Orthodox Judaism Books
Academic Studies Press Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik on the Experience
Book SynopsisThis book is devoted to Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s discussions on the practice of prayer. Prayer is analyzed across a broad and complex spectrum in Soloveitchik’s work, and his writings describing and analyzing the experience of prayer afford a profound insight into its diversity, ranging from existential crisis to communion with God.Through a careful reading of R. Soloveitchik’s texts dealing with this topic, the book follows the consciousness of prayer across its various stages until maturity, starting with an analysis of Worship of the Heart, through to Reflections on the Amidah and other writings.Table of Contents Introduction Part I. Worship of the Heart: The Consciousness of Prayer Chapter One: Nature and Purpose Chapter Two: The Consciousness of Prayer: An Outline Chapter Three: The Consciousness of Prayer: The Subjective and the Objective Chapter Four: The Consciousness of Prayer: The Process of Consolidation Chapter Five: The Path of the Consciousness of Prayer to Perfection Chapter Six: The Dialectic of Consciousness: Between Reading Shema and Prayer Chapter Seven: The Interpretation of Reading Shema and Its Blessings: (1) Methodology and Sources Chapter Eight: The Interpretation of Reading Shema and Its Blessings: (2) Application Part II. "Reflections on the Amidah" in Perspective Chapter Nine: Prayer and Redemption Chapter Ten: Covering the Profound: The Legal-Halakhic Dimension of the Amidah Chapter Eleven: Interpretation of the Amidah Prayer Part III. Community Chapter Twelve: Synagogue and Community Summation: The Consciousness of Prayer Bibliography Index
£89.09
Academic Studies Press Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik on the Experience
Book SynopsisThis book is devoted to Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s discussions on the practice of prayer. Prayer is analyzed across a broad and complex spectrum in Soloveitchik’s work, and his writings describing and analyzing the experience of prayer afford a profound insight into its diversity, ranging from existential crisis to communion with God.Through a careful reading of R. Soloveitchik’s texts dealing with this topic, the book follows the consciousness of prayer across its various stages until maturity, starting with an analysis of Worship of the Heart, through to Reflections on the Amidah and other writings.Table of Contents Introduction Part I. Worship of the Heart: The Consciousness of Prayer Chapter One: Nature and Purpose Chapter Two: The Consciousness of Prayer: An Outline Chapter Three: The Consciousness of Prayer: The Subjective and the Objective Chapter Four: The Consciousness of Prayer: The Process of Consolidation Chapter Five: The Path of the Consciousness of Prayer to Perfection Chapter Six: The Dialectic of Consciousness: Between Reading Shema and Prayer Chapter Seven: The Interpretation of Reading Shema and Its Blessings: (1) Methodology and Sources Chapter Eight: The Interpretation of Reading Shema and Its Blessings: (2) Application Part II. "Reflections on the Amidah" in Perspective Chapter Nine: Prayer and Redemption Chapter Ten: Covering the Profound: The Legal-Halakhic Dimension of the Amidah Chapter Eleven: Interpretation of the Amidah Prayer Part III. Community Chapter Twelve: Synagogue and Community Summation: The Consciousness of Prayer Bibliography Index
£28.49
Academic Studies Press Yitz Greenberg and Modern Orthodoxy: The Road Not
Book SynopsisSixteen scholars from around the globe gathered at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies in the bucolic Yarnton Manor in the Oxfordshire countryside in June 2014, for the first (now annual) Oxford Summer Institute on Modern and Contemporary Judaism. The current volume is the fruit of this encounter. The goal of the event was to facilitate in-depth engagement with the thought of Rabbi Dr. Irving "Yitz" Greenberg, concentrating particularly on the historical ramifications of his theological and public stances. Consideration was given to his lifelong and complex encounter with the Modern Orthodox stream of American Judaism and the extent to which his teachings functioned as "the road not taken." This auspicious gathering was most certainly characterized by deep appreciation for Greenberg's original outlook, which is predicated on his profound dedication to God, Torah, the Jewish people, and humanity. But this was by no means gratuitous homage or naive esteem. On the contrary, those in attendance understood that the most genuine form of admiration for a thinker and leader of his stature—especially one who continues to produce path-breaking writings and speak out publicly—is to examine rigorously and critically his ideas and legacy. We are confident that the creative process that was nurtured has resulted in a substantive contribution to research on the religious, historical, and social trajectories of contemporary Judaism, and, similarly will engender fresh thinking on crucial theological and ideological postures that will ultimately enrich Jewish life. This volume offers readers a critical engagement with the trenchant and candid efforts of one of the most thoughtful and earnest voices to emerge from within American Orthodoxy to address the theological and moral concerns that characterize our times.Trade Review“The book mirrors the man. Like Rabbi Irving Greenberg, Yitz Greenberg and Modern Orthodoxy: The Road Not Taken is scholarly yet accessible, critical yet constructive, focused yet with broad sensibility. The newly published essay collection critiques the rabbi’s ideas while appreciating their redemptive qualities. It charts the twists and turns of Modern Orthodoxy since the 1950s and explores Greenberg’s up-and-down relationship with established Orthodoxy. The book also casts a wider light on issues that have exercised American Jews during that time: fitting into American culture, religious pluralism, feminism, the Holocaust, Zionism and modern sexuality. It’s the story of American Jewry coming of age, with perceptive commentary on its sociology, theology and ethics.”— Eugene Korn, The Jewish Week“This work provides an excellent introduction to the critical issues surrounding Modern Orthodoxy’s encounter with the rapidly changing contemporary world.” —Randall C. and Anne-Marie Belinfante, AJL ReviewsTable of Contents Editors' Introduction Adam S. Ferziger, Miri Freud-Kandel, and Steven Bayme A Personal Retrospective Modern Orthodoxy and the Road Not Taken: A Retrospective View Irving (Yitz) Greenberg Part One: Law and Theology History and Halakhah Steven Katz Rabbi Yitz Greenberg's Covenantal Theory of Bioethics Alan Jotkowitz Irving Greenberg's Theology of Hybrid Judaism Darren Kleinberg On the Meaning and Significance of Revelation for Orthodox Judaism James Kugel Divine Hiddenness and Human Input: The Potential Contribution of a Postmodern View of Revelation to Yitz Greenberg's Holocaust Theology Tamar Ross Modern Orthodoxy and Religious Truth Marc B. Shapiro On Revelation, Heresy, and Mesorah—from Louis Jacobs to the TheTorah.com Miri Freud-Kandel Part Two: Past and Present What Is "Modern" in Modern Orthodoxy? Alan Brill Can Modern Orthodoxy Survive? Jack Wertheimer Where Have All the Rabbis Gone? The Changing Character of the Orthodox Rabbinate and its Causes Samuel C. Heilman Modern Orthodox Responses to the Liberalization of Sexual Mores Sylvia Barack Fishman "The Road Not Taken" and "The One Less Traveled": The Greenberg–Lichtenstein Exchange and Contemporary Orthodoxy Adam S. Ferziger Index Editors and Contributors
