Judaism Books

Book SynopsisA psychological study, based on extensive interview data, of Jewish adults who take on a devout lifestyle.Spiritual transformation is the process of changing one''s beliefs, values, attitudes, and everyday behaviors related to a transcendent experience or higher power. Jewish adults who adopt Orthodoxy provide a clear example of spiritual transformation within a religious context. With little prior exposure to traditional practice, these baalei teshuvah (literally, "masters of return" in Hebrew) turn away from their former way of life, take on strict religious obligations, and intensify their spiritual commitment. This book examines the process of adopting Orthodox Judaism and the extensive life changes that are required. Based on forty-eight individual interviews as well as focus groups and interviews with community outreach leaders, it uses psychological developmental theory and the concept of socialization to understand this journey. Roberta G. Sands examines the study participants'' family backgrounds, initial explorations, decisions to make a commitment, spiritual struggles, and psychological and social integration. The process is at first exciting, as baalei teshuvah make new discoveries and learn new practices. Yet after commitment and immersion in an Orthodox community, they face challenges furthering their education, gaining cultural knowledge, and raising a family without parental role models. By showing how baalei teshuvah integrate their new understandings of Judaism into their identities, Sands provides fresh insight into a significant aspect of contemporary Orthodoxy.

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth look at Elie Wiesel''s writings, from his earliest works to his final novels.Elie Wiesel (1928?2016) was one of the most important literary voices to emerge from the Holocaust. The Nazis took the lives of most of his family, destroyed the community in which he was raised, and subjected him to ghettoization, imprisonment in Auschwitz and Buchenwald, and a death march. It is remarkable not only that Wiesel survived and found a way to write about his experiences, but that he did so with elegance and profundity. His novels grapple with questions of tradition, memory, trauma, madness, atrocity, and faith. The Struggle for Understanding examines Wiesel''s literary, religious, and cultural roots and the indelible impact of the Holocaust on his storytelling. Grouped in sections on Hasidic origins, the role of the Other, theology and tradition, and later works, the chapters cover the entire span of Wiesel''s career. Books analyzed include the novels Dawn, The Forgotten, The Gates of the Forest, The Town Beyond the Wall, The Testament, The Time of the Uprooted, The Sonderberg Case, and Hostage, as well as his memoir, Night. What emerges is a portrait of Wiesel''s work in its full literary richness.

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Book SynopsisCombines personal accounts with insights from psychology to understand the continuing impact of Holocaust trauma in Lithuania.A Survivor Named Trauma examines the nature of trauma and memory as they relate to the Holocaust in Lithuania. How do we behave under threat? How do we remember extreme danger? How do subsequent generations deal with their histories-whether as descendants of perpetrators or victims, of those who rescued others or were witnesses to genocide? Or those who were separated from their families in early childhood and do not know their origins? Myra Sklarew''s study draws on interviews with survivors, witnesses, rescuers, and collaborators, as well as descendants and family members, gathered over a twenty-five-year period in Lithuania. Returning to the land of her ancestors, Sklarew found a country still deeply affected by the Nazi Holocaust and decades of Soviet domination. Interdisciplinary in nature, this book will appeal to readers interested in neuroscience and neuropsychology, Holocaust studies, Jewish history, and personal memoir.

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Book SynopsisCombines powerful first-person accounts with incisive scholarly analysis to understand the phenomenon of ultra-Orthodox Jews who leave their insular communities and venture into the wider world.In recent years, many formerly ultra-Orthodox Jews have documented leaving their communities in published stories, films, and memoirs. This movement is often identified as "off the derech" (OTD), or off the path, with the idea that the "path" is paved by Jewish law, rituals, and practices found within their birth communities. This volume tells the powerful stories of people abandoning their religious communities and embarking on uncertain journeys toward new lives and identities within mainstream society. Off the Derech is divided into two parts: stories and analysis. The first includes original selections from contemporary American and global authors writing about their OTD experiences. The second features chapters by scholars representing such diverse fields as literature, history, sociology, psychology, anthropology, religion, and gender studies. The interdisciplinary lenses provide a range of methodologies by which readers can better understand this significant phenomenon within contemporary Jewish society.

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Book SynopsisSituates a Hasidic master in the context of his time, demonstrating his formative influence on Jewish literary modernity.The Hasidic leader R. Nachman of Braslav (1772?1810) has held a place in the Jewish popular imagination for more than two centuries. Some see him as the (self-proclaimed) Messiah, others as the forerunner of modern Jewish literature. Existing studies struggle between these dueling readings, largely ignoring questions of aesthetics and politics in his work. A Permanent Beginning lays out a new paradigm for understanding R. Nachman''s thought and writing, and, with them, the beginnings of Jewish literary modernity. Yitzhak Lewis examines the connections between imperial modernization processes in Eastern Europe at the turn of the eighteenth century and the emergence of "modern literature" in the storytelling of R. Nachman. Reading his tales and teachings alongside the social, legal, and intellectual history of the time, the book''s guiding question is literary: How does R. Nachman represent this changing environment in his writing? Lewis paints a nuanced and fascinating portrait of a literary thinker and creative genius at the very moment his world was evolving unrecognizably. He argues compellingly that R. Nachman''s narrative response to his changing world was a major point of departure for Jewish literary modernity.

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Book SynopsisA provocative study of opposition to anti-Semitism in contemporary political philosophy.In post-Holocaust philosophy, anti-Semitism has come to be seen as a paradigmatic political and ideological evil. Jews Out of the Question examines the role that opposition to anti-Semitism has played in shaping contemporary political philosophy. Elad Lapidot argues that post-Holocaust philosophy identifies the fundamental, epistemological evil of anti-Semitic thought not in thinking against Jews, but in thinking of Jews. In other words, what philosophy denounces as anti-Semitic is the figure of "the Jew" in thought. Lapidot reveals how, paradoxically, opposition to anti-Semitism has generated a rejection of Jewish thought in post-Holocaust philosophy. Through critical readings of political philosophers such as Adorno, Horkheimer, Sartre, Arendt, Badiou, and Nancy, the book contends that by rejecting Jewish thought, the opposition to anti-Semitism comes dangerously close to anti-Semitism itself, and at work in this rejection, is a problematic understanding of the relations between politics and thought-a troubling political epistemology. Lapidot''s critique of this political epistemology is the book''s ultimate aim.

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Book SynopsisA dynamic dialogue of poetry and art that reimagines the ancient, biblical concept of sacrifice. Winner of the 2022 Gerald Lampert Memorial Award presented by the League of Canadian Poets A collaboration between poet Alisha Kaplan and artist Tobi Aaron Kahn, Qorbanot-the Hebrew word for "sacrificial offerings"-explores the concept of sacrifice, offering a new vision of an ancient practice. A dynamic dialogue of text and image, the book is a poetic and visual exegesis on Leviticus, a visceral and psychological exploration of ritual offerings, and a conversation about how notions of sacrifice continue to resonate in the twenty-first century. Both from Holocaust survivor families, Kaplan and Kahn deal extensively with the Holocaust in their work. Here, the modes of poetry and art express the complexity of belief, the reverberations of trauma, and the significance of ritual. In the poems, the speaker, offspring of burnt offerings, searches for meaning in her grandparents' experiences and in the long tradition of Orthodox Judaism in which she was raised. Kahn's paintings on handmade paper, drawn from decades of his career as an artist, have not previously been exhibited or published. They reflect his quest to distill a legacy of trauma and loss into enduring memory. With a foreword by James E. Young and essays by Ezra Cappell, Lori Hope Lefkovitz, and Sasha Pimentel, the book presents new directions for thinking about what sacrifice means in religious, social, and personal contexts, and harkens back to foundational traditions, challenging them in reimagined and artistic ways.

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Book SynopsisExplores Elie Wiesel''s portraits of the sages of Judaism and elaborates on the Hasidic legacy from his life and his teaching.Elie Wiesel identified himself as a Vizhnitzer Hasid, who was above all things a witness to the testimony and teaching of the Jewish tradition at the core of the Hasidic tradition. While he is well known for his testimony on the Holocaust and as a messenger to humanity, he is less well known for his engagement with the teachings of Jewish tradition and the Hasidic heritage that informs that engagement. Portraits illuminates Wiesel''s Jewish teachings and the Hasidic legacy that he embraced by examining how he brought to life the sages of the Jewish tradition. David Patterson reveals that Wiesel''s Hasidic engagement with the holy texts of the Jewish tradition does not fall into the usual categories of exegesis or hermeneutics and of commentary or textual analysis. Rather, he engages not the text but the person, the teacher, and the soul. This book is a summons to remember the testimony reduced to ashes and the voices that cry out from those ashes. Just as the teaching is embodied in the teachers, so is the tradition embodied in their portraits.

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Book SynopsisExplores Elie Wiesel''s portraits of the sages of Judaism and elaborates on the Hasidic legacy from his life and his teaching.Elie Wiesel identified himself as a Vizhnitzer Hasid, who was above all things a witness to the testimony and teaching of the Jewish tradition at the core of the Hasidic tradition. While he is well known for his testimony on the Holocaust and as a messenger to humanity, he is less well known for his engagement with the teachings of Jewish tradition and the Hasidic heritage that informs that engagement. Portraits illuminates Wiesel''s Jewish teachings and the Hasidic legacy that he embraced by examining how he brought to life the sages of the Jewish tradition. David Patterson reveals that Wiesel''s Hasidic engagement with the holy texts of the Jewish tradition does not fall into the usual categories of exegesis or hermeneutics and of commentary or textual analysis. Rather, he engages not the text but the person, the teacher, and the soul. This book is a summons to remember the testimony reduced to ashes and the voices that cry out from those ashes. Just as the teaching is embodied in the teachers, so is the tradition embodied in their portraits.

