Description

Book Synopsis

This newly revised all-encompassing textbook is a guide to the history, beliefs and practice of Judaism. Beginning with the ancient Near Eastern background, it covers early Israelite history, the emergence of classical rabbinic literature and the rise of medieval Judaism in Islamic and Christian lands. It also includes the early modern period and the development of Jewry in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Extracts from primary sources are used throughout to enliven the narrative and provide concrete examples of the rich variety of Jewish civilization.

Specially designed to assist learning, Judaism:

Introduces texts and commentaries, including the Hebrew Bible, rabbinic texts, mystical literature, Jewish philosophy and Jewish theology

Provides the skills necessary to understand these step-by-step with the help of a companion website

Explains how to interpret the major events in nearly four thousand years of Jewish

Trade Review

Already an indispensable resource, this second edition of Judaism: History, Belief and Practice, with its outstanding clarity and comprehensive range, has a yet stronger claim to the status of core text for any student or general reader new to the serious study of Judaism. Melissa Raphael, University of Gloucestershire and Leo Baeck College, London.

This Second and revised edition of Judaism: History, Belief and Practice is to be welcomed not only by those of us who teach survey courses in Judaism where this is the text for our students, but colleagues who now have at hand a ready and complete encyclopedic reference in one volume. Steve Jacobs, The University of Alabama, USA



Table of Contents

List of maps

List of figures

Preface

Tips for students

Sources

Acknowledgements

Part I: History

1 Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization

2 The Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Civilization

3 Israelite Monotheism and Law

4 The Patriarchs

5 Exodus

6 Conquest and Settlement

7 The Rise of Monarchy

8 Solomon and the Divided Monarchy

9 Kings of Israel and Judah

10 Jeroboam II to the Fall of the Northern Kingdom

11 Ahaz and Hezekiah

12 From Manasseh to Babylonian Captivity 68

13 Aftermath of the Fall of Judah

14 Return and Restoration

15 The Rise of Hellenism

16 Judaism under Hellenism

17 The Kingship of Herod

18 Rebellion against Rome

19 The Rise of Christianity

20 Roman Jewish War and Aftermath

21 Jews in the Roman Empire

22 Jews in Babylonia

23 Rabbinic Scriptural Interpretation

24 Rabbinic Theology

25 Judaism under Islamic Rule

26 Karaism

27 Jews in Muslim Spain and other Islamic Lands

28 Jewry in Christian Europe in the Middle Ages

29 The Jews in Christian Spain

30 Dispersion of the Marranos

31 Early Medieval Thought

32 The Philosophy of Maimonides

33 Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides

34 Rabbinic Mysticism

35 The Hasidei Ashkenaz

36 The Emergence of Kabbalah

37 Jews in the Ottoman Empire

38 The Shabbatean Movement

39 Jewry in Eastern and Western Europe

40 The Rise of the Hasidic Movement

41 The Status of Jewry in Europe

42 Jews in Eastern Europe

43 The Emergence of Jewish Thought in the Enlightenment

44 The Origins of Reform

45 The Rise of Anti-Semitism

46 The Zionist Movement

47 Jews in the United States, Palestine, Africa and Asia

48 The Nazi Regime

49 The Death Camps

50 Jewry after the Holocaust

51 The State of Israel

52 The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

53 The Ongoing Struggle

54 Women in Modern Judaism

55 Jews and Culture

56 Jews in Medicine and Science

57 The Future of Judaism

Part II: Belief and Practice

BELIEF

58 The Unity of God

59 Divine Transcendence and Immanence

60 Eternity

61 Omnipotence and Omniscience

62 Creation

63 Providence

64 Divine Goodness

65 Revelation

66 Torah and Mitzvot

67 Commandments

68 Sin and Repentance

69 The Chosen People

70 The Promised Land

71 Prayer

72 Love and Fear of God

73 Messiah

74 The Afterlife

PRACTICE

75 Community Life

76 Jewish Education

77 The Jewish Calendar

78 Places of Worship

79 Worship

80 The Sabbath

81 Special Sabbaths

82 Pilgrim Festivals

83 New Year and Day of Atonement

84 The Days of Joy

85 Fasts

86 Life Cycle Events

87 Marriage

88 Divorce

89 The Home

90 Dietary Laws

91 Death and Mourning

92 Jewish Ethics

93 Conversion

Glossary

Reference Bibliography

Judaism on the Internet

Index

Judaism

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    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Tue 9 Jun 2026.