£89.09
Academic Studies Press Defenders of the Faith: Studies in Nineteenth-
Book SynopsisThe Emancipation of European Jewry during the nineteenth century led to conflict between tradition and modernity, creating a chasm that few believed could be bridged. The emergence of modern traditionalism was fraught with obstacles. The essays published in this collection eloquently depict the passion underlying the disparate views, the particular areas of vexing confrontation and the hurdles faced by champions of tradition.The author identifies and analyzes the many areas of sociological and religious tension that divided the competing factions, including synagogue innovation, circumcision, intermarriage, military service and many others. With compelling writing and clear, articulate style, this illuminating work provides keen insight into the history and development of the various streams of Judaism and the issues that continue to divide them in contemporary times.Trade Review“In this book, Judith Bleich, a professor of Jewish history at Touro University, delineates the history of the relationship between the Orthodox and Reform communities in Germany, France, the US, and elsewhere in the 19th and 20th (and 21st) centuries. … The foundations of the relationship set during this period of contention between the two groups continue to influence and shape the current situation between them. Bleich expertly demonstrates this by using many references and footnotes to connect current developments to the historical record she analyzes. … This book is recommended for academic libraries that want to deepen their collection of materials dealing with the development of Reform and Orthodox Judaism, spirituality and religious history, religious studies, Zionism, and other topics of interest covered in the volume.” —Eli Lieberman, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, AJL Reviews“Prof. Judith Bleich, masterful teacher and distinguished scholar of modern Jewish intellectual history, revered rebbetzin in the New York Orthodox community and beyond, is an eminent authority on the emergence of the modern movements of Orthodox and Reform Judaism and the history of the polemics between those movements. A selection of her published essays in the latter area appeared recently as Defenders of the Faith: Studies in Nineteenth-and Twentieth-Century Orthodoxy and Reform. Every essay is characteristically erudite and repercussive, of essential importance to scholars in the field. All, as always, are authored with meticulous attention to historical detail, rigorous analysis of primary and secondary sources, and elegantly crafted prose.”—Tradition OnlineTable of Contents Preface Introduction. Nineteenth to Twenty-First Centuries: From Pessimism to Optimism 1. Rabbinic Responses to Nonobservance in the Modern Era 2. The Emergence of an Orthodox Press in Nineteenth-Century Germany 3. The Circumcision Controversy in Classical Reform in Historical Context 4. Clerical Robes: Distinction or Dishonor? 5. Intermarriage in the Early Modern Period 6. Military Service: Ambivalence and Contradiction 7. The Testament of a Halakhist 8. Between East and West: Modernity and Traditionalism in the Writings of Rabbi Yehi'el Ya'akov Weinberg 9. Liturgical Innovation and Spirituality: Trends and Trendiness Index
£95.39
Academic Studies Press Defenders of the Faith: Studies in Nineteenth-
Book SynopsisThe Emancipation of European Jewry during the nineteenth century led to conflict between tradition and modernity, creating a chasm that few believed could be bridged. The emergence of modern traditionalism was fraught with obstacles. The essays published in this collection eloquently depict the passion underlying the disparate views, the particular areas of vexing confrontation and the hurdles faced by champions of tradition.The author identifies and analyzes the many areas of sociological and religious tension that divided the competing factions, including synagogue innovation, circumcision, intermarriage, military service and many others. With compelling writing and clear, articulate style, this illuminating work provides keen insight into the history and development of the various streams of Judaism and the issues that continue to divide them in contemporary times.Trade Review“In this book, Judith Bleich, a professor of Jewish history at Touro University, delineates the history of the relationship between the Orthodox and Reform communities in Germany, France, the US, and elsewhere in the 19th and 20th (and 21st) centuries. … The foundations of the relationship set during this period of contention between the two groups continue to influence and shape the current situation between them. Bleich expertly demonstrates this by using many references and footnotes to connect current developments to the historical record she analyzes. … This book is recommended for academic libraries that want to deepen their collection of materials dealing with the development of Reform and Orthodox Judaism, spirituality and religious history, religious studies, Zionism, and other topics of interest covered in the volume.” —Eli Lieberman, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, AJL Reviews“Prof. Judith Bleich, masterful teacher and distinguished scholar of modern Jewish intellectual history, revered rebbetzin in the New York Orthodox community and beyond, is an eminent authority on the emergence of the modern movements of Orthodox and Reform Judaism and the history of the polemics between those movements. A selection of her published essays in the latter area appeared recently as Defenders of the Faith: Studies in Nineteenth-and Twentieth-Century Orthodoxy and Reform. Every essay is characteristically erudite and repercussive, of essential importance to scholars in the field. All, as always, are authored with meticulous attention to historical detail, rigorous analysis of primary and secondary sources, and elegantly crafted prose.”—Tradition OnlineTable of Contents Preface Introduction. Nineteenth to Twenty-First Centuries: From Pessimism to Optimism 1. Rabbinic Responses to Nonobservance in the Modern Era 2. The Emergence of an Orthodox Press in Nineteenth-Century Germany 3. The Circumcision Controversy in Classical Reform in Historical Context 4. Clerical Robes: Distinction or Dishonor? 5. Intermarriage in the Early Modern Period 6. Military Service: Ambivalence and Contradiction 7. The Testament of a Halakhist 8. Between East and West: Modernity and Traditionalism in the Writings of Rabbi Yehi'el Ya'akov Weinberg 9. Liturgical Innovation and Spirituality: Trends and Trendiness Index
£23.74
Academic Studies Press A Kabbalist in Montreal: The Life and Times of
