fish that was placed before him to eat, thereby signaling the beginning of his tragic downfall. The Most Precious Possession: The Ring of Polycrates in Ancient Religious Narratives examines variations on this motif as they appear in ancient religious texts, including the Gospel of Matthew, Jewish Midrash and Talmud, and Augustine's City of God. It explores how the theme functions in relation to the authors' respective religious outlooks and literary objectives and what we can learn from these
£60.44
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Priests of My People
Book SynopsisThis book offers an innovative examination of the question: why did early Christians begin calling their ministerial leaders priests (using the terms hiereus/sacerdos)? Scholarly consensus has typically suggested that a Christian priesthood emerged either from an imitation of pagan priesthood or in connection with seeing the Eucharist as a sacrifice over which a priest must preside. This work challenges these claims by exploring texts of the third and fourth century where Christian bishops and ministers are first designated priests: Tertullian and Cyprian of Carthage, Origen of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, and the church orders Apostolic Tradition and Didascalia Apostolorum. Such an examination demonstrates that the rise of a Christian ministerial priesthood grew more broadly out of a developing religio-political ecclesiology. As early Christians began to understand themselves culturally as a unique polis in their own right in the Greco-Roman world, theTrade Review«Priests of My People is a fresh contribution to our understanding of the historical development of the ‘priesthood.’ Bryan A. Stewart shows that the Christian bishop was not, as is commonly held, called priest because he presided at the sacrifice of the Eucharist. Rather it was as head of the community, the new Israel, the Christian polis that the term priest came into general usage. This provocative book breaks through the shibboleths that have marked Protestant and Catholic debates to offer an ecumenical understanding of the Christian ministry.» (Robert Louis Wilken, William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of the History of Christianity Emeritus, The University of Virginia) «This book is valuable simply for challenging the widespread assumptions that the Christian ‘priesthood’ came to be around 200 due to pagan models or to a new understanding of the Eucharist as a sacrifice. Far more than this, however, Bryan A. Stewart demonstrates that the late-second- and early-third-century designation of Christian ministers as ‘priests’ richly exemplifies development of doctrine – not merely the development of ideas, but rather ideas thoroughly contextualized within Christian material culture, sacred space, and religio-political worldview. As Stewart makes clear, the newly developed typological connections with the Levitical priesthood accord with the trajectory of the New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, in a manner that prior scholars overlooked. This erudite and rewarding book is a major step forward for those interested in how doctrine developed in the early Church.» (Matthew Levering, Perry Family Foundation, Professor of Theology, Mundelein Seminary) «Bryan A. Stewart deploys a supple ‘religio-political ecclesiology’ and notions of sacred space to explain the emergence of a new, Christian form of priestly leadership in the early church. Understanding the church as itself a polis provided the context in which early Christians drew parallels between the Levitical, Aaronic priests of Israel and the new ministers who presided over Christian communities. Stewart’s historical case is compelling, and along the way he makes an important contribution to long-standing ecumenical debates concerning the nature and sources of the Christian ministry.» (Peter Leithart, President, Theopolis Institute, Birmingham, Alabama)Table of ContentsContents: Guardians of Sacred Space: Tertullian of Carthage – Attendants of the Lord: The Apostolic Tradition – Stewards of God’s House: The Didascalia Apostolorum – Rulers of the Divine Nation: Origen of Alexandria – Ministers of the Altar, Leaders of the Church: Cyprian of Carthage – Priests of God’s Holy Temple: Eusebius of Caesarea – Bridging the Gap: Early Trajectories of Priestly Ideas.
£66.33
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Why Not Her
Book SynopsisIn this book, Hye Kyung Park examines the functions and roles of the women who appear in the Elijah and Elisha narratives. The named and unnamed female characters in the Elijah and Elisha cycles frequently drive the plot of these narratives, giving a voice to important theological, historical, and social concerns that are otherwise overlooked. Consequently, this book elaborates upon the critical meaning of women's voices through a close interpretation of the roles and functions attributed to women in 1 Kings 17:824; 2 Kings 4:837, 5, and 8:16.These female figures and presences include the Zarephath woman in 1 Kings 17:824, twenty-nine third-person feminine verbs to emphasize the Shunammite woman's frequent appearances in 2 Kings 4:837, the Israelite girl as a prophetess in 2 Kings 5, and the Shunammite woman's return in 2 Kings 8:16. Even though the various women in 1 Kings and 2 Kings have not been named throughout the biblical traditions, their presence and actions were cruciaTrade Review«This is a fine example of restorative hermeneutics. Hye Kyung Park has done an excellent job in bringing to the fore the named and unnamed women who are entangled in the Elijah and Elisha narratives. Hitherto marginalized, overlooked, and suppressed characters like Jezebel, the nameless woman from Zarephath, the anonymous Shunammite woman, and the unidentified