    A Paperback by Dan Cohn-Sherbok

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      View other formats and editions of Judaism by Dan Cohn-Sherbok

      Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
      Publication Date: 1/31/2017 12:03:00 AM
      ISBN13: 9781138912212, 978-1138912212
      ISBN10: 1138912212

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      This newly revised all-encompassing textbook is a guide to the history, beliefs and practice of Judaism. Beginning with the ancient Near Eastern background, it covers early Israelite history, the emergence of classical rabbinic literature and the rise of medieval Judaism in Islamic and Christian lands. It also includes the early modern period and the development of Jewry in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Extracts from primary sources are used throughout to enliven the narrative and provide concrete examples of the rich variety of Jewish civilization.

      Specially designed to assist learning, Judaism:

      Introduces texts and commentaries, including the Hebrew Bible, rabbinic texts, mystical literature, Jewish philosophy and Jewish theology

      Provides the skills necessary to understand these step-by-step with the help of a companion website

      Explains how to interpret the major events in nearly four thousand years of Jewish

      Trade Review

      Already an indispensable resource, this second edition of Judaism: History, Belief and Practice, with its outstanding clarity and comprehensive range, has a yet stronger claim to the status of core text for any student or general reader new to the serious study of Judaism. Melissa Raphael, University of Gloucestershire and Leo Baeck College, London.

      This Second and revised edition of Judaism: History, Belief and Practice is to be welcomed not only by those of us who teach survey courses in Judaism where this is the text for our students, but colleagues who now have at hand a ready and complete encyclopedic reference in one volume. Steve Jacobs, The University of Alabama, USA



      Table of Contents

      List of maps

      List of figures

      Preface

      Tips for students

      Sources

      Acknowledgements

      Part I: History

      1 Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization

      2 The Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Civilization

      3 Israelite Monotheism and Law

      4 The Patriarchs

      5 Exodus

      6 Conquest and Settlement

      7 The Rise of Monarchy

      8 Solomon and the Divided Monarchy

      9 Kings of Israel and Judah

      10 Jeroboam II to the Fall of the Northern Kingdom

      11 Ahaz and Hezekiah

      12 From Manasseh to Babylonian Captivity 68

      13 Aftermath of the Fall of Judah

      14 Return and Restoration

      15 The Rise of Hellenism

      16 Judaism under Hellenism

      17 The Kingship of Herod

      18 Rebellion against Rome

      19 The Rise of Christianity

      20 Roman Jewish War and Aftermath

      21 Jews in the Roman Empire

      22 Jews in Babylonia

      23 Rabbinic Scriptural Interpretation

      24 Rabbinic Theology

      25 Judaism under Islamic Rule

      26 Karaism

      27 Jews in Muslim Spain and other Islamic Lands

      28 Jewry in Christian Europe in the Middle Ages

      29 The Jews in Christian Spain

      30 Dispersion of the Marranos

      31 Early Medieval Thought

      32 The Philosophy of Maimonides

      33 Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides

      34 Rabbinic Mysticism

      35 The Hasidei Ashkenaz

      36 The Emergence of Kabbalah

      37 Jews in the Ottoman Empire

      38 The Shabbatean Movement

      39 Jewry in Eastern and Western Europe

      40 The Rise of the Hasidic Movement

      41 The Status of Jewry in Europe

      42 Jews in Eastern Europe

      43 The Emergence of Jewish Thought in the Enlightenment

      44 The Origins of Reform

      45 The Rise of Anti-Semitism

      46 The Zionist Movement

      47 Jews in the United States, Palestine, Africa and Asia

      48 The Nazi Regime

      49 The Death Camps

      50 Jewry after the Holocaust

      51 The State of Israel

      52 The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

      53 The Ongoing Struggle

      54 Women in Modern Judaism

      55 Jews and Culture

      56 Jews in Medicine and Science

      57 The Future of Judaism

      Part II: Belief and Practice

      BELIEF

      58 The Unity of God

      59 Divine Transcendence and Immanence

      60 Eternity

      61 Omnipotence and Omniscience

      62 Creation

      63 Providence

      64 Divine Goodness

      65 Revelation

      66 Torah and Mitzvot

      67 Commandments

      68 Sin and Repentance

      69 The Chosen People

      70 The Promised Land

      71 Prayer

      72 Love and Fear of God

      73 Messiah

      74 The Afterlife

      PRACTICE

      75 Community Life

      76 Jewish Education

      77 The Jewish Calendar

      78 Places of Worship

      79 Worship

      80 The Sabbath

      81 Special Sabbaths

      82 Pilgrim Festivals

      83 New Year and Day of Atonement

      84 The Days of Joy

      85 Fasts

      86 Life Cycle Events

      87 Marriage

      88 Divorce

      89 The Home

      90 Dietary Laws

      91 Death and Mourning

      92 Jewish Ethics

      93 Conversion

      Glossary

      Reference Bibliography

      Judaism on the Internet

      Index

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