Book SynopsisThis book illuminates important issues faced by Orthodox Judaism in the modern era by relating the life and times of Rabbi Yudel Rosenberg (1859–1935). In presenting Yudel Rosenberg's rabbinic activities, this book aims to show that Jewish Orthodoxy could serve as an agent of modernity no less than its opponents. Yudel Rosenberg's considerable literary output will demonstrate that the line between "secular" and "traditional" literature was not always sharp and distinct. Rabbi Rosenberg's kabbalistic works will shed light on the revival of kabbala study in the twentieth century. Yudel Rosenberg's career in Canada will serve as a counter-example to the often-expressed idea that Hasidism exercised no significant influence on the development of American Judaism at the turn of the twentieth century.Table of Contents Abbreviations Preface 1. Introduction: Rabbi Yudel Rosenberg and the Paradigms of Jewish Modernity 2. On a Spiderweb Foundation: Yudel Rosenberg's Life in Small-Town Poland (1859–1889) 3. A Rabbi and Rebbe in Urban Poland (1890–1913) 4. "Allright! It's America!": A Rabbi in Toronto (1913–1918) 5. "The Rabbis Are for the Dollar": Rabbi Yudel Rosenberg and the Kosher Meat Wars of Montreal (1919–1935) 6. "Better to Be in Gehinnom": Yudel Rosenberg's Halakhic Voice 7. A "Folk Author": Yudel Rosenberg as Storyteller 8. "Almost Alone": Yudel Rosenberg as Preacher 9. Magic, Science, and Healing 10. "Those Who Understand Kabbala Are Extremely Rare in OIr Generation": Rabbi Yudel Rosenberg as Kabbalist 11. What Is Rabbi Yudel Rosenberg's Legacy? A Chronological Bibliography of the Writings of Rabbi Yehuda Yudel Rosenberg General Bibliography Index
£76.49
Academic Studies Press The Dual Truth, Volumes I & II: Studies on
Book SynopsisThis book explores three schools of fascinating, talented, and gifted scholars whose philosophies assimilated the Jewish and secular cultures of their respective homelands: they include halakhists from Rabbi Ettlinger to Rabbi Eliezer Berkowitz; Jewish philosophers from Isaac Bernays to Yeshayau Leibowitz; and biblical commentators such as Samuel David Luzzatto and Rabbi Umberto Cassuto.Running like a thread through their philosophies is the attempt to reconcile the Jewish belief in revelation with Western culture, Western philosophy, and the conclusions of scientific research. Among these attempts is Luzzatto's "dual truth" approach.The Dual Truth is the sequel to the Ephraim Chamiel's previous book The Middle Way, which focused on the challenges faced by members of the "Middle Trend" in nineteenth-century Jewish thought.Table of ContentsVolume ITranslator’s NoteForeword to the English EditionIntroductionChapter One:Samson Raphael Hirsch: The Neo-Orthodox, Neo-Romantic Educator, and his Approach of Neo-Fundamentalist IdenticalityChapter Two:Interpretations of Hirsch’s Thought from the Right and the LeftChapter Three:“Heavenly Reward”—Samuel David Luzzatto’s Doctrine of Divine Providence—between Revelation and PhilosophyChapter Four:Development of Halakhah: Luzzatto’s Evolving ViewsChapter Five:The Peshat is One, Because the Truth is One: Luzzatto between Interpretation and ThoughtChapter Six:Luzzatto and Maimonides: “Accept Truth from Whoever Speaks It”Chapter Seven:Luzzatto on Theosophical Kabbalah: Harmful Invention with Worthy IntentionsChapter Eight:Between Reason and Revelation: The Encounter between Rabbi Tsvi Hirsch Chajes and Nahman KrochmalVolume IIChapter Nine:Hirsch’s Influence on Religious Jewish Philosophy in the Twentieth CenturyChapter Ten:Hirsch’s Influence on Rabbi David Tsvi Hoffmann’s Commentary on the PentateuchChapter Eleven:Hirsch’s Influence on Twentieth-Century Halakhic DecisorsChapter Twelve:The Influence of German Neo-Orthodoxy on the Young Rav KookChapter Thirteen:Luzzatto’s Influence on Umberto Cassuto’s Method of Biblical InterpretationChapter Fourteen:Tolerance, Pluralism, and Postmodernism—A Dialectic of Opposites in Jewish Thought in the Modern Era
£28.49
Academic Studies Press Beyond a Code of Jewish Law: Rabbi Avraham
Book SynopsisThe Ḥayei Adam, an abridged code of Jewish law, was written by Rabbi Avraham Danzig (1748-1820) and was first published in 1810. This code spread quickly throughout Europe, and the demand for it required a second publishing which the author printed in 1818. Beyond a Code of Jewish Law attempts to understand the implicit message of its author and discuss various approaches of its writer to both Judaism and Jewish law. While the Ḥayei Adam without any doubt unveils Rabbi Danzig to be a brilliant rabbinic scholar, with a comprehensive knowledge of Jewish law as well as a coherent and concise system of presentation, it also expresses his great concern for the Jewish community and each individual Jew. Aspects of this concern such as Hasidism, musar, kabbalah, are explored.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Preambles: An Insight into Rabbi Avraham Danzig’s Ḥayei Adam 3. Minhag in the Ḥayei Adam—The Case of Kitniyot on Passover 4. Esoteric Halakhah and the Ḥayei Adam 5. Rabbi Avraham Danzig’s Polemic against Hasidism 6. The Democratization of Halakhah: The Ḥayei Adam and Musar 7. A New Role and Status: The Ḥayei Adam and the Mishnah Berurah 8. Jewish Pride in Rabbi Avraham Danzig’s Ḥayei Adam as Instantiated in the Aleinu Appendix 1 The Life of the Man: The Life and Times of Avraham Danzig, by Dashiell Ferguson Appendix 2 Rabbinic Texts and Authors Referred to in This Volume Bibliography Index
£70.19
Pennsylvania State University Press The Landfill of Early Roman Jerusalem: The
Book SynopsisThis is the story of the landfill that operated in Jerusalem during the first century CE and served as its garbage dump during the ca. 50-year period that followed Jesus’s crucifixion through to the period that led to the great revolt of the Jews just prior to the city’s destruction.The book presents an extensive investigation of hundreds of thousands of items that were systematically excavated from the thick layers of landfill. It brings together experts who conducted in-depth studies of every sort of material discarded as refuse—ceramic, metal, glass, bone, wood, and more. This research presents an amazing and tantalizing picture of daily life in ancient Jerusalem, and how life was shaped and regulated by strict behavioral rules (halacha). The book also explores why garbage was collected in Jerusalem in so strict a manner and why the landfill operated for only about 50 years. Half a century of garbage from Early Roman–period Jerusalem provides an abundance of new data and new insights into the ideological choices and new religious concepts emerging and developing among those living in Jerusalem at this critical moment. It is an eye-opener for archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, and theologians, as well as for the general reader.Trade Review“The studies in this volume provide a fascinating window into Early Roman Jerusalem by presenting the results of the meticulous excavation of a massive garbage dump on the southeastern slope of the City of David. The comprehensive and detailed analyses of the various categories of finds—including pottery, coins, stone vessels, glass, animal and fish bones, and wood—indicate the existence of an organized system of rubbish disposal, much of which appears to represent ordinary household waste. These studies therefore add a valuable new dimension to our understanding of daily life in late Second Temple Jerusalem.”—Jodi Magness,University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill“This book is a must read for everyone interested in the up-to-date topic of archaeo-garbology. Gadot and his team vividly demonstrate why ancient refuse is a strong proxy for identifying societal changes in the urban domain of Jerusalem during Roman times. This synthesis is a true goldmine of quantitative data that introduces us to the repertoire of vessels and the diet of the people in this large metropolis temple-city during one of its peak historical periods. It is these mundane leftovers that provide us with the facts and events of the daily life and economy of Jerusalemites 2000 years ago.”