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Book SynopsisWhat is philosophy and who is the philosopher? What should be the relationship between the philosopher and the city? And what should be the attitude that the philosopher must have with respect to tradition, religion and politics? These questions, which have spanned the entire history of Western philosophical thought, from ancient Greece onwards, found original answers in one of the greatest figures of twentieth-century culture, Leo Strauss. Philosophy as Stranger Wisdom, thanks to a scrupulous study of his entire bibliography, represents the first truly comprehensive and complete intellectual biography of Strauss. The reader will find in these pages a Strauss who is not an American neoconservative theorist nor an orthodox Jew, but rather an original reader and interpreter of classical authors: from Thucydides and Plato to Machiavelli and Hobbes. Carlo Altini presents us with a philosopher who escapes any attempt at classification, who lived constantly in exile between theory and practice, philosophy and politics, immanence and transcendence, and who considered philosophy the most important critical exercise of human reason, always "out of date" and always "out of place."

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Book SynopsisThe first complete intellectual biography of one of the most influential and controversial philosophers of the twentieth century, Leo Strauss.What is philosophy and who is the philosopher? What should be the relationship between the philosopher and the city? And what should be the attitude that the philosopher must have with respect to tradition, religion and politics? These questions, which have spanned the entire history of Western philosophical thought, from ancient Greece onwards, found original answers in one of the greatest figures of twentieth-century culture, Leo Strauss. Philosophy as Stranger Wisdom, thanks to a scrupulous study of his entire bibliography, represents the first truly comprehensive and complete intellectual biography of Strauss. The reader will find in these pages a Strauss who is not an American neoconservative theorist nor an orthodox Jew, but rather an original reader and interpreter of classical authors: from Thucydides and Plato to Machiavelli and Hobbes. Carlo Altini presents us with a philosopher who escapes any attempt at classification, who lived constantly in exile between theory and practice, philosophy and politics, immanence and transcendence, and who considered philosophy the most important critical exercise of human reason, always "out of date" and always "out of place."

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Book SynopsisArgues that the modern practice of critique emerged out of religious traditions and can in many ways be traced back to them.It seems hard to imagine a concept more significant to modern thought than critique. Critique involved distancing oneself from religious explanations and theological argumentation and came to represent the essence of secular consciousness''s potential to deliver modernity''s promise of human progress through rational inquiry and scientific development. Critiques of Theology debunks this common understanding. Based on a novel reading of previously less-discussed writings by Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, Theodor Adorno, and Hannah Arendt, the book shows how the practice of critique emerged out of religious traditions and can, in many ways, be traced back to them. This study points to a persistent misreading of critique and demonstrates that it does not come from outside of religion to build a new world of ideas; on the contrary, it redeploys those already present within its theological constellations.

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Book SynopsisA personal voyage of discovery drawing on musicology, literary theory, Jewish studies, and philosophical phenomenology.As a work of musical theory, or meta-theory, Music''s Making draws extensively on work done in philosophy and literary criticism in addition to the scholarship of musicologists and music theorists. Music''s Making is divided into two large parts. The first half develops global attitudes toward music: emergence out of self and hearing through (drawing on Kabbalah and other sources), middle-voice (as discussed in philosophical phenomenology), liminal space (as discussed in literary theory), an ethics of intersubjectivity (drawing on Levinas), and character, canon, and metaleptic transformations (drawing chiefly on Harold Bloom). The second half embodies a search for metaphors, figurative language toward understanding music''s endlessly variegated shaping of time-space. The musicians and scholars who inform this part of the book include Pierre Boulez, Gilles Deleuze, Anton Webern, Morton Feldman, and James Dillon. The book closes with an extended inquiry into the metaphors of horizontal and vertical experience and the spiritual qualities of musical experience expressed through those metaphors.

