Ariel, David. What Do Jews Believe? The Spiritual Dimensions
of Judaism. Schocken Press; 1995. Hardback. Schocken Books; 1996.
Paperback: ISBN 0-805210-59-8.
Blech, Benjamin; Joel, Richard M. The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Understanding Judaism (Complete Idiot's Guide) . MacMillan Distribution,
1999. Paperback. 379 pages. ISBN 0-028631-91-9.
[Bot00]
Boteach, Shmuel. An Intelligent Person's Guide to Judaism.
Duckworth; 2000. Hardcover. ISBN 0-715628-64-X.
[Car00]
Cardozo, Nathan Lopes. Judaism on Trial: An Unconventional
Discussion about Jews, Judaism. Urim Publications; 2000. Hardcover. 2nd
edition. ISBN 9-657108-28-4. [This book attempts to bring clarity to timeless
questions relating to the very purpose of our existence while openly
confronting such contemporary concerns as the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox
divide. It argues that science and anti-religious philosophy are not
responsible for the decline of Judaism; rather, it is those who teach Jewish
law and custom as a dogmatic creed that make Judaism appear irrelevant to the
needs and problems of modern man. He argues that Judaism must reflect deep
compassion to recapture the flowing fountain of a glorious tradition.]
Dosick, Wayne. Living Judaism: The Complete Guide to Jewish
Belief, Tradition and Practice Harper San Francisco. Reprinted June
1998. ISBN 0-060621-79-6. [Written by an originally Reform rabbi who then
joined the Conservative movement, and who appreciates Orthodox traditions, this
is a unique introduction to Jewish belief and practice. A nice feature is that
it discusses the similarities and differences between the movements.]
Diamant, Anita; and Cooper, Howard. Living a Jewish Life: A
Guide for Starting, Learning, Celebrating, and Parenting. HarperCollins
Publishers, New York, NY 10022. 1991. Hardback: Out of Print. Paperback:
Reissued 1996, ISBN 0-062734-43-1. 352 pgs. [An introduction to liberal
Judaism, or more precisely, the broad range of religious practices of
non-Orthodox North American Jews]
Einstein, Stephen J. and Kukoff, Lydia. Every Person's Guide
to Judaism. UAHC Press #142610. 1991. Reprinted 1998. 195 pp. ISBN
0-807404-34-9. [Non-Orthodox. Guide to Judaism that recognizes that study is
only the first step to learning and living as a Jew.]
Friesel, Evyatar. Atlas of Modern Jewish History Oxford
University Press. 1990. Out of Print. ISBN 0-195053-93-1. [Contains
demographics of the American Jewish population, including employment
categories, intermarriage rates, maps, etc.]
Glazer, Nathan; Boorstin, Daniel J. (ed). American
Judaism. University of Chicago Press, Chicago IL. 1982. 2nd Revised
edition, 1989. 214 pp. ISBN 0-226298-43-4.
Greenberg, Irving. The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays.
Summit Books, New York NY. 1988. Reprinted September 1993, Touchstone Books.
Paperback. ISBN 0-671873-03-2.
Hertzberg, Arthur, ed. and interp.. Judaism: The Key Spiritual
Writings of the Jewish Tradition. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone. New
York NY. 1991. ISBN 0-671743-77-5 (Hardback) 0-671743-76-7 (Paperback). Out of
Print. [Non-Orthodox source]
Isaacs, Ronald H. and Olitzky, Kerry M. The How-To Handbook
for Jewish Living. K'tav, Hoboken NJ. 1993. ISBN 0-881252-94-8
(Hardback), 0-881252-90-5 (Paperback)
[Jab00]
Jablon, Shmuel. Jewish Answers. Unknown; 2000. Paperback: ISBN
0-595122-31-0.
[Jac95]
Jacobs, Louis. The Jewish Religion: A Companion. Oxford Univ
Press; 1995. Hardcover: ISBN 0-198264-63-1.
[Kap91]
Kaplan, Mordecai;Goldsmith, Emanuel S. (ed); Scult, Mel (ed).
Dynamic Judaism: The Essential Writings of Mordecai M. Kaplan. Fordham
Univ Pr; 1991. Paperback reprint edition. ISBN 0-823213-10-2.
[Ker97]
Kertzer, Morris N. What Is a Jew?. Collier Books; 1997.
Paperback: ISBN 0-684842-98-X.