—Guy Bar-Oz,University of HaifaTable of ContentsPrefaceYuval GadotPart I: Introduction and StratigraphyChapter 1. IntroductionYuval GadotChapter 2. StratigraphyYuval GadotPart II: The FindsChapter 3. The PotteryHélène MachlineChapter 4. The Numismatic FindsYoav FarChapter 5. The Chalk VesselsYonatan AdlerChapter 6. The Glass FindsRuth E. Jackson-TalChapter 7.1 The Metal ArtifactsChen AntlerChapter 7.2 Report on Glassy Slag FragmentsShan Huang and Ian FreestoneChapter 8. The Plaster FragmentsLena Naama SharabiChapter 9. The Stone Scale-WeightsRonny ReichChapter 10. Miscellaneous FindsNissan Ben MelechPart III: Flora and FaunaChapter 11. Faunal RemainsAbra Spiciarich and Lidar Sapir-HenChapter 12. Fish RemainsOmri LernauChapter 13. Archaeobotanical AnalysisHelena Roth and Dafna LanggutChapter 14. Seeds, Grains, and Other Plant OrgansIlana Peters and Ehud WeissPart IV: Synthesis and SummaryChapter 15. Committing the Kidron’s Western Slopes to Garbage Disposal: Jewish Urbanism Under Roman HegemonyYuval GadotIndex of Loci
£71.36
Turner Publishing Company Love and Terror in the God Encounter: The
Book SynopsisThe intellectual legacy of one of the twentieth century's greatest religious thinkers—explained by a leading theologian of our day. "It is only through experiencing the contradictions in human existence, through being overwhelmed by the divine presence, through the finite human being feeling terror-stricken by the infinite majesty of God that one can develop an authentic religious personality." —David Hartman (From Chapter 6) Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903–1993) profoundly influenced modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States—and Judaism as a whole—by opening up a discourse between the tradition of Torah study and Western philosophical thought. The future of both religious Zionism in Israel and of Orthodoxy in America hangs to a great extent on how we interpret his intellectual legacy. Dr. David Hartman’s penetrating analysis of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s work reveals a Judaism committed to intellectual courage, integrity and openness. A renowned theologian and philosopher, Hartman meticulously explores the subtlety and complexity of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s theological thought, exposing a surprising intersection of halakhic tradition and modern Western theology—a confrontation that deepens and expands our spiritual understanding. Hartman’s provocative interpretation bears witness to the legitimacy of remaining loyal to the Judaic tradition without sacrificing one’s intellectual freedom and honesty.Trade Review"A unique combination of love and criticism, depth and respect. This book is an invitation to experience Hartman's ongoing philosophical dialogue with his great teacher, and is an important contribution to understanding the thought of both these major figures." —Prof. Avi Sagi, director, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Hereneutics and Cultural Studies, Bar Ilan University "Compellingly demonstrates how R. Soloveitchik joined intellectual brilliance in Jewish learning with a deep empathy for modern existentialist philosophy. Undoubtedly, this work will become the standard for future scholarship on the majestic thought of R. Soloveitchick." —Prof. Yehuda (Jerome) Gellman, Department of Philosophy, Ben-Gurion University of NegevTable of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction 2. The Halakhic Hero 3. The Religious Passion of Halakhic Man 4. The Lonely Man of Faith 5. Confrontation 6. Prayer Bibliography Index
£19.79
Liverpool University Press Challenge and Conformity: The Religious Lives of
Book SynopsisOrthodox Jewish women are increasingly seeking new ways to express themselves religiously, and important changes have occurred in consequence in their self-definition and the part they play in the religious life of their communities. Drawing on surveys and interviews across different Orthodox groups in London, as well as on the author’s own experience of active participation over many years, this is a thoroughly researched study that analyses its findings in the context of related developments in Israel and the USA. Sympathetic attention is given to women’s creativity and sophistication as they struggle to develop new modes of expression that will let their voices be heard; at the same time, the inevitable points of conflict with the male-dominated religious establishment are examined and explained. There is a focus, too, on the impact of innovations in ritual: these include not only the creation of women-only spaces and women’s participation in public practices traditionally reserved for men, but also new personal practices often acquired on study visits to Israel which are replacing traditions learned from family members. This is a much-needed study of how new norms of lived religion have emerged in London, influenced by both the rise of feminism and the backlash against it, and also by women’s new understanding of their religious roles.Trade Review'Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz's in-depth study of the religious experience of Orthodox women raises questions for the rabbinic establishment... an important new book.'Simon Rocker, The Jewish Chronicle'Taylor-Guthartz's precise academic writing, interwoven with her own personal knowledge and experience of the community, gives the women represented here agency and authority, exemplifying how traditional groups and practices do not exist at odds with the modern world, or even in parallel, but rather as an integral part of it, adding rich diversity and colour to the pattern of Jewish life today. This is a timely and important treatise, reflecting modern feminist values and shining a light on a previously unexamined segment of the community.'Noa Gendler, Jewish Renaissance'Challenge and Conformity opens up for our understanding a subject of immense importance to Judaism and the Jewish community. The religious lives of Orthodox women is a topic that has previously attracted little research. Taylor-Guthartz approaches it with academic skill and real empathy for the women she interviews and their communities. We learn of the great variety of women’s beliefs, customs and practices that are spread across the Orthodox Jewish world and, through Taylor-Guthartz’s eyes, we gain a greater understanding and appreciation of Jewish life that might otherwise have remained hidden.'Neville Teller, The Jerusalem Post‘Challenge and Conformity serves as a rich chronicle of Orthodox British womanhood and the challenge of creating uniquely female Jewish spaces. It is well rooted in history, community context, and robust ethnographic data and will be helpful to bridge the lacuna on British scholarship of religious practices of Jewish women.’ Ilana C. Spencer, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Studying Jewish WomenThe Double Invisibility of Orthodox Jewish WomenThe Scope of Women’s Religious LivesOverlapping Worlds I: The Intersection of Men’s and Women’s Religious LivesOverlapping Worlds II: Living in Jewish and Western ContextsPower and Patriarchy: Do Orthodox Women Have Agency? 