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Book SynopsisThe Other Zions tells the fascinating and little-known stories of independent Jewish states, kingdoms, and tribes throughout history. Though Israel is the only Jewish nation most people can name, there have been many more. Author Eric Maroney introduces readers to the Jews of Khazaria, Adiabene (modern day Iraq), Ethiopia, Birobidzhan (modern day Russia), Himyar (modern day Yemen), and more. Leading readers through the rich histories of these communities, this accessible book digs into the intriguing myths that surround many, including the legends of the lost tribes of Israel.Trade ReviewThis well-done and revealing study shows that, even after the final, futile revolt against Roman rule in Judea in the first century, A.D., Jews exercised sovereignty in several regions outside the traditional Jewish homeland. . . . This is an informative and surprising examination of some obscure aspects of Jewish history. * Booklist, January 2010 *The Other Zions captures the real and the imagined power of the concept of Zion. * Jewish Book World, Summer 2010 *Maroney’s book covers a remarkable amount of ground....He writes well, lays out evidence and arguments clearly, and appears to be a reliable guide through the thicket of anecdote, rumour and legend which enshrouds the history of many of these far-off times and places. * Outlook *Together with descriptions of the myths of the Lost Tribes, the Jews of Arabia and Yemen, and the Parthian Kingdom of Adiabene, Eric Maroney presents the history of these Jewish states in an attempt to expand our notion of Jewish nationalism, beyond that of the traditional rabbinical community or the enduring romance of Zionism. In so doing he challenges us with the essential conclusion that in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Jewish religious authorities were more accepting of who could be a member of the community and thus a Jew, a challenge that he implicitly throws down to the modern Israeli state, whose compromise with rabbinical authorities has led to a far stricter and more restrictive definition. * Journal Of Modern Jewish Studies *Eric Maroney has written a lively and engaging account of Jewish political entities outside the Land of Israel over the past two millennia. Both the mythical narratives and the documented historical experiences discussed in this volume attest to the diverse manifestations of Jewish national sentiment among diasporic communities from ancient times to modern. -- Aviel Roshwald, Professor of History, Georgetown UniversityAny reader who seeks to learn about Jewish-governed states in unexpected lands and the history of conversions to Judaism in those states would do well to savor this engaging and well-researched study. -- Kevin Alan Brook, author, The Jews of KhazariaThe Other Zions challenges the dominant myth that the Zionist movement was the fulfillment of a millennia-old and singular desire of Diaspora Jews to be 'returned' to their home in the Land of Israel. Eric Maroney's work demonstrates that, from ancient times to the present, the Jews' ability to craft homelands for themselves in regions far from their imagined point of origins has been an important—if overlooked—part of their history. -- Barry Trachtenberg, University at Albany, SUNY, author of The Revolutionary Roots of Modern YiddishTable of ContentsChapter 1 A Neutral Piece of Land: The Jewish State Chapter 2 So If the King of Israel Should Come With His Men: The Lost Tribes in History and Myth Chapter 3 King Solomon Loved Many Strange Women: The Jewish Kingdom of Ethiopia Chapter 4 Though We Are Far From Zion: The Khazar Jewish Kingdom Chapter 5 And Jews Were Independent of Any Gentile Yoke: The Jewish Tribes of the Hijaz and the Jewish Kingdom of Himyar Chapter 6 In the Manner of the Jewish Tradition: The Jewish Kingdom of Adiabene Chapter 7 They Have No Settled, Agreed Beliefs: The Kahina and the Berbers Chapter 8 A Jewish National State: The Soviet Jewish Autonomous Region in Birobidzhan Chapter 9 Who Is a Jew? Zion and Identity Chapter 10 Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTracing its history from Moses Mendelssohn to today, Alan Levenson explores the factors that shaped what is the modern Jewish Bible and its centrality in Jewish life today. The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible explains how Jewish translators, commentators, and scholars made the Bible a keystone of Jewish life in Germany, Israel and America. Levenson argues that German Jews created a religious Bible, Israeli Jews a national Bible, and American Jews an ethnic one. In each site, scholars wrestled with the demands of the non-Jewish environment and their own indigenous traditions, trying to balance fidelity and independence from the commentaries of the rabbinic and medieval world.Trade ReviewLevenson (Univ. of Oklahoma) provides an important work of cultural history, biblical scholarship, and modern Jewish history in his analysis of how Jewish scholars and communities constructed the modern Jewish Bible. He begins his story with Spinoza, whose Jewish sensibilities foreshadowed the development of the Jewish Bible. The real story, however, begins with Mendelssohn in the late 18th century. The Bible became the touchstone for a Jewish German community, in which one could be both fully Jewish and German. In the 20th century, the Jewish Bible became central to the formation and life of the modern state of Israel. It formed the cultural basis for the new nation and the center of its continuing national intellectual and educational life. Finally, in the United States, a fully Jewish biblical scholarship emerged in the 1960s. Within the synagogue, the Jewish Chumash stands as a common source within various Jewish denominations. As a significant cultural achievement, the formation of the modern Jewish Bible is, Levenson argues, "on par with the Jewish Enlightenment, the scientific study of Judaism, the revival of Hebrew, or the Zionist ideology." This volume will be useful in libraries with collections in biblical and Jewish studies. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and above; general readers. * CHOICE *This book traces how ten Jewish thinkers brought the Bible to the center of Jewish identity over the past four centuries. With a light touch, the author insightfully describes how they and other scholars in Europe, America, and Israel responded to the needs of Western culture and Jewish nationalism. -- Andreas Spahn, Florida Atlantic University, Frederick E. Greenspahn, Florida Atlantic UniversityThis is an original, creative, and thoughtful guide to a topic and an era (or rather, several topics and several eras) that are crucial to understanding today’s Judaism—but they are not usually brought together with the insightful and informative methodology that Levenson has managed to construct. He has a fine eye for both detail and context as he spins out a tale that covers over three centuries and takes place in three continents. Agree with him or disagree with him or come down somewhere in the middle, the engaged reader of this book will be greatly illuminated and moved to think about things, both old and new, in meaningful and fruitful ways. -- Leonard Greenspoon, Creighton UniversityAlan Levenson has restored the Bible to its rightfully central place in modern Jewish thought. He has done so with considerable sensitivity and consistent lucidity. This is a book that scholars and laypeople alike will read with profit. -- David J. Sorkin, University of Wisconsin, MadisonAlan Levenson explains clearly and directly how the meaning of the Bible is socially constructed. He explores how makers of meaning from Spinoza, Jewish Enlightenment thinkers, and modern Jewish thinkers, constructed our ever-changing understanding of the Bible. From his survey of how modern Zionists and Israelis recovered the Bible as a centerpiece of national life, how the challenge of reading the Bible meaningfully has been addressed in an era of doubt, to the celebration of the Bible as an ethnic touchstone in America, he helps explain how the Bible became the connective tissue of Jewish life even as it served as a vehicle for expressing contemporary values. This book is a valuable guide to anyone interested in understanding the Hebrew Bible today. -- David Ariel, President of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish StudiesWith refreshing breadth and accessible prose, Alan T. Levenson illuminates the political, social, and religious tensions that shape modern Jewish approaches to the Bible. This wide-ranging and engaging study blends scholarly acumen with a gifted teacher's knack for clarity. Levenson guides the reader to see what is at stake, for some of the most important figures in modern Jewish intellectual history, in how Jews read their sacred text. -- Mara Benjamin, St. Olaf CollegeThis is a combination of a careful reading of and original thinking about a group of Bible scholars never before examined together. In his learning and his originality —an all-too-rare combination —Alan Levenson is matchless. He is a scholar in command of his sources as well as the extensive literature about these sources, who knows how to speak continually to his readers. -- Marc Lee Raphael, Nathan and Sophia Gumenick Professor of Judaic Studies, College of William and MaryThis is a terrific book that fills a real need in the Jewish Studies and Biblical Studies Academy: an original history of modern Jewish scholarship on the Bible. The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible will be great for course use as well as general reading. Levenson writes in an elegant style: learned yet with a personal touch, strong and clear from an academic perspective, yet reader-friendly in voice. The book is carefully planned and presented: a conscientious piece of work by an experienced scholar who also cares broadly about this project. 'The Jewish Bible' has arrived as a distinct and distinguished topic for study and appreciation. -- Peter Ochs, Edgar Bronfman Professor of Modern Judaic Studies, University of VirginiaIn The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible, Alan Levenson has given us a sweeping and detailed panorama of one of the most significant cultural, intellectual and social endeavors in modern Jewish history. This is not merely a history of Jewish Bible scholarship over the past three centuries, nor of modern Jewish translations of the sacred text, but of how Jews in three major centers of Jewish life - Germany, Israel, and the United States - related to and identified with the Bible and gave it a new place in their lives. Levenson's account is a tour de force of scholarship based upon a wide range of sources in German and Hebrew as well as English. He is willing to take sides in passionate scholarly and cultural debates, while at the same time giving a balanced presentation of all sides. Levenson's felicitous and highly accessible writing style makes the book a pleasure to read for scholar, student, and general reader alike. It is an impressive achievement. -- Norman A. Stillman, Schusterman/Josey Professor of Judaic History, University of OklahomaThe Jewish Bible—and the distinctly Jewish approach to Bible study—is as popular as ever among scholars and laypeople, believers and secularists alike. Those who had a hand in "making" the modern Jewish Bible—from Ezra the Scribe to Spinoza, Mendelssohn to Buber, Nechama Leibowitz to Nahum Sarna—come to life in this engaging book. Levenson's accessible study of the creative forces of biblical translation and scholarship in Germany, Israel, and in twenty-first century America, explains why the the Bible continues to be the indispensable point of entry into classical Jewish learning. -- Abigail Gillman, Boston UniversityLevenson argues that German Jews created a religious Bible, Israeli Jews a national Bible, and American Jews an ethnic one. He considers the emergence of modern Jewish Bible studies in Germany... the chimera of self explanatory Scripture. * New Testament Abstracts *Whether the Bible is taken to be of divine or human origin, read literally or metaphorically, understood as historiography or fiction, yoked to rabbinic commentary or sundered from it, there remains something ‘Jewish’ about all the varied appropriations, and Levenson seeks to distill and describe that Jewish essence. * H-Judaic *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Spinoza As Jewish Bible Critic Part I. The Emergence of Modern Jewish Bible Studies in Germany Introduction: Starting with Germany Chapter 2: Mendelssohn's Bible: The Ideal of Jewish Self-Sufficiency Chapter 3: Samson Raphael Hirsch: The Chimera of Self-Explanatory Scripture Chapter 4: Benno Jacob and the Call for a "Jewish" Bible Scholarship Chapter 5: The Martin Buber-Franz Rosenzweig Bible: Culture or Religion? Part II. Zionism and the Creation of a National Bible Introduction: The Bible in Modern Israel Chapter 6: Early Zionism and the Bible: Ahad Haam and His Opponents Chapter 7: The Bible As National Linchpin: David Ben Gurion and His Opponents Chapter 8: Nehama Leibowitz's Bible: Returning Tradition to the Text Part III. The Flowering of Jewish Bible Studies in North America Introduction: America and the Jewish Bible Chapter 9: Finding A Jewish Voice: Nahum Sarna & Robert Alter Chapter 10: Seeking An American Jewish Bible Conclusion: Is There A "Jewish School" of Modern Bible Study? Notes Selective Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisTracing its history from Moses Mendelssohn to today, Alan Levenson explores the factors that shaped what is the modern Jewish Bible and its centrality in Jewish life today. The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible explains how Jewish translators, commentators, and scholars made the Bible a keystone of Jewish life in Germany, Israel and America. Levenson argues that German Jews created a religious Bible, Israeli Jews a national Bible, and American Jews an ethnic one. In each site, scholars wrestled with the demands of the non-Jewish environment and their own indigenous traditions, trying to balance fidelity and independence from the commentaries of the rabbinic and medieval world.Trade ReviewThis book traces how ten Jewish thinkers brought the Bible to the center of Jewish identity over the past four centuries. With a light touch, the author insightfully describes how they and other scholars in Europe, America, and Israel responded to the needs of Western culture and Jewish nationalism. -- Andreas Spahn, Florida Atlantic University, Frederick E. Greenspahn, Florida Atlantic UniversityThis is an original, creative, and thoughtful guide to a topic and an era (or rather, several topics and several eras) that are crucial to understanding today’s Judaism—but they are not usually brought together with the insightful and informative methodology that Levenson has managed to construct. He has a fine eye for both detail and context as he spins out a tale that covers over three centuries and takes place in three continents. Agree with him or disagree with him or come down somewhere in the middle, the engaged reader of this book will be greatly illuminated and moved to think about things, both old and new, in meaningful and fruitful ways. -- Leonard Greenspoon, Creighton UniversityAlan Levenson has restored the Bible to its rightfully central place in modern Jewish thought. He has done so with considerable sensitivity and consistent lucidity. This is a book that scholars and laypeople alike will read with profit. -- David J. Sorkin, University of Wisconsin, MadisonAlan Levenson explains clearly and directly how the meaning of the Bible is socially constructed. He explores how makers of meaning from Spinoza, Jewish Enlightenment thinkers, and modern Jewish thinkers, constructed our ever-changing understanding of the Bible. From his survey of how modern Zionists and Israelis recovered the Bible as a centerpiece of national life, how the challenge of reading the Bible meaningfully has been addressed in an era of doubt, to the celebration of the Bible as an ethnic touchstone in America, he helps explain how the Bible became the connective tissue of Jewish life even as it served as a vehicle for expressing contemporary values. This book is a valuable guide to anyone interested in understanding the Hebrew Bible today. -- David Ariel, President of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish StudiesWith refreshing breadth and accessible prose, Alan T. Levenson illuminates the political, social, and religious tensions that shape modern Jewish approaches to the Bible. This wide-ranging and engaging study blends scholarly acumen with a gifted teacher's knack for clarity. Levenson guides the reader to see what is at stake, for some of the most important figures in modern Jewish intellectual history, in how Jews read their sacred text. -- Mara Benjamin, St. Olaf CollegeThis is a combination of a careful reading of and original thinking about a group of Bible scholars never before examined together. In his learning and his originality —an all-too-rare combination —Alan Levenson is matchless. He is a scholar in command of his sources as well as the extensive literature about these sources, who knows how to speak continually to his readers. -- Marc Lee Raphael, Nathan and Sophia Gumenick Professor of Judaic Studies, College of William and MaryThis is a terrific book that fills a real need in the Jewish Studies and Biblical Studies Academy: an original history of modern Jewish scholarship on the Bible. The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible will be great for course use as well as general reading. Levenson writes in an elegant style: learned yet with a personal touch, strong and clear from an academic perspective, yet reader-friendly in voice. The book is carefully planned and presented: a conscientious piece of work by an experienced scholar who also cares broadly about this project. 'The Jewish Bible' has arrived as a distinct and distinguished topic for study and appreciation. -- Peter Ochs, Edgar Bronfman Professor of Modern Judaic Studies, University of VirginiaIn The Making of the Modern Jewish Bible, Alan Levenson has given us a sweeping and detailed panorama of one of the most significant cultural, intellectual and social endeavors in modern Jewish history. This is not merely a history of Jewish Bible scholarship over the past three centuries, nor of modern Jewish translations of the sacred text, but of how Jews in three major centers of Jewish life - Germany, Israel, and the United States - related to and identified with the Bible and gave it a new place in their lives. Levenson's account is a tour de force of scholarship based upon a wide range of sources in German and Hebrew as well as English. He is willing to take sides in passionate scholarly and cultural debates, while at the same time giving a balanced presentation of all sides. Levenson's felicitous and highly accessible writing style makes the book a pleasure to read for scholar, student, and general reader alike. It is an impressive achievement. -- Norman A. Stillman, Schusterman/Josey Professor of Judaic History, University of OklahomaThe Jewish Bible—and the distinctly Jewish approach to Bible study—is as popular as ever among scholars and laypeople, believers and secularists alike. Those who had a hand in "making" the modern Jewish Bible—from Ezra the Scribe to Spinoza, Mendelssohn to Buber, Nechama Leibowitz to Nahum Sarna—come to life in this engaging book. Levenson's accessible study of the creative forces of biblical translation and scholarship in Germany, Israel, and in twenty-first century America, explains why the the Bible continues to be the indispensable point of entry into classical Jewish learning. -- Abigail Gillman, Boston UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Spinoza As Jewish Bible Critic Part I. The Emergence of Modern Jewish Bible Studies in Germany Introduction: Starting with Germany Chapter 2: Mendelssohn's Bible: The Ideal of Jewish Self-Sufficiency Chapter 3: Samson Raphael Hirsch: The Chimera of Self-Explanatory Scripture Chapter 4: Benno Jacob and the Call for a "Jewish" Bible Scholarship Chapter 5: The Martin Buber-Franz Rosenzweig Bible: Culture or Religion? Part II. Zionism and the Creation of a National Bible Introduction: The Bible in Modern Israel Chapter 6: Early Zionism and the Bible: Ahad Haam and His Opponents Chapter 7: The Bible As National Linchpin: David Ben Gurion and His Opponents Chapter 8: Nehama Leibowitz's Bible: Returning Tradition to the Text Part III. The Flowering of Jewish Bible Studies in North America Introduction: America and the Jewish Bible Chapter 9: Finding A Jewish Voice: Nahum Sarna & Robert Alter Chapter 10: Seeking An American Jewish Bible Conclusion: Is There A "Jewish School" of Modern Bible Study? Notes Selective Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisHerod the Great, king of ancient Judea, was a brutal, ruthless, vindictive and dangerously high-strung tyrant. He had many of his subjects killed on suspicion of plotting against him and was accused of slaughtering children in Bethlehem when informed that a new king of the Jews had been born there. Among the victims of the murderous paranoia that ultimately drove him to the brink of insanity were his three oldest sons and the wife he loved most. But there was a crucial aspect to Herod's character that has been largely ignored over the centuries. Norman Gelb explores how Herod transformed his formerly strive-ridden kingdom into a modernizing, economically thriving, orderly state of international significance and repute within the sprawling Roman Empire. This reassessment of Herod as ruler of Judaea introduces a striking contrast between a ruler's infamy and his extraordinary laudable achievements. As this account shows, despite his horrific failings and ultimate mental unbalance, HeTrade ReviewIn 2010, historian Gelb (Dunkirk: The Complete Story in the First Step in the Defeat of Hitler) switched subjects, moving from World War II to the line of Jewish kings, examining the 52 monarchs who ruled until 70 CE. He offers an in-depth analysis of one of those kings, Herod the Great, appointed king of Judea by the Romans in 37 BCE, holding the office for more than 30 years until he died. Most of what we know about Herod is from the historian Josephus, who was born forty years after Herod died. Josephus and other ancient chroniclers depicted Herod as cold, calculating, cruel, and brutal. He mistrusted most of his ten wives and sons, executing at least one of the wives and a number of the sons, fearing that they were trying to replace him. Despite Herod’s dark streak and mental instability, Gelb tries to revamp the monarch’s image, stressing the cities and structures he built, including his reconstruction of the Temple, and asserting that 'his positive achievements may be considered to have outweighed his brutality and tyrannical rule.' This is an exemplary illustration of revisionist history. * Publishers Weekly *Herod was an outsider who came to power when appointed King of Judea (he reigned from 37 BCE to his death in 4 BCE) during a tumultuous time for the Roman Empire. He held onto power through political schemes and assassinations, not unlike the rest of the Roman elite. He was such a divisive figure that an unbiased and straightforward biography is difficult to achieve—whether Herod was as bad as his historical reputation indicates has been debated for centuries. Historian Gelb’s (Kings of the Jews: Exploring the Origins of the Jewish Nation) subtitle summarizes his take on Herod: Herod’s statesmanship and vision outweigh his tyranny. Gelb takes pains to place Herod’s actions in historical context by starting the narrative well before Herod’s birth and ending well after his death. While the book is by no means an apology for Herod, Gelb tends to favor arguments that show Herod in a more positive light. The author does not rigorously question the early sources. VERDICT This is an excellent choice for nonspecialists who want a straightforward biography of Herod, particularly those who are interested in Roman or biblical history. * Library Journal *Herod wasn’t called great because he was such a swell guy. In fact, history has treated him quite roughly and justifiably so. According to the New Testament, he ordered the murder of young boys to make sure there would be no Jewish messiah. And he played a part in the graphic story of John the Baptist’s head landing on a platter. Killing beloved relatives was also part of his repertoire. But Gelb, who has written extensively on Jewish history, aims for a more rounded portrait of the Jewish king. While not disputing any of the charges, he also focuses on a different part of Herod’s legacy: his ability to transform and rebuild Judea. In a highly readable fashion, he traces Herod’s rise to power, his ability to appease the winning side in the high-stakes politics of Rome, the importance of his public-works programs, his political machinations (which often ended in murder), and the reasons his actions often irritated and incited the Jewish population. This account not only delivers a full portrait of a historically important figure but also offers much about the political and religious history of the time. * Booklist *This book is more than a biography of Herod; it tells the history of the Greco-Roman world in classical antiquity and the emergence of early Christianity. Gelb attempts at presenting a balanced picture of Herod, who is known largely for his cruelty (he killed members of his own family!); yet, the Idumean who was appointed by the Romans as King of Judaea had many facets to his personality. Gelb examines Herod’s cruelty and paranoia, his genius as a builder and architect, his cunning and cleverness as a diplomat and his able work as an administrator. The book actually goes beyond Herod’s reign to the reign of his great grandson, Marcus Julius Agrippa: 'the last king of the Herodian dynasty and the last king of the Jews though he never became king of Judaea.' There is a bibliography, notes and an index. The book will be enjoyed by anyone who likes to read about classical antiquity. Herod the Great is especially recommended for anyone traveling to Israel because a vast majority of the ancient tourist sites that you visit where originally constructed by Herod—Tower of David Citadel, Masada, Caesarea, etc. * Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews *This book accurately portrays the turbulent life and times of King Herod the Great in a highly readable and engaging manner. Fast-paced and clearly written, it will appeal to a broad audience. -- Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Book SynopsisThis powerful memoir chronicles the life of one of America's most celebrated rabbisRabbi Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi, or Reb Zalman as he is fondly known to friends and followers. The book traces his life from a youth in the shadow of the Nazis through the tumultuous 1960s in America to his position as a renowned religious leader today.Often controversial for his attraction to cultural mavericks and religious rebels, Reb Zalman's colorful lifetime includes a striking cast of characters across faith traditions, including Timothy Leary, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Thomas Merton, the Dalai Lama, and more. The book traces Reb Zalman's work creating the vibrant Jewish Renewal movement that emphasizes spiritual experience and continues to touch Jews around the world today. Reb Zalman often illustrates his talks with anecdotes from his life, and My Life in Jewish Renewal brings together the life story of this beloved leader for the first time.Reb Zalman often illustrates his talks with stories frTrade ReviewIn this wonderful and important memoir, we see why Reb Zalman is viewed by so many as one of the key Jewish figures and influencers of the last century. In intimate detail, the book affords us glimpses into the friendships, relationships, and shared experiences he has had with some of the most compelling (and at times lesser known) spiritual teachers and leaders of this era, as well as his own experiences and personal history--and how those many and varied interconnections have shaped his worldview and inner life. I recommend this book very highly to anyone interested in the evolution of a soul and the formation of a modern mystic. -- Rabbi Niles Goldstein, director of external relations at the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions; author of Gonzo Judaism: A Bold Path for Renewing an Ancient FaithWhile there are many Jews who never heard of "Jewish Renewal" or Rabbi Zalman M. Schachter- Shalomi, the impact of Reb Zalman, and the movement he has been instrumental in birthing, have been extraordinary. In fact, hundreds of synagogues in the United States and elsewhere, whether its congregants are aware of it or not, have benefited from the nourishing impact of Jewish Renewal and Reb Zalman's rare, inspired creativity. If you do not know Reb Zalman, get ready for a deeply personal memoir about an exceptional personality and important teacher in our generation. If you do know Reb Zalman, get ready for a "can't put this book down" experience. When a gifted writer and teacher like Dr. Edward Hoffman teams up with Rabbi Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi, the result is one of those rare books that are truly important. -- Arthur Kurzweil, author of Kabbalah for Dummies and On the Road with Rabbi SteinsaltzJudaism is a living religion of endless reinvention. From Abraham to Moses, and Moses to Micah, and Micah to Hillel, and Hillel to Luria, and Luria to the Baal Shem Tov, and the Baal Shem Tov to Reb Zalman ours is a civilization rooted in creativity, innovation, imagination, and experimentation. Reb Zalman’s story is a testament to Jewish creativity rooted in the richest soil of the past and fearlessly branching out into the as yet unknown dimensions of the future. If there is hope for a Jewish future, Reb Zalman carries it; if there is a rabbi for the 21st Century, Reb Zalman is it. -- Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of The Sacred Art of LovingkindnessReb Zalman is a deeply beloved, unique figure, founder of the Jewish Renewal movement, who has single-handedly inspired several generations of Jews to rediscover their own rich heritage. In this compelling memoir, Reb Zalman (assisted by Edward Hoffman) recounts his remarkable life story, revealing the personal evolution that made it possible for him to serve as an authentic Hasidic rebbe in the modern era. This fascinating book is like a long, delicious visit with Reb Zalman as he recounts, with exceptional honesty and affection, the events that have shaped his life. -- Howard Schwartz, Author of Tree of Souls: The Mythology of JudaismReb Zalman, the Master Teacher of Jewish Renewal has given us access to the wisdom of the past appreciation of the technological present and insights for a luminous future now he is giving us the inside view of his amazing life presented as an engaging personal narrative those who have enjoyed his teachings will find this a ‘must read’ book. -- Rabbi Leah Novick, author of On the Wings of Shekhinah: Rediscovering Judaism's Divine FeminineTo be in the presence of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shlom is to be in the presence of a fountain that is forever bubbling up with new nsights and fresh discoveries. The next best thing to being with him is to have this book which describes the fascinating journey that Reb Zalman has travelled in his life—so far. The Lubavitcher Rebbe and the Dali Lama, the diamond cutters of Antwerp and the Trappist monks of Kentucky, Shlomo Carlbach and Timothy O’Leary are among some of the travelling companions whom he introduces us to, as he tells us of the adventures he has lived through in his travels from world to world in search of Truth. It is hard to think of a spiritual insight, a new way of understanding reality, a new approach to the tradition, or a fresh idea that he has not been involved in learning and in teaching in his journey. He has raised a generation of disciples, and has done more than anyone I know to touch the minds and souls of young people in our time. Now, in this fascinating autobiography, he enables us to travel along with him, and to learn at his side. This is a book that anyone who wants to understand the twists and turns of the spiritual life of our time simply has to read. -- Rabbi Jack Riemer, editor of The World of the High Holy Days and So That Your Values Live OnWhat a marvelous collection of memories, told with warmth and affection! We who know and love Reb Zalman have all heard parts of his story, but seeing it all together is quite magnificent. May he live to write still more unexpected chapters! -- Art Green, Hebrew CollegeRabbi Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi is the greatest living spiritual teacher of our time. He has been a master and innovator of Kabbalah and Hasidism, whose wisdom and charisma played a preeminent role in creating a Jewish renewal that is the best hope for Jewish continuity in the 21st century—and a powerful model for spiritually alive people in every religious tradition. My Life in Jewish Renewal gives a vivid picture of the courage and challenges that Reb Zalman has faced—and his life detailed in this book reflects his integrity and creativity. -- Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor, Tikkun Magazine; author of The Left Hand of God:Taking Back our Country from the Religious RightIn this radiant book, Reb Zalman Schachter accompanied by Edward Hoffman, take us on the majestic tour of Reb Zalman's exhilarating life. This tour comprises a treasure-trove of wise and diversified souls, beginning with Reb Zalman himself, from his discoveries as a youth in Hitler's Vienna to his education as a rabbi to his meetings with some of the most remarkable minds of the past 100 years. And weaved throughout we are gifted with the clarification and articulation of Reb Zalman's crowning theological achievement—Jewish Renewal—and the hope for a more inclusive, awe-based, and appreciative world. -- Kirk Schneider, author of Existential-Humanistic TherapyFew writers have so accurately described Jewish boyhood in Vienna, the doubts and fears, the fascination with a world that overnight turned from friendly Gemütlichkeit to hostility and hatred. And none that I know of has had such accurate recall of names, places, people and happenings as Reb Zalman. What this revered rabbi became has much to do with what he was as a boy. After decades of sharing with us thoughts, views, insights and teachings, I am grateful that he has decided to share the journey of his life. -- Theodore Bikel, actor, musician, YiddishistZalman Schachter-Shalomi has written a robust and creative memoir with Edward Hoffman, author of The Kabbalah Reader and other books. Known by friends and students as ‘Reb Zalman,’ he has left his mark on Judaism by founding the Jewish Renewal movement….This book also tracks this open-minded and open-hearted rabbi's fascination with pastoral psychology, Sufism, conscious aging, and a variety of spiritual experiences…. he has served as a scout for all of us, leading us into new territory and exposing us to fresh teachings and wisdom coming from many different places. Only an incredibly busy and productive seer could end his memoir with a section on ‘My Unfulfilled Projects.’ Reb Zalman has given all he has in service of others and we are the richer and wiser for it. * Spirituality and Practice *This absorbing memoir presents the life of one of the most important spiritual leaders and teachers today, the founder of the Jewish Renewal movement...Black and white photographs of Reb Zalman at different stages of his life and some of the people who influenced him are included, and the text is interspersed with quotes from Reb Zalman’s writings and other relevant documents...This memoir has broad appeal, and it is recommended for all types of Jewish libraries, and Judaica collections, starting from high school. It is a valuable resource for understanding the growth and development of Jewish Renewal, and a notable contribution to American Jewish history. * Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments A Visionary Introduction to My Life Quest Part I: My Boyhood &Youth Before the Holocaust Chapter 1. Origins Chapter 2. A Viennese Boyhood Chapter 3. Austria Under Hitler Chapter 4. Diamond-Cutting & Hasidim in Antwerp Chapter 5. French Internment Camps Chapter 6. Revelations in Marseilles Chapter 7. Freedom Voyage to America Chapter 8. Encountering the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe Chapter 9. The Making of a Chabad Hasid Part II: Initiating Jewish Restoration in America Chapter 10. A Fledgling Rabbi: Outreach in New Haven Chapter 11. Raising the Klippot in Rochester, New York Chapter 12. A Pulpit of My Own in Fall River, Massachussetts Chapter 13. Caribbean Travels: Voodoo & Mitzvah Missions Chapter 14. Widening Horizons: From New Bedford to Boston University Part III: Planting Seeds of Jewish Renewal Chapter 15. Jewish Innovation in Manitoba Chapter 16. Adventures with Catholic Monasticism Chapter 17. My First Trip to the Holy Land Chapter 18. Qumran, USA: My Plan for Jewish Communality Chapter 19. Hasidic Counseling: New Explorations Chapter 20. Psychedelics with Timothy Leary Chapter 21. My Friend Thomas Merton and the Ecumenical Quest Chapter 22. Walks with Abraham Maslow Chapter 23. Abraham Joshua Heschel: My Mentor & Friend Chapter 24. Leaving Chabad: The Fallout from My Washington, DC Lecture Chapter 25. The San Francisco Counter-Culture and Neo-Hasidism Chapter 26. Relocating to Philadelphia Chapter 27. Epilogue: Whither Jewish Renewal? Appendix: Brief Reminiscences A. Gerald Heard, My “Irish Rebbe” B. Rabbi Heschel Matt C. Breakthroughs in Milwaukee D. The Dalai Lama E. My Unfulfilled Projects Glossary Related Books by the Authors Index About the Authors

