Description
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 to
Trade 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