2. Setting the Scene: The Jewish LandscapeJews in London: Historical BackgroundCommunity, Communities, Networks, and IdentityThe Development of British Orthodoxy and the British Jewish LandscapeJewish Religious Topography TodayChanging Moods among British Jewish WomenDefining Terms: Talking about the Anglo-Jewish CommunityPrevious Research on British Orthodox Women 3. The View from the Ladies’ Gallery: Women’s ‘Official’ Life in the CommunityWomen and the SynagogueThe Changing Place of Women in Other Communal Arenas 4. Contested Prayers and Powerful Blessings: Women’s ‘Unofficial’ Life in the CommunityCreating Sacred SpacesNuturing the CommunityNew Developments: Sharing the Sacred with Men 5. Women’s ‘Official’ Life in the FamilyThe SabbathFood and KashrutPassoverMikveh and ‘Family Purity’ModestyVisiting the DeadPrayer and Relationship with God 6. Red Threads and Amulets: Women’s ‘Unofficial’ Life in the FamilyQuestioning the Community: Limitations and CaveatsDefinitions and Status of PracticesTesting Stereotypes and AssumptionsWhat Customs Are Practised?Who Practises These Customs?Age as a Factor in Knowledge and Performance of CustomsOrigins and DevelopmentThe Question of ‘Magic’Women’s Understanding of Customs and Practices Conclusion Appendices: Background Data Bibliography Index
£25.97
Liverpool University Press Hasidic Commentary on the Torah
Book SynopsisNational Jewish Book Awards Finalist for the Nahum N. Sarna Memorial Award for Scholarship, 2018.Hasidism, a movement of religious awakening and social reform, originated in the mid-eighteenth century. After two and a half centuries of crisis, upheaval, and renewal, it remains a vibrant way of life and a compelling aspect of Jewish experience. This book explores the profound intellectual and religious issues that the hasidic masters raised in their Torah commentary, and brings to the fore the living qualities of their sermons (derashot). Ora Wiskind-Elper addresses a spectrum of topics: creation, revelation, and redemption; hermeneutics, epistemology, psychology, Romanticism, poetry and poetics, art history, Hebrew fiction, cultural history, and tropes of Jewish suffering and hope. Fully engaged in the texts and their spirituality, she brings them to bear on postmodernist challenges to traditional spiritual and religious sensibilities. This is a comprehensive study, unique in pedagogy, clarity, and originality. It uses the full range of critical scholarship on hasidism as a social and ideological movement. At the same time, it maintains a strong focus on hasidic Torah commentary as a conveyor of theology and value. Each of its chapters presents a fundamentally new approach. Wiskind-Elper’s translations are in themselves an innovative moment in the tradition and spiritual history of the passages she offers.Trade ReviewReviews 'Hasidism, for Ora Wiskind-Elper, is the crucible into which the whole world flows: creation, revelation, redemption; hermeneutics, epistemology, Freudian psychology, Romanticism, poetry and poetics, autobiography (which she calls “self-perception”), art history, Hebrew fiction, social history, the challenge of modernity, and the major catastrophes that befell the Jewish people in the twentieth century. In order to produce this definitive, synoptic work on Hasidic Torah commentary, she has mastered the entire corpus of critical scholarship; the different schools of Hasidic thought from master to disciple; the relevant methodologies of reading and interpretation; and last but not least, a social-historical guide to the early and later masters and their disciples, down to the present day. Hasidic Commentary on the Torah is magisterial; unique in its scope, pedagogy, clarity and original insight.' David G. Roskies Sol & Evelyn Henkind Professor of Yiddish Literature and Culture Jewish Theological Seminary, New York‘Ora Wiskind-Elper’s ability to utilize the fullest range of academic scholarship on Hasidism as a cultural and religious movement, in all its diversity is exemplary, and always done with the stronger focus on the role and dynamics of the Hasidic derashah. . . . [her] choice of thematics – from the self-conception of the masters, to their hermeneutics and use of language and tradition, and including the role of historical or social factors to condition the thematics, is not only superb, but brings to the forefront the living qualities of these spiritual sermons, and demonstrates the powerful hermeneutics at play . . . we get an excellent survey of issues . . . one is brought to a new level of comprehension and also spiritual-hermeneutical insight.'Michael Fishbane, Nathan Cummings Distinguished Service Professor of Jewish Studies, University of ChicagoTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction 1. Dimensions of Collective Self-Understanding Beginnings Receiving, Revealing ‘When Your Wellsprings Will Flow Forth’ To Create New Worlds with Words ‘They Made Their Souls Anew’ To See and to be Seen ‘Well said, Moses!’ 2. Modes of Reading Metaphors We Live By A Parable in Wait Imagining the World The Essence of Being Human Bread-Eaters and Dreamers Know Me in Translation Conclusions So Far How to Teach, How to Learn To Know or Not to Know Finding the Words The Secret of Exile The Secret of Redemption Summing Up 3. Responses to a Shifting Landscape Introduction The Space in the Middle ‘For the Times They are A-Changin’ ’ Reason for Hope The Inward Turn Modernity and Its Discontents ‘God is in the Detail’ Prophets of the Past, Prophets of the Future Deep Blue Sky and Yellow Stars Song of Dust and Ashes Postscript Bibliography Index
£43.07
Ben Yehuda Press Wrestling Jacob
£17.95
Mandel Vilar Press The Jewish Underground of Samarkand: How Faith
Book SynopsisA portal into the perseverance of Jewish culture in the face of attempts to destroy it.To answer his son's question: what was it like growing up in Samarkand? Rabbi Hillel Zaltzman wrote and researched this memoir and history about Chassidic Jews who found refuge in Samarkand during the World War II and continued to live there under Soviet rule. This is a personal story for Zaltzman, who was born in Kharkov, Ukraine. When the Nazis invaded Kharkov, Zaltzman’s parents fled with their three young children to Samarkand (Uzbekistan). There they reconnected to other refugee Chassidic families, as well as some famous Chassidic rebbes also in flight. In Uzbekistan they created a thriving Jewish community until its institutions were abruptly shut down by Stalin immediately after the war. Still this Jewish community in Samarkand, Uzbekistan is remembered as shpitz Chabad—the epitome of Chassidic ideals and devotion.Zaltzman’s father kept him out of the Soviet schools, where atheism was promoted and Sabbath observance was impossible, teaching him furtively at home, until a neighbor discovered his existence at the age of 9. Zaltzman had no choice but to attend a public school then, but he still observed the demands of his faith and stayed home from school when necessary. Hillel studied with esteemed Chabad Chassidic rebbes who taught at great personal risk. If discovered, they could be sentenced to harsh labor in Siberia.Zaltzman credits his father’s unswerving commitment to his chinuch—his Jewish education—was beyond any compromise, and it was an exemplary expression of their Chabad brand of Chassidic Judaism: “The Chabad community was infused with a rich inner world of Chassidic vitality,” Zaltzman writes.Meanwhile, the Soviet regime remained obsessed with