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Book SynopsisHow do we find meaning in our life? This book explores how Martin Buber, one of the 20th century's greatest religious thinkers, answers this timeless question. Author Kenneth Paul Kramer explains Buber's Hasidic spiritualitya living connection between the human and the divineand how it is relevant to all spiritual seekers. According to Buber, we find meaning in life through wholeheartedly letting God in. He developed this theme through six thought-provoking talks originally published as The Way of Man. In Martin Buber's Spirituality, Kramer explains the accessible practices Buber outlined in these talks, shares the stories Buber used to illustrate each point, and explores how these teachings might apply in everyday life today. The book features questions for personal or group reflection to help readers more fully explore Martin Buber's approach to spirituality, along with a glossary of key terms.Trade ReviewMartin Buber (1878–1965) is perhaps more referenced than read; he was the originator of the I-Thou concept in religious philosophy, which opines, in part, that we must experience one another, and ultimately, God, as constituents in a dialog without limits. The inherent challenge in living out his ideas as well as his Hasidic background and use of Hasidic spirituality and tales to make his points contribute to preventing many readers from the very sort of engagement he would have championed. Kramer (comparative religious studies, emeritus, San Jose State Univ.; Martin Buber’s I and Thou) goes a long way to bridge that gap through his accessible explication of six of Buber’s crucial essays. VERDICT This brief, engaging analysis of an important Jewish writer’s spirituality is recommended for Jewish and non-Jewish readers. * Library Journal *Kenneth Paul Kramer's book is a beautiful, invaluable guide to Martin Buber's classic work The Way of Man. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to gain insight into the Hasidic view of how to fulfill the meaning of our personal existence on earth. Kramer's book will make fascinating reading for seekers of all paths. -- Harold Kasimow, George Drake Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, Grinnell CollegeKramer's dialogue with Martin Buber's spirituality is evident throughout this thoughtful, loving and intelligent understanding of Buber's The Way of Man. Ken has brought Buber's work into the 21st century. -- Pat Boni, San Diego State UniversityA true disciple of Martin Buber, Kenneth Paul Kramer has given us a very important book. Written in a simple language which any reader will understand this religious philosophy, this work is very rich and thoughtful. It is truly an endowment to the study of the human way; I view it as a profound interpretation of a great philosopher-teacher, Martin Buber. -- Mishael M. Caspi, Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies, Bates CollegeIn his refined meditation on Buber's classic The Way of Man, Kenneth Kramer brings new light to this work, focusing on the formation of a spiritualism that makes others and God present in our lives. As such, it is itself a guide to spiritual life, inspired by Hasidism and open to everyone. Kramer succeeds in making Hasidic spirituality relevant for all those who are interested in inter-human encounter and in a meeting with the Divine. In his interpretation of Hasidic spirituality as world-oriented and hallowing the everyday, he analyzes, exemplifies, actualizes and extends Buber's view on Hasidism. Like Buber, he opens up Hasidism to the broader world and universalizes it beyond any particular belief system; his beautiful book is about the secret of real meaning. It invites the reader to turn from self-centeredness toward dialogue, to perceive the divine spark in human beings, and to link living faith to everyday life. -- Ephraim Meir, Bar-Ilan UniversityTable of ContentsForeword by Maurice Friedman Acknowledgments Preface Introduction: Buber’s Hasidic Spirituality Part I. Preliminary Practices Chapter 1: Heart-Searching Chapter 2: Your Particular Way Chapter 3: Resolution Part II. Practicing Presentness Chapter 4: Beginning With Yourself Chapter 5: Turning Toward Others Chapter 6: Here Where You Stand Conclusion: Practicing Buber’s Secret Appendix: Dialogue Journal Glossary of Key Terms Notes Index