Israelite girl not only come alive in Park’s painstaking and meticulous re-reading, but are also shown as pivotal figures who energize the plot and offer critical voices that shape and redefine theological, social, and cultural concerns of the narrative. Written in an easy-to-read style, this book will have appeal beyond biblical studies and will be attractive to those who are interested in feminist studies and critical methods. I warmly recommend this book.» (R. S. Sugirtharajah, Emeritus Professor of Biblical Hermeneutics, University of Birmingham) «Hye Kyung Park’s study on the named and unnamed women in the Elijah and Elisha narratives of the Hebrew bible is a landmark study that demonstrates the crucial role played by women in these texts. Although women are frequently rendered silent and invisible by past scholarship on these narratives, Park’s analysis demonstrates that the women characters play a crucial role in driving the plot and defining the prophetic roles and functions of the male prophets in these texts. In doing so, she gives voice to the previously hidden women in these narratives. Her study serves as a model for the treatment of women characters in the biblical narratives, as well as the roles of women in the contemporary contexts of the Church and modern society.» (Marvin A. Sweeney, Claremont School of Theology and the Academy for Jewish Religion, California) «Hye Kyung Park’s book clearly builds on literary-historical research by German and American scholars on the women associated with Elijah and Elisha. Park correctly identifies the problem of misogyny in the editions of the DtrH and in later scholars’ research by examining the significance of the named and unnamed women in 1 and 2 Kings. Her book is an insightful and methodologically grounded monograph, which makes readers aware of the voices of the women whose identity has been overlooked in biblical and theological scholarship. I heartily recommend Park’s book as a means to appreciate the roles and importance of the women characters in the study of Elijah and Elisha narratives.» (Kyung Sook Lee, Emerita Professor of the Old Testament, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea)Table of ContentsContents: The Named Prophets: Elijah and Elisha – The Named Queen: Jezebel in 1 Kings 18, 19, and 21 – The Unnamed Woman 1: The Zarephath Woman, the Foreign Prophetic Announcer, in 1 Kings 17:8 - 24 105 – The Unnamed Woman 2: The Shunammite Woman, the Narrative Leader, in 2 Kings 4:8 - 37 127 – The Unnamed Woman 3: The Israelite Girl, as the Prophetess, in 2 Kings - 5 161 – The Unnamed Woman 4: The Shunammite Woman’s Return in 2 Kings 8:1 - 6 191.
£69.75
Peter Lang Publishing Inc Facets of Pauline Discourse in Christocentric and
Book SynopsisIn this thought-provoking study, Dan Lioy asserts that a Christocentric and Christotelic perspective is an unmistakable feature of Paul's discourse. The journey begins with an analysis of the old Adamic creation in Genesis 13 before digressing into representative passages from Paul's writings, touching on such themes as new creation theology, the apostle's apocalyptic interpretation of reality, and his theology of the cross. Then Lioy examines the influence of the Old Testament on Paul's Christological outlook, how the apostle viewed Satan operating as the counterfeit word, and the way in which the writings of Paul correlate with the letter from James, leading into a deliberation that Paul, rather than Christ, is to be seen as a new or second Moses. Contrast is then provided regarding the historical authenticity of the Adam character in Paul's discourse, along with the Genesis creation narratives. Facets of Pauline Discourse in Christocentric and Christotelic Perspective is the Table of ContentsContents: Series Editor’s Preface – Prologue – A biblical and theological analysis of the old Adamic creation in Genesis – New creation theology in 2 Corinthians 5:11–6:2 – Paul’s apocalyptic interpretation of reality: A case study analysis of Ephesians 1:15–23 – Paul’s theology of the cross: A case study analysis of 2 Corinthians 11:16–12:10 – A comparative analysis of the Song of Moses and Paul’s speech to the Athenians – Opposing Satan, the counterfeit word – Putting the Letter from James in its place: A candid assessment of its continuing theological value – Making the case for Paul, not Jesus, as a new or second Moses – Two contrasting views on the historical authenticity of the Adam character in the Genesis creation narratives – Epilogue.
£72.09
State University Press of New York (SUNY) Jewish Fundamentalism and the Temple Mount Who
Book Synopsis
£22.96
State University of New York Press Ordinary Jews Excelsior Editions
Book SynopsisA new translation of a modern Yiddish masterpiece.Since its original publication in 1935, Ordinary Jews has come to be regarded as one of the masterpieces of Yiddish literature. In his portrayal of the lives of ordinary Polish Jews in a small provincial city at the end of the nineteenth century, Yehoshuah Perle offers a glimpse at a way of life that was already changing by the time of the novel''s publication and would soon be brutally exterminated in the Holocaust. Through the eyes of the novel''s young protagonist, Mendl Shonash, we are introduced to an intricate society of housewives, beggars, tailors, doctors, maidservants, tavern keepers, teachers, gravediggers, rabbinical students, and a whole range of people living close to the bottom of the social scale, as well as the various social hierarchies, shady dealings, pretensions, grotesqueries, and superstitions that color and order their world. Like a star whose light is visible to us light years after its creation, Ordinary Jews provides a glimpse into a particular culture and unique way of life that might otherwise be lost to history.