eliminating a Jewish religious identity; a special division of the NKVD (Soviet secret police) was assigned the task of destroying Jewish schools and yeshivas, and surveilling individuals through synagogue informers. Zaltzman records his experiences and adventures and those of other memorable people he has known and the sacrifices they made to share their love of Torah and Jewish learning in the secret underground yeshivas. He describes their attempts to celebrate Jewish holidays, make matzah, and obtain prayer books, as well as their other colorful escapades. He also tells of their exasperating experiences trying to obtain exit visas to leave the Soviet Union. The largely untold story of Chabad activism and heroism comes through with great immediacy in this first-person account of spiritual resistance to a Communist regime at war with the Jewish devotion to God and Torah. From the age 16, along with several other idealistic young men, Hillel Zaltzman was involved in Chamah, an underground Jewish organization that helped sustain and preserve Jewish life in the Soviet Union through education. Chamah established a network of underground Jewish schools that clandestinely taught more than 1,500 children over the years and provided material and spiritual support to Jews trying to obtain exit visas in the 1960s and 70s. Hillel himself was allowed to immigrate to Israel only in 1971, after years of trying. Now living in New York, he is the director of IChamah, an international organization which is devoted to serving Jews from the Former Soviet Union in Israel, Russia, and the US. Rabbi Zaltzman was honored for his humanitarian and Jewish outreach in the U.S. Senate in May 2016, as part of Jewish American Heritage Month.Trade Review"Zaltzman's stirring memoir, which was originally published in 2015 as Samarkand and has been condensed for this new edition, recounts his attempts to preserve Jewish culture in Soviet Uzbekistan. . . . He writes of these achievements in steady, unshowy prose, succeeding in his stated goal to enlighten readers who are unaware of a thriving Jewish community in the former Soviet Union. It's a fascinating blend of personal and cultural history."—Publishers Weekly "While the Kremlin ruthlessly suppressed organized religion, Chassidic Jews in Samarkand managed to sustain their traditions with determined ingenuity. Brimming with vivid detail, this book will interest anyone curious to know how they survived in the face of Stalinist repression."—Joshua Rubenstein, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University and the author of nine books on Soviet history including The Last Days of Stalin "A debut history that details the plight of a family of Jews who fled from Ukraine to Uzbekistan while pursuing their faith . . . . the author does a remarkable job of vividly depicting the city of Samarkand, which became famous for its tenacious preservation of Jewish customs despite zealous political persecution. It serves as an effective historical study of Jewish life under Communist tyranny, and Zaltzman's mastery of details of the period is undeniable.—Kirkus Reviews "The inspiring story of Chabad's underground followers in far-off Samarkand as recounted by a Lubavitch activist who defied the Communists and survived to tell the tale. A valuable source on Jews under Communism and an unforgettable chronicle of courage and perseverance."—Jonathan D. Sarna, University Professor and Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University "I'm drawn in by the storytelling, its unembellished directness and clarity and by the brief sketches of each character that nevertheless embody an entire personality in the eyes of an intelligent and sensitive observer. Rabbi Hillel's earnest poignancy and his humanity and modesty are irresistible. The bravery of resistance to oppression dominates throughout. You have in your hands a cultural treasure!"—Cynthia Ozick, American novelist, and essayist whose fiction and nonfiction books include The Shawl, Levitation: Five Fictions, The Cannibal Galaxy and Metaphor and Memory. "Very little is known about the history of the Jews of Samarkand during the Soviet period. That is partly due to the clandestine nature of their struggle to maintain their Jewish identity under the most difficult circumstances. It is also due to the nature of the Soviet authoritarian regime that was intent on keeping the Soviet Jewry struggle hidden from public view. Rabbi Zaltzman's book makes an especially important contribution to Jewish history because it sheds light on aspects of the Jewish struggle for religious liberty in the Soviet Union that had not been previously studied and revealed. This book will inform, enlighten, and inspire the reader about events that took place in Samarkand that in many ways changed the course of Soviet Jewish history."—Michael N. Dobkowski, John Milton Potter Chair in the Humanities, Hobart and William Smith Colleges "Rabbi Zaltzman has the storyteller's genius: part historian, part I. B. Singer. In this astonishing narrative of a largely unknown piece of Jewish history, he tells of his family's journey and that of fellow Chabad Lubavitchers to the Uzbek city of Samarkand as they flee the Nazi invasion of Ukraine. He then recounts their struggles in Samarkand to keep themselves—and their religious practices—alive under the brutal rule of the Soviet Union after the war. Against those formidable enemies, Chabad Chassidism triumphs. No amount of political persecution can win when facing the dedication of the Chabad community. It is a dramatic story of perseverance, devotion to Jewish learning and the Jewish determination to survive."—Sol Gittleman, Alice and Nathan Gantcher University, Professor Emeritus, Tufts UniversityTable of ContentsPartial Table of Contents (Balance will be filled by February 1st):1. A Chassidic Education in Communist Russia2. My Father’s Youth in Lubavitch3. The War Years in Samarkand4. The Uncles I Didn't Know5. The Postwar Years under Stalin6. Our Distinguished Guest: R. Berke Chein7. Secret Worship Services8. The Legendary Chassid: R. Simcha Gorodetzky9. Our Bukharian Champion: R. Refael Chudaidatov10. Making Matzah11. The Founding of Chamah12. The Underground Yeshiva13. What Was the KGB Looking for in My Workshop?14. Shabbos Bereishis in the Cotton Field15. Mentor and Friend: R Mendel Futerfas16. Adventures on the Road17. Matchmaking in the Shadow of the KGB18. My Mother's Death and My father'sImmigration to Israel19. Leaving Russia20. From Dream's in Russia to Reality in IsraelGlossary About the Author
£19.79
Monkfish Book Publishing Company A Kabbalah of Food: Stories, Teachings, Recipes
Book SynopsisInspiring, mystical, and often surprising Chassidic tales combine with teachings and favorite Jewish recipes to nourish body and soul. Stories and food have always been central to Jewish life, and in this book, they are uniquely tied together. Thirty-nine Chassidic tales, revolving around food and eating and accompanied by spiritual teachings, delve into the mysteries of the Kabbalah, the joy of the Chassidim, and the power of religious faith and acts (mitzvot). Sixty-three recipes highlight Kosher cooking and the special foods traditionally prepared for Shabbat and the major Jewish holidays, including such favorites as knishes, latkes, gefilte fish, brisket, kugel, bagels, and challah bread. Many of the recipes are suitable for children to learn to cook.