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Book SynopsisIn The Future of the Jews, Stuart E. Eizenstat, a senior diplomat of international reputation, surveys the major geopolitical, economic, and security challenges facing the world in general, and the Jewish world and the United States in particular. These forces include the shift of power and influence from the United States and Europe to the emerging powers in Asia and Latin America; globalization and the new information age; the battle for the direction of the Muslim world; nontraditional security threats; changing demographics, which pose a particular challenge for Jews worldwide and the rise of a new anti-Semitism that seeks to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state. He also discusses the enduring nature of and challenges to the strategic alliance between the United States and Israel. Eizenstat's provocative analysis will be of interest to everyone concerned about the future of Jews worldwide and in Israel and the United States' role in a world that is confronting unprecedented simultTrade ReviewThe fact that Stuart E. Eizenstat is truly 'the epitome of the history of his own family' places both his decades of public service and his outstanding book, The Future of the Jews: How Global Forces are Impacting the Jewish People, Israel, and Its Relationship with the United States, in historical context and perspective. It is precisely because Eizenstat writes as a committed Jew who has always been guided by Jewish ethical and religious values that The Future of the Jews is, in the words of the former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Itamar Rabinovich, 'mandatory reading for Jews and Israelis who must adapt old policies and institutions to new conditions and for non-Jews who want to understand the concern of an unusually successful yet vulnerable people.' * The Washington Post *Ambassador Eizenstat has written an important book that cogently describes the global processes, trends and shifts that are shaping our world, and will undoubtedly impact the State of Israel and the Jewish people, as we move further into the 21st century. With keen intelligence and the wisdom that comes with a lifetime of public service, Eizenstat gives the reader an undiluted account of where we are now and what we are likely to experience in the coming years. -- Shimon PeresAs enormous changes unfold around us, we need Stu Eizenstat’s keen insight into the forces of opportunity and upheaval shaping the future. Thanks to the breadth and clarity of his vision, The Future of the Jews: How Global Forces are Impacting the Jewish People, Israel, and its Relationship with the United States is a valuable aid to our own understanding. -- William Jefferson Clinton, former President of the United StatesReady or not, the future is coming. I am grateful to Stuart Eizenstat for laying out such a nuanced picture of what the Jewish people can expect the future to bring, and for raising such insightful and compelling recommendations for how we might better prepare for it. His preface, aptly entitled “Uncharted Waters,” supplies an eagle-eyed context for anyone trying to make sense of this unfolding, historic moment in the Middle East.Stu Eizenstat has produced a valuable and prophetic book. The Future of the Jews is sure to challenge assumptions and—amidst the sudden extraordinary changes unfolding today in the Middle East and beyond—to inspire the kind of creative thought necessary for the Jewish community worldwide to seize the opportunities and weather the inevitable challenges that are sure to emerge in the years ahead. -- Joseph I. Lieberman, U.S. Senator, ConnecticutStuart Eizenstat is the right person to write a book on the impact of world trends on the Jewish people. His combined experience of working at the highest levels of the US government and as Chairman of the Jewish People Policy Institute prepared him well for this task. And he hasn't disappointed. His book is a balanced, insightful, sober but ultimately optimistic assessment of the Jewish future in the face of a rapidly changing world. This book is an effective response to the doomsayers as well as to those who see smooth sailing ahead. It should serve as a useful guide for discussions about the Jewish future for years to come. -- Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation LeagueWe stand at a time when the familiar certainties of the Cold War world have been engulfed by new, unforeseen challenges. Eizenstat’s remarkable book is a brilliant, insightful and illuminating analysis of the global trends that are poised to have a particularly devastating impact on America, Israel and the West. The Future of the Jews is a deeply-reasoned and provocative work, worthy of serious attention. -- Dr. Henry A. KissingerI have worked in the White House with Stu Eizenstat on some of the most difficult issues facing the United States and the world. He is one of the most outstanding public servants I have ever been associated with, and demonstrates his accumulated knowledge and wisdom in three American administrations in this remarkable book. The scope, brilliance, and power of this book makes it essential reading for everyone interested in understanding the major global challenges facing the United States, as well as the Jewish people and Israel in the 21st century, and how to meet them successfully. As Israel's major ally, Stu compellingly makes the case that a strong America is an indispensable ingredient to a more secure Israel. -- Dr. Walter F. Mondale, Former Vice PresidentThe fate of the Jews has always been influenced by their interaction with the global and regional environments. What will be the fate of the Jewish people and the Jewish state in the 21st century? Stuart Eizenstat’s masterful, horizons broadening and deeply thought analysis of the Global Forces impacting on Western civilizations and the Jewish future is an eye opener for anyone interested in the fate of the Jewish people and Israel, and is an invitation for innovative action to those who wish to impact on the Jewish fate in the 21st century. -- Sallai Meridor, former Israeli Ambassador to the United StatesStuart Eizenstat provides an insightful and sober analysis of recent seismic changes that will challenge the world community well into the 21st century. Benefiting from his unique vantage point as a well-travelled American ambassador on the world stage and as a leader of major Jewish organizations in the United States and Israel, his book reads as a call to action for Israel and the Jewish people worldwide and charts a course to help its leaders navigate the troubled waters that lay ahead. An impressive grasp of the issues, powerfully and masterfully argued, this book should be required reading. -- Jehuda Reinharz, President, Mandel Foundation and the President Emeritus, Brandeis UniversityThis is a remarkable book. For almost four decades Stuart Eizenstat has had an exceptional impact in several arenas As a senior White House aide, US ambassador, a prominent Washington lawyer and public leader and a prominent Jewish leader concerned with obtaining justice foe holocaust victims and the welfare of Israel and its relationship with the US and the Jewish Diaspora. From his perch as Chairman of The Jewish People's Policy Institute he can think and stimulate thinking about the state of the Jewish people in a rapidly changing world. This book illustrates what can be accomplished when the keen mind of the intellectual and the rich perspective of the practitioner are put together in order to reflect on the state of the Jewish people and to offer thought and advice on the challenges presented to them by the new world order. It is mandatory reading for Jews and Israelis who must adapt old policies and institutions to new conditions and for non-Jews who want to understand the concern of an unusually successful yet vulnerable people. -- Itamar Rabinovich, Tel Aviv UniversityA great and timely book. As dramatic changes engulf the world scene in general and the Middle East in particular, nobody is better qualified than Stuart Eizenstat to assess their impact on the Jewish people and Israel. As American statesman and diplomat, Jewish leader and close observer and supporter of Israel, Eizenstat has the experience, commitment and sophisticated understanding needed for such a project. In bold strokes, combined with meticulous knowledge of politics, economics and technological innovations, he paints the major challenges ahead, offering sober, wise and measured advice, deeply anchored in his awareness of world trends as well as major Jewish concerns. A book for all who realize that Israel is not a people that dwelleth alone and know that its future and well-being are inextricably bound with global developments impacting the United States, world Jewry as well as its immediate neighborhood. -- Shlomo Avineri, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, former Director-General of Israel's Foreign MinistryEizenstat cogently analyzes the forces that shape our contemporary geopolitical reality, from the globalization of not just commerce but human interaction generally to what he calls the “battle for the direction of Islam” and the challenge posed by the ever-increasing efforts to isolate and delegitimize the State of Israel in the international arena. “If there is a silver lining for Israel and the Jewish people in the Arab Spring,” he writes, “it is that over time, if the Arab Middle East can genuinely develop democratic values – and that is a big “if” – this will ultimately unleash the creative abilities of the Muslim peoples of the area and embed them in a globalized society with a stake in a stable, prosperous world.” (From the Washington Post Online, 12/27/2012) -- Menachem Z. Rosensaft, General Counsel of the World Jewish Congress.“…Surveys the major geopolitical, economic and security challenges facing the world in general and the Jewish world and the United States in particular. Eizenstat has held senior U.S. government positions in three presidential administrations and is a recipient of the Courage and Conscience Award from the government of Israel” * Detroit Jewish News *Overall, this is a book by a devoted Jew with intimate knowledge of the places and players, and who gives a generally balanced and hopeful view of the problems which the Jewish people and Israel face. His presentation of a huge amount of factual material is truly impressive. This is an important book, and a valuable contribution to the subject. * Jewish Media Review *Once Jimmy Carter’s chief domestic policy adviser, he has held a number of other high posts in the American government, but he also serves as cochairman of the Jewish People Policy Institute, has long been involved in Jewish public affairs, and is deeply familiar with Israel. His recent book The Future of the Jews considers the place of Israel in a world changing all around it, one in which the nations of the Far East, particularly China, loom larger and larger. * Jewish Review of Books *Table of ContentsForeword by Martin Gilbert Uncharted Waters Preface Introduction Chapter 1: The Historic Shift of Power from the West to the Emerging Nations of the East and South: A New Multipolar World Chapter 2: Globalization: A More Integrated World Chapter 3: The Struggle for the Direction of Islam: The Rise of Islamic Extremism Chapter 4: Non-Traditional Global Security Risks Chapter 5: Israel and the New Challenge of Delegitimization Chapter 6: The Future of the U.S.-Israeli Relationship

