Description: Some books on religion give a warm fuzzy feeling - others give a lot of detailed information. This work is definitely in category two! In a question-response format (114 of each), this volume manages to cover almost anything one would want to know about Judaism. Originally written by the late Rabbi Morris N. Kertner, his nephew Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman has updated it. ("What Is a Jew" was first published in 1953, and has gone through three revisions, and countless reprints.) A new feature I found very useful in this revised edition is its transliteration of Hebrew words -- abundant in this work -- as they occur, together with their meanings. The 148 Hebrew (and occasionally Yiddish or Aramaic) terms used throughout the text are brought together in a glossary at the end of the volume, too. ---- Though this book is written from a "middle of the road" Jewish perspective, it carefully points out the differences between the four contemporary major divisions of Judaism (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Reconstructionist schools). "What Is a Jew" also gives fair treatment to the Chasidim (Hassidim), and such historical schools as the Sadducees, Pharisees, Mitnagdim, and others. To give an idea of the range of questions covered in this paperback, here is a brief sample: "Who Were `The Rabbis'?"; "What is Halachah?"; "Is There a Priesthood in Judaism?"; "Do Jews Believe Literally in Satan?"; "According to Judaism, Do Animals Have Rights?"; "What is the Difference Between A Synagogue, a Shul, and A Temple?"; Why Do Some Jews Keep Only One Day of a Holy Day, While Others Keep Two?"; and "What Is the Jewish Attitude Toward Divorce?"; "Does Judaism Accept Converts?", and many other equally interesting topics. ---- I believe that whoever masters the contents of this fascinating volume will be well on his/her way to a fascinating voyage of discovery. Any non-Jew (like myself) who has ever been invited to a Bar Mitzvah, and has come out of the synagogue laden with questions, will find his/her journey out of ignorance a pleasant and rewarding one! This is as good a guide as I have been able to find...
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All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Publication Year: 1953
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Book Title: WHAT IS A JEW?
Author: RABBI MORRIS N. KERTZER
Topic: Judaism