£12.34
Gefen Publishing House Destiny: Why A Tiny Nation Plays Such a Huge Role
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£18.69
Gefen Publishing House Heaven and Earth (2 volume boxed set): A
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£41.59
Urim Publications Scholarly Man of Faith: Studies in the Thought
Book SynopsisThis book sets forward a series of interesting and less-explored aspects of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik's teachings. These essays delve into the Rav's approach toward understanding biblical figures, his views on emotions and intellect, his appreciation of R. Yehudah ha-Levi, his understanding of medieval history, and the implications for modernity.Trade Review"This volume addresses a series of fascinating yet until now less-explored teachings of the Rav. And them are the Rav's take on major personalities in the Tanach, in light of his views on emotion, intellect and the interrelationship of these facets in the Rav's teachings" Alan Jay Gerber, The Jewish Star"'In Scholarly Man of Faith ,' said Dr. Kanarfogel, 'outstanding international scholars examine areas of his intellectual endeavors that have not been fully explored, making the volume valuable to anyone interested in the rav's teaching... I have had the pleasure of investigating with my fellow scholars the forces that have shaped the distinct elements of the Jewish character.'" JLNJ Staff, www.jewishlinknj.com"With essays on topics such as Biblical Hermeneutics in the Thought of R. Soloveitchik: A Preliminary Appraisal of the Influence of R. Yehudah Halevi, Science of Hermeneutics? Rav Soloveitchik's Scientific Method Revisited and more, this is a book by serious scholars and meant for a readership well-versed in western philosophy and at home with Rav Soloveitchik's worldview. For such readers, Scholarly Man of Faith is a reminder just how timeless and relevant Rav Soloveitchik was, and is." Ben Rothke, http://www.jewishpress.comTable of ContentsIntroduction, 7 Shalom Carmy, "In Many Respects God was Closer to Abraham than He was to Moses," Themes in Emergence of Ethical Man, 11 Shira Weiss, Biblical Hermeneutics in the Thought of R. Soloveitchik: A Preliminary Appraisal of the Influence of R. Yehudah Halevi, 27 Alex Sztuden, The Identity of Love and Cognition in the Thought of R. Joseph Soloveitchik, 49 Ephraim Kanarfogel, The History of the Tosafists and their Literary Corpus according to Rav Soloveitchik's Interpretrations of the Qinot for Tishah B'Av, 75 Daniel Rynhold, Science of Hermeneutics? Rav Soloveitchik's Scientific Method Revisited, 109 David Shatz, Contemporary Scholarship on Rabbi Soloveitchik's Thought: Where We Are, Where We Can Go, 135 Contributors, 197
£25.95
Urim Publications I Am for My Beloved: A Guide to Enhanced Intimacy
Book SynopsisForthright and frank, yet respectful and sensitive, I Am for My Beloved: A Guide to Enhanced Intimacy for Married Couples will help couples enrich their marital and sexual lives, and maintain passion and intimacy within the framework of Jewish tradition. Written by two Orthodox Jewish sex therapists with over 50 years combined experience, I Am for My Beloved conveys essential information about intimacy, sexual anatomy and physiology, sex within the life cycle, and Jewish values and attitudes towards sex – with an informative and practical approach. The information provided in this book will enable couples to enjoy a more open and fulfilling intimate connection, both emotionally and physically.Trade Review"Torah Judaism places great importance on sexuality not only as a legitimate source of pleasure for husband and wife, but also as a key component to a happy marriage and a basic human need. It can be difficult, however, for many religious Jews to maintain a healthy and balanced view of sexuality as they negotiate Judaism's expectations for modesty and sanctity against the currents of the surrounding society's highly sexualized culture. The present work by David Ribner and Talli Rosenbaum is an important resource for religious Jews who seek to understand the essentials and nuances of sexuality and sexual intimacy through the lens of their tradition. The book's presentation is sophisticated, accessible, practical, scientifically current, religiously sensitive, and wise. It should be recommended to any Orthodox couple seeking guidance as they begin their journey together toward physical and emotional intimacy." Dr. Andrew Nachum Klafter, MD"Ribner and Rosenbaum have written an extraordinary book, filled with the authors' special blend of profound religious and clinical wisdom. It is destined to become a classic for Jewish couples seeking to enrich and deepen marital intimacy at every stage throughout the life cycle." Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Ph.D., Director of Sex and Couples Therapy Training, University of Ottawa, Canada"This is a wonderful book with every chapter bringing a tremendous amount of information using clear language, illustrations, case studies and insights from other professionals. The two professional and experienced authors share decades of valuable research and insights gleaned from their work. A worthwhile and important read." Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash, Yoetzet Halakha and Sex Educator
£19.76
Gefen Books Torah Comics: Comic Strips Summarizing the Weekly
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£18.39
Academic Studies Press Patriots without a Homeland: Hungarian Jewish
Book SynopsisPatriots without a Homeland dissects an important underexplored theme in Hungarian Jewry: Modern Orthodoxy. This study clearly demonstrates that beginning from the late nineteenth century, a strong modernizing trend developed within Orthodoxy based on the adoption of Hungarian national identity alongside the preservation of tradition. Modern Orthodoxy was receptive to the Hungarian language, culture, and religion. However, the attempt to integrate failed.The book traces the journey of Hungarian Jews from Emancipation to the Holocaust and seeks to understand the reasons for the Jews’ complete trust in Hungarian integrity. For instance, why did they believe until the very last moment that the Holocaust would not affect them? How could they fail to notice the impending disaster?This is the story of a community that felt rooted in the land and contributed greatly to its well-being, but was eventually rejected: the story of patriots without a homeland.Trade Review“While the study of Orthodox Judaism in Eastern Europe tends to focus on halakhic questions and on the ideological struggles with other Jewish streams, with an emphasis on the internal Jewish arena, this book seeks to examine the conduct of Hungarian Orthodoxy in the external arena. Through rabbinic literature, memoirs, and press, it exposes the changes that occurred in the perception and attitudes of different Orthodox groups. … The book makes a positive contribution to modern Jewish history, particularly, Hungarian Jewry, the emergence of Orthodox Judaism, and the relationship between Jews and other citizens from emancipation to Holocaust. Patriots without a Homeland is recommended for all Judaic scholarly collections.”