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Book SynopsisIn The Future of the Jews, Stuart E. Eizenstat, a senior diplomat of international reputation, surveys the major geopolitical, economic, and security challenges facing the world in general, and the Jewish world and the United States in particular. These forces include the shift of power and influence from the United States and Europe to the emerging powers in Asia and Latin America; globalization and the new information age; the battle for the direction of the Muslim world; nontraditional security threats; changing demographics, which pose a particular challenge for Jews worldwide and the rise of a new anti-Semitism that seeks to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state. He also discusses the enduring nature of and challenges to the strategic alliance between the United States and Israel. In an extensive new foreword to the paper edition, Eizenstat addresses crucial developments affecting the Jewish people since the book first appeared in 2012, including increasing tensions in the Middle Trade ReviewAmbassador Eizenstat has written an important book that cogently describes the global processes, trends and shifts that are shaping our world, and will undoubtedly impact the State of Israel and the Jewish people, as we move further into the 21st century. With keen intelligence and the wisdom that comes with a lifetime of public service, Eizenstat gives the reader an undiluted account of where we are now and what we are likely to experience in the coming years. -- Shimon PeresAs enormous changes unfold around us, we need Stu Eizenstat’s keen insight into the forces of opportunity and upheaval shaping the future. Thanks to the breadth and clarity of his vision, The Fate of the Jews: How Global Forces are Impacting the Jewish People, Israel, and its Relationship with the United States is a valuable aid to our own understanding. -- William Jefferson Clinton, former President of the United StatesReady or not, the future is coming. I am grateful to Stuart Eizenstat for laying out such a nuanced picture of what the Jewish people can expect the future to bring, and for raising such insightful and compelling recommendations for how we might better prepare for it. His preface, aptly entitled “Uncharted Waters,” supplies an eagle-eyed context for anyone trying to make sense of this unfolding, historic moment in the Middle East.Stu Eizenstat has produced a valuable and prophetic book. The Future of the Jews is sure to challenge assumptions and—amidst the sudden extraordinary changes unfolding today in the Middle East and beyond—to inspire the kind of creative thought necessary for the Jewish community worldwide to seize the opportunities and weather the inevitable challenges that are sure to emerge in the years ahead. -- Joseph I. Lieberman, U.S. Senator, ConnecticutStuart Eizenstat is the right person to write a book on the impact of world trends on the Jewish people. His combined experience of working at the highest levels of the US government and as Chairman of the Jewish People Policy Institute prepared him well for this task. And he hasn't disappointed. His book is a balanced, insightful, sober but ultimately optimistic assessment of the Jewish future in the face of a rapidly changing world. This book is an effective response to the doomsayers as well as to those who see smooth sailing ahead. It should serve as a useful guide for discussions about the Jewish future for years to come. -- Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation LeagueWe stand at a time when the familiar certainties of the Cold War world have been engulfed by new, unforeseen challenges. Eizenstat’s remarkable book is a brilliant, insightful and illuminating analysis of the global trends that are poised to have a particularly devastating impact on America, Israel and the West. The Future of the Jews is a deeply-reasoned and provocative work, worthy of serious attention. -- Dr. Henry A. KissingerI have worked in the White House with Stu Eizenstat on some of the most difficult issues facing the United States and the world. He is one of the most outstanding public servants I have ever been associated with, and demonstrates his accumulated knowledge and wisdom in three American administrations in this remarkable book. The scope, brilliance, and power of this book makes it essential reading for everyone interested in understanding the major global challenges facing the United States, as well as the Jewish people and Israel in the 21st century, and how to meet them successfully. As Israel's major ally, Stu compellingly makes the case that a strong America is an indispensable ingredient to a more secure Israel. -- Dr. Walter F. Mondale, Former Vice PresidentThe fate of the Jews has always been influenced by their interaction with the global and regional environments. What will be the fate of the Jewish people and the Jewish state in the 21st century? Stuart Eizenstat’s masterful, horizons broadening and deeply thought analysis of the Global Forces impacting on Western civilizations and the Jewish future is an eye opener for anyone interested in the fate of the Jewish people and Israel, and is an invitation for innovative action to those who wish to impact on the Jewish fate in the 21st century. -- Sallai Meridor, former Israeli Ambassador to the United StatesStuart Eizenstat provides an insightful and sober analysis of recent seismic changes that will challenge the world community well into the 21st century. Benefiting from his unique vantage point as a well-travelled American ambassador on the world stage and as a leader of major Jewish organizations in the United States and Israel, his book reads as a call to action for Israel and the Jewish people worldwide and charts a course to help its leaders navigate the troubled waters that lay ahead. An impressive grasp of the issues, powerfully and masterfully argued, this book should be required reading. -- Jehuda Reinharz, President, Mandel Foundation and the President Emeritus, Brandeis UniversityThis is a remarkable book. For almost four decades Stuart Eizenstat has had an exceptional impact in several arenas As a senior White House aide, US ambassador, a prominent Washington lawyer and public leader and a prominent Jewish leader concerned with obtaining justice foe holocaust victims and the welfare of Israel and its relationship with the US and the Jewish Diaspora. From his perch as Chairman of The Jewish People's Policy Institute he can think and stimulate thinking about the state of the Jewish people in a rapidly changing world. This book illustrates what can be accomplished when the keen mind of the intellectual and the rich perspective of the practitioner are put together in order to reflect on the state of the Jewish people and to offer thought and advice on the challenges presented to them by the new world order. It is mandatory reading for Jews and Israelis who must adapt old policies and institutions to new conditions and for non-Jews who want to understand the concern of an unusually successful yet vulnerable people. -- Itamar Rabinovich, Tel Aviv UniversityA great and timely book. As dramatic changes engulf the world scene in general and the Middle East in particular, nobody is better qualified than Stuart Eizenstat to assess their impact on the Jewish people and Israel. As American statesman and diplomat, Jewish leader and close observer and supporter of Israel, Eizenstat has the experience, commitment and sophisticated understanding needed for such a project. In bold strokes, combined with meticulous knowledge of politics, economics and technological innovations, he paints the major challenges ahead, offering sober, wise and measured advice, deeply anchored in his awareness of world trends as well as major Jewish concerns. A book for all who realize that Israel is not a people that dwelleth alone and know that its future and well-being are inextricably bound with global developments impacting the United States, world Jewry as well as its immediate neighborhood. -- Shlomo Avineri, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, former Director-General of Israel's Foreign MinistryEizenstat cogently analyzes the forces that shape our contemporary geopolitical reality, from the globalization of not just commerce but human interaction generally to what he calls the “battle for the direction of Islam” and the challenge posed by the ever-increasing efforts to isolate and delegitimize the State of Israel in the international arena. “If there is a silver lining for Israel and the Jewish people in the Arab Spring,” he writes, “it is that over time, if the Arab Middle East can genuinely develop democratic values – and that is a big “if” – this will ultimately unleash the creative abilities of the Muslim peoples of the area and embed them in a globalized society with a stake in a stable, prosperous world.” (From the Washington Post Online, 12/27/2012) -- Menachem Z. Rosensaft, General Counsel of the World Jewish Congress.Table of ContentsForeword by Martin Gilbert Uncharted Waters Preface Introduction Chapter 1: The Historic Shift of Power from the West to the Emerging Nations of the East and South: A New Multipolar World Chapter 2: Globalization: A More Integrated World Chapter 3: The Struggle for the Direction of Islam: The Rise of Islamic Extremism Chapter 4: Non-Traditional Global Security Risks Chapter 5: Israel and the New Challenge of Delegitimization Chapter 6: The Future of the U.S.-Israeli Relationship