£19.67
State University Press of New York (SUNY) Divine Quest East and West The A Comparative
Book SynopsisLooks at the concept of Ultimate Reality in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity.Many books have discussed the development of the notion of God in Western monotheistic traditions, but how have non-Western cultures conceptualized what those in the West might identify as "God"? What might be learned by comparing different visions of the Divine, such as God, gods, Brahman, Nirvana, and Emptiness? James L. Ford engages these fascinating questions, exploring notions of "the Divine" or "Ultimate Reality" within Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions. Looking at a multiplicity of divine conceptions, even within traditions, Ford discusses the relationship between imagination and revelation in the emergence of visions of ultimacy; consequences and tendencies associated with particular notions of the Ultimate; and how new visions of the Ultimate arise in relation to social, cultural, political, and scientific developments. Ford reflects on what can be learned through an awareness of the various beliefs about the Ultimate and on how such disparate visions influence the attitudes and behavior of people in different parts of the world.
£65.04
State University Press of New York (SUNY) Sovereign Jews
Book SynopsisOffers a novel exploration of the relationship between religion and the state in Israel.The question of Jewish sovereignty shapes Jewish identity in Israel, the status of non-Jews, and relations between Israeli and Diaspora Jews, yet its consequences remain enigmatic. In Sovereign Jews, Yaacov Yadgar highlights the shortcomings of mainstream discourse and offers a novel explanation of Zionist ideology and the Israeli polity. Yadgar argues that secularism''s presumed binary pitting religion against politics is illusory. He shows that the key to understanding this alleged dichotomy is Israel''s interest in maintaining its sovereignty as the nation-state of Jews. This creates a need to mark a majority of the population as Jews and to distinguish them from non-Jews. Coupled with the failure to formulate a viable alternative national identity (either "Hebrew" or "Israeli"), it leads the ostensibly secular state to apply a narrow interpretation of Jewish religion as a political tool for maintaining a Jewish majority.
£22.96
State University Press of New York (SUNY) Movies and Midrash
Book SynopsisBrings popular cinema and Jewish religious texts into a meaningful dialogue.Finalist for the 2017 National Jewish Book Award in Modern Jewish Thought and Experience presented by the Jewish Book Council Movies and Midrash uses cinema as a springboard to discuss central Jewish texts and matters of belief. A number of books have drawn on films to explicate Christian theology and belief, but Wendy I. Zierler is the first to do so from a Jewish perspective, exploring what Jewish tradition, text, and theology have to say about the lessons and themes arising from influential and compelling films. The book uses the method of "inverted midrash": while classical rabbinical midrash begins with exegesis of a verse and then introduces a mashal (parable) as a means of further explication, Zierler turns that process around, beginning with the culturally familiar cinematic parable and then analyzing related Jewish texts. Each chapter connects a secular film to a different central theme in classical Jewish sources or modern Jewish thought. Films covered include The Truman Show (truth), Memento (memory), Crimes and Misdemeanors (sin), Magnolia (confession and redemption), The Descendants (birthright), Forrest Gump (cleverness and simplicity), and The Hunger Games (creation of humanity in God''s image), among others.
£24.27
State University of New York Press New Directions in Jewish American and Holocaust
Book SynopsisSurveys the current state of Jewish American and Holocaust literatures as well as approaches to teaching them. What does it mean to read, and to teach, Jewish American and Holocaust literatures in the early decades of the twenty-first century? New directions and new forms of expression have emerged, both in the invention of narratives and in the methodologies and discursive approaches taken toward these texts. The premise of this book is that despite moving farther away in time, the Holocaust continues to shape and inform contemporary Jewish American writing. Divided into analytical and pedagogical sections, the chapters present a range of possibilities for thinking about these literatures. Contributors address such genres as biography, the graphic novel, alternate history, midrash, poetry, and third-generation and hidden-child Holocaust narratives. Both canonical and contemporary authors are covered, including Michael Chabon, Nathan Englander, Anne Frank, Dara Horn, Joe Kupert, Philip Roth, and William Styron.
£24.27
State University of New York Press Jewish Veganism and Vegetarianism
Book SynopsisA multidisciplinary approach to the study of veganism, vegetarianism, and meat avoidance among Jews, both historical and contemporary.In recent decades, as more Jews have adopted plant-based lifestyles, Jewish vegan and vegetarian movements have become increasingly prominent. This book explores the intellectual, religious, and historical roots of veganism and vegetarianism among Jews and presents compelling new directions in Jewish thought, ethics, and foodways. The contributors, including scholars, rabbis, and activists, explore how Judaism has inspired Jews to eschew animal products and how such choices, even when not directly inspired by Judaism, have enriched and helped define Jewishness. Individually, and as a collection, the chapters in this book provide an opportunity to meditate on what may make veganism and vegetarianism particularly Jewish, as well as the potential distinctiveness of Jewish veganism and vegetarianism. The authors also examine the connections between Jewish veganism and vegetarianism and other movements, while calling attention to divisions among Jewish vegans and vegetarians, to the specific challenges of fusing Jewishness and a plant-based lifestyle, and to the resistance Jewish vegans and vegetarians can face from parts of the Jewish community. The book''s various perspectives represent the cultural, theological, and ideological diversity among Jews invested in such conversations and introduce prominent debates within their movements.
£24.27