— David B Levy, AJL News & Reviews“This book offers an original interpretation of the history of Orthodox Jews in modern Hungary. Based on a rich selection of sources from Hungarian Jewish press and Hebrew Rabbinical literature, Hartman’s research illuminates the complicated path Orthodox Hungarian Jews underwent towards their self-perception as an integral part of the Hungarian nation. Hartman deftly lays out the story of Hungarian Jewry from the outset of their civil integration up until the eve of the Holocaust while discerning a variety of strategies aimed to balance national Hungarian identity with Orthodox life. The result is a newly considered picture of Orthodox Jewry in Hungary, eye-opening and enriching to anyone interested in modern Jewish history, European nationalism, and Holocaust Studies.”— Guy Miron, Open University of Israel"Jehuda Hartman’s monograph is a significant contribution to three major subtopics within the study of modern Jewish history: Hungarian Jewry, the emergence of Orthodox Judaism as one among a range of Jewish religious trends in emancipatory times, and the relationship between Jews and other citizens during this turbulent period. Contrary to popular assumptions, Hartman’s work presents the contours of a deep-seated Jewish patriotism in nineteenth-century Hungary even among the most zealously religious Jews. These connections were subsequently challenged by the rising official antisemitism from the turn of the twentieth century onwards. As such, not only does this book enrich historical scholarship, it offers a fresh comparative perspective from which to examine the vicissitudes of contemporary Jewish engagements with host societies as well."— Adam S. Ferziger, Professor and holder of the Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch Chair for the Study of the Torah and Derekh Erez Movement, Department of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry, Bar-Ilan UniversityTable of ContentsPrefacePrologue: An Appeal to the Christian Public in HungaryIntroductionPart One: From the Well-Being of the Kingdom to the Well-being of the Nation: Orthodoxy and Hungarian NationhoodIntroduction: Jews and NationhoodThe Turning Point of EmancipationThe Good Years of the MonarchyShaping and Expressing National ConsciousnessZionism in Red, White, and GreenOrthodox Judaism and Christianity: Attraction and RepulsionThe Trianon EraPart Two: Orthodoxy and AntisemitismIntroductionThe Monarchic EraThe Interwar Period“What Should We Do about These Attacks against Us?”—Reactions and Strategies Internal and External Communication StrategiesAfterwordBibliography
£95.39
Academic Studies Press “A Link in the Great American Chain : Studies in
Book SynopsisThis book brings together six articles the author has published in recent years on the development of the Orthodox Jewish community in Cleveland, Ohio. While a number of scholars have ably presented important parts of the history of Jewish Orthodoxy in Cleveland, Ohio, this book is a first attempt to deal comprehensively with the story of Cleveland Orthodox Judaism. Chapters one and two, taken together, present a connected narrative history of the evolution of the Jewish Orthodox community in Cleveland, Ohio from its beginnings to the early twenty-first century. The succeeding chapters present in greater detail persons and institutions of great importance to the historical development of the Orthodox community.Trade Review“[T]his deeper dive into this community gives us a picture of not just Orthodox Judaism, but American Judaism as a whole.”— Andrew Lillien, AJL News & Reviews“The Cleveland Orthodox community is privileged that Professor Ira Robinson brought his abundant talents as a researcher, comfortable with multiple Jewish languages, and willing to wade through dusty archival documents and synagogue records that were ignored by others to bring to life the development over a century of an intriguing Jewish group. In focusing on a mid-size Jewish community—whose story is very different from that of Orthodoxy’s New York epicenter—the field of American Jewish history is privileged by an outstanding work that broadens the geographical scope of our discipline. Scholars will embrace his important labors. General audiences will find that his accessible prose makes for enjoyable reading.”— Jeffrey Gurock, Libby M. Klaperman Professor of Jewish History, Yeshiva University“With precision and perspicaciousness, Dr. Ira Robinson has produced a case study of Orthodox Judaism in Cleveland that’s much more than a local history. In Cleveland, Ohio, Robinson has found a dynamic religious history that deepens our understanding of migration; denominational fluidity and rigidity; and the role of rabbinic authority in dictating the contours of religious change in the United States. This book is a model for how to negotiate the ‘micro’ and the ‘macro’ of Jewish history, full of new material and ideas that will engage scholars and all interested readers.”— Zev Eleff, President of Gratz College and Professor of American Jewish History“Scholarly interest in North American Orthodox Judaism has grown considerably in the past few decades and Ira Robinson has made a seminal contribution to this field. His work, which is predicated on deep erudition and meticulous archival research, stands out for introducing figures and local communities outside the massive concentrations in the greater New York region to the overall story. Indeed, in his examination of the trajectory of Cleveland Orthodoxy, not only does he bring to light fascinating episodes and personalities, each chapter offers a point of departure for identifying how this smaller but significant collective colors the broader narrative of the dynamic and increasingly influential Orthodox religious stream.”— Adam S. Ferziger, Professor and holder of the Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch Chair for the Study of the Torah and Derekh Erez Movement, Department of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry, Bar-Ilan UniversityTable of ContentsIntroductionAbbreviations1. The Evolution of Jewish Orthodoxy in Cleveland to 1941 2. The Evolution of the Orthodox Jewish Community in Cleveland, Ohio, 1941 to the Present 3. Hasid and Maskil: The Hasidic Tales of a Cleveland Yiddish Journalist 4. A “Jewish Monkey Trial”: The Cleveland Jewish Center and the Emerging Borderline between Orthodox and Conservative Judaism in 1920s North America 5. The New Haven Yeshiva, 1923–1937: An Experiment in American Jewish Education 6. “The Second Destruction of Cleveland Orthodox Synagogues”: Rabbi Israel Porath and Cleveland Jewry at the Crossroads, 1945 Index
£89.09
Academic Studies Press A Kabbalist in Montreal: The Life and Times of
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£27.54