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Book SynopsisFrom the biblical story of Ruth to the star conversion of Elizabeth Taylor, Converts to Judaism tells the stories of people who have converted to Judaism throughout history. The book introduces readers to origins of Judaism and shares the first conversion stories of the people who helped the early Jewish faith grow. Subsequent chapters trace the trajectory of Judaism through the ages while highlighting the stories of convertsboth well-known and lesser-knownand how they shaped the tradition. The book includes not only the story of Warder Cresson, who was put on trial for insanity after converting to Judaism, but also famous celebrities who became Jewish such as Marilyn Monroe and Sammy Davis, Jr.Written by a noted expert on the conversion process, Converts to Judaism serves as a unique resource to people considering the challenging path of conversion and an illustration of the important, and sometimes surprising, role Jewish converts have always played in Jewish life.Trade ReviewWho knew that Sammy Davis Jr. was a convert to Judaism who refused to perform on Yom Kippur, or that Ivanka Trump converted when she married Jared Kushner in 2009? Epstein provides a fascinating read about the various people who have converted to Judaism over centuries, and the circumstances of their conversions. Many of those converts faced extreme reactions: the family of Warder Cresson, for example, had him committed to a mental institution in 1848. Epstein organizes material into eight chapters, covering different historical periods, from converts mentioned in the Bible up to modern conversion in the United States and Israel. Each chapter contains anecdotes, reflections from rabbinical authorities of the period, and discussion of the clashing viewpoints on conversion among Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Jews. Concluding with a chapter on lessons from this history, Epstein admits he is strongly in favor of conversion. 'This is especially crucial in a Jewish age marked by increased intermarriage and increased assimilation,' he writes. Superbly researched and insightful, Epstein’s work takes readers on an enlightening journey through Jewish history. * Publishers Weekly *Epstein has long taught and written about conversion to Judaism. He points out that, from its beginning. After all, Adam and Eve weren't Jews, nor was anyone else before Abraham converted by God and thereafter obliged to convert Sarah and others. The eight pithy chapters of this very compact overview trace the fortunes of conversion to Judaism to the present, when it has again become a mission for many Jews, after a long time in modernity during which it was commonly accepted that one couldn't be a Jew unless one's mother was a Jew. Epstein points out, however, that Jews are often uncomfortable with the word mission because of its strong association with a Christianity that coerced conversion to it. . . .[A] good primer on a little-known reality. * Booklist *A warmly narrated story not only about Judaism’s history of giyur (proselytism or conversion), but also the evolutionary development of the Hebrew people as Jews. Epstein, a professor emeritus from Suffolk County Community College, has a publishing record reflecting Jewish thought and culture. While not sourced directly in the text, the book’s collection of references found at the end will assist the reader in learning the history of converts to Judaism from Ruth in biblical times to the present and the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Sammy Davis, Jr. In each of the eight chapters, Epstein through the use of anecdotes and rabbinic thought and commentary, supplemented by discussions, covers the debates within the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox communities regarding the advisability and opposition to conversion. This is a good contribution for a synagogue library that has an interested audience from young adults to adults, interested or somehow involved with the intricacies of the history of Judaism and the role of conversion in it. Similarly, the wealth of information provided would serve any Chavurah (Fellowship) a treasure trove of topics. * Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews *Lawrence Epstein has written a fascinating, essential book about conversion—its history, the whys and hows, current issues, and why we need to encourage it. This book is must-reading for anyone thinking about conversion, anyone who has converted, Jewish professionals, and all other Jews! -- Rabbi Carol Levithan, The Rabbinical AssemblyWith this book, Lawrence Epstein has presented us with two amazing gifts: an accurate portrayal of Judaism’s positive history of conversion and a hopeful and practical depiction of how conversion can save the future of the North American Jewish community. -- Stephen A. Karol, rabbi emeritus, Temple Isaiah of Stony Brook, New YorkConverts to Judaism: Stories from Biblical Times to Today is the right book at the right time for a critical issue facing American Judaism. It is enlightening as well as entertaining, highlighting the history of conversion to Judaism over the entire timespan from Abraham up until today. The work is important not only for its information and analysis but because the author makes a compelling argument for a pro-active approach to bringing in new Jews into our religion and people. -- Rabbi Dana Evan KaplanThis is an important book that should be read by every Jew who is proud that Judaism has no missionaries, yet still encourages and welcomes all non-Jews who want to join us in building a peaceful pluralistic world of transnational religious communities. -- Rabbi Allen S. Maller, editor of Makhzor Tikunay NefashotCombining scholarship, compassion, and lucid prose, this book illuminates Jewish communal policies regarding would-be Jews throughout history. Epstein’s work will serve as a critical framework for all present and future discussions regarding conversion. -- Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove, Park Avenue SynagogueTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface Introduction: Welcoming the Stranger: The Place of Converts in Jewish Life One: Your People Shall Be My People: Converts in the Biblical Era Two: Over Land and Sea: The Rise of Proselytism in the Hellenistic and Early Roman Period Three: A Fence Around the Torah: Converts in the Talmudic Era Four: The Time of Religious Struggle: Converts in the Medieval Era Five: Leaving the Ghetto: Converts From the Jewish Enlightenment to the Present Six: The Golden Land: Converts in the United States Seven: The Call of Zion: Converts in Israel Eight: Lessons From the History of Conversion to Judaism Glossary References Index

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Book SynopsisBoth Jews and non-Jews alike have many misconceptions of Jewish teachings and practices. Some seemingly unusual statements about Jewish teachings and practices are actually true, whereas some apparently reasonable and popularly believed statements are false. Many statements regarding Jewish teachings and practice are partly true and partly false, requiring a more nuanced explanation of the true situation. In 850 Intriguing Questions about Judaism: True, False, or In Between, Ronald L. Eisenberg explores a wide range of Jewish teachings and practices, discussing the degree to which they are true, false or a bit of both. Offered in question-and-answer format, readers are invited to explore with the author what they really know about Jewish life, history, holidays, and scripture. Eisenberg tackles all sorts of topics, from artificial insemination to organ donation and euthanasia, second day festivals in the Diaspora to the why really sound the shofar, from what the ner tamid signifies toTrade ReviewThis is an engaging compendium designed to appeal to general readers seeking to learn more about the diversity of Jewish thought and practice. A dozen information-packed chapters cover literature, ethical living, food, folkways, theology, and other areas of Jewish life. Each chapter contains more than 100 questions and their corresponding concise answers, all coded to indicate whether the author considers the answer to be true (T), false (F), or nuanced (N). For example, a question in the ethics chapter asks, 'Does Judaism have a holistic view toward health?' The answer, coded T, explains: 'In Jewish thought, the concept of health entails physical, emotional, and spiritual well being, health of both the body and the soul.' Recommended for the religion collections of most public libraries. * Booklist *Table of ContentsPreface Abbreviations Chapter 1: Bible Chapter 2: Jewish Literature Chapter 3: History Chapter 4: Theology Chapter 5: Mitzvot Chapter 6: Ethical Living Chapter 7: Sabbath and festivals Chapter 8: Synagogue and Prayers Chapter 9: Life Cycle Events Chapter 10: Food Chapter 11: Plants and Animals Chapter 12: Symbols of Jews and Judaism Chapter 13: Folkways Glossary Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisThis third edition of Historical Dictionary of Judaism covers the history of the Jewish religion through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 800 cross-referenced entries on important personalities in Jewish religious history.Table of ContentsEditor’s Foreword by Jon Woronoff List of Tables Readers Note Maps Chronology Introduction THE DICTIONARY Supplementary Tables Appendixes: Appendix A-The Mitzvot Appendix B-Standard Prayer Texts Appendix C-Reform “Platforms” Appendix D-An Orthodox Convention Appendix E- Christians and Christianity Bibliography About the Author

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Book SynopsisAmericans and the Birth of Israel tells the dramatic story of how a ragtag group of Americans of all religions worked, often in secret and facing the possibility of arrest and imprisonment, to make sure that after the Holocaust a refuge for Jews would be born. It is a story that is not well-known but deserves to be. The book tells the story of how Americans raised money, gathered munitions, ships, and planes, rescued Holocaust survivors and sneaked them past the British patrols, helped Israel prepare militarily, engaged in dramatic political efforts in Washington and the United Nations to secure Israeli statehood, participated in cultural activities to support the Zionist cause, and in other ways made a decisive difference in allowing Israel to be born. From well-known figures like Golda Meir to little-known individuals, Americans and the Birth of Israel brings these compelling stories to light and explores the complex relationship between the United States and Israel historically and Trade ReviewAt a moment when many young American Jews are questioning their connection to the state of Israel, Lawrence Epstein has given us a compelling reminder of the depths of that relationship for both Israel and American Jewry. A fascinating story about courage, commitment, and above all love. -- Yossi Klein Halevi, Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem; author of Like DreamersLawrence Epstein’s powerful combination of research and storytelling makes this book a compelling and fascinating read. He refers to his subject as “a story that deserves to be shouted,” and it is one that dispels the myth that Jews don’t know how to fight or fight back. This is an account of the extraordinary bravery, amazing resourcefulness, and unwavering commitment required for the creation of the State of Israel. The heroism and chutzpah of so many American Jews is worth shouting about! -- Rabbi Stephen Karol, rabbi emeritus, Temple Isaiah, Stony Brook, New YorkTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Major Characters Introduction Chapter One: The Secret Meeting Chapter Two: The United Nations and the White House: The Vote for Partition Chapter Three: Organizing for Action Chapter Four: Planes and Ships and Weapons Chapter Five: The Irgun’s Way Chapter Six: From Survivors to Immigrants Conclusion: The Lessons for America and Israel Chronology References Index

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