[Kle79]
Klein, Isaac. A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice. Jewish
Theological Seminary of Amer; 1979. Hardcover. ISBN 0-873340-04-3. [Describes
Conservative Practice]
[Kol81]
Kolatch, Alfred J. The Jewish Book of Why. Jonathan David Pub;
1981. Hardcover: ISBN 0-824602-56-0.
[Kol95]
Kolatch, Alfred J. The Second Jewish Book of Why. Jonathan
David Pub; 1995. Hardcover: ISBN 0-824603-05-2.
Kushner, Arlene. The Jewish People: A Resource and Reference
Book. Self-Published; contact the author at <Apkushner@aol.com> to order. [A
comprehensive work that touches on subjects such as major texts, basic precepts
and practices, contributions of the Jewish people, diversity of the Jewish
people, Jews in America, and folklore. It provides basic information on
calendar, holidays, kashrut, mourning practices, Talmud and Midrash, action vs.
faith, etc. Illustrated. Pluralistic, including both traditional ways and
explaining liberal deviations from the tradition. Includes questions.]
Nadler, Leornard and Nadler, Zeace. Living Judaism Around the
World: A Brief History of the Peaks and Valleys of Jewish Experience.
Pentland Press Inc., 1999. 258 pp. ISBN 1-571970-65-7. [Includes information on
Jewish Communities in 23 different countries.]
Neusner, Jacob. The Way of Torah: An Introduction to Judaism
(The Religious Life in History Series). Dickenson Publishing Company,
Encino CA. 1974. 6th Edition: Wadsworth Publishing Co, 1997. 275 pp. ISBN
0-534515-68-1. [Not universally accepted, non-Orthodox point of view]
Neusner, Jacob, ed. Understanding American Judaism. Volume
Two: Sectors of American Judaism: Reform, Orthodoxy, Conservativism, and
Reconstructionism. Ktav Press, New York. 1975. Reissued June 1982. ISBN
9992865105. [Not universally accepted, non-Orthodox point of view]
Prager, Dennis and Telushkin, Joseph. The Nine Questions
People Ask About Judaism. Simon & Schuster, New York. 1981.
Reprinted 1986. ISBN: 0-671622-61-7.
[Rob01]
Robinson, George. Essential Judaism : A Complete Guide to Beliefs,
Customs & Rituals. Atria Books; (September 2001). ISBN: 0671034812
[Ros94]
Rosenberg, Roy A. The Concise Guide to Judaism : History,
Practice, Faith. Meridian Books; 1994. Paperback reprint edition: ISBN
0-452011-36-1.
Rosenthal, G. Many Faces of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative,
Reconstructionist, and Reform Behrman House, New York. 1979. ISBN:
0-874413-11-7. [Contains a descriptive comparison of Orthodox, Reform,
Conservative and Reconstructionist Judaism. It is intended as a low end high
school text and although still good, it is beginning to show its age.]
Silver, Abba Hillel. Where Judaism Differs: An Inquiry into
the Discinctiveness of Judaism. Macmillan, New York. 1956. Out of print.
[Reform point of view]
Steinberg, Milton. Basic Judaism. Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, New York. 1947. Reprinted 1986. ISBN 0-156106-98-1. [Conservative]
[Str73]
Strassfeld, Michael (ed.); Strassfeld, Sharon (ed.); Siegel, Richard
(designer). The First Jewish Catalog: A Do-It Yourself Kit. Jewish
Publication Society, Philadelphia PA. 1973. Reprinted 1989. 320 pp. ISBN
0-827600-42-9. [Catalog 1 covers Symbols of the Home, Kashrut, Candles, Kippah,
Tallit, Tefillin, the Shofar, Jewish travel, the Jewish year cycle, Weddings,
Tumah and taharah, Death and burial, scribal arts, gematria, music, film, the
Jewish press, creating a jewish library, and relationships between man, women,
and the community]
Strassfeld, Sharon (ed); and Strassfeld, Michael (ed.).The
Second Jewish Catalog: Sources and Resources. Jewish Publication
Society, Philadelphia PA. 1976. 400 pp. ISBN 0-827600-84-4. [Catalog 2 covers
the life cycle in more depth, aspects of study, synagogue and prayer, and the
arts. The Jewish Yellow Pages are out of date, quite likely.]
Strassfeld, Sharon and Strassfeld, Michael, eds. The Third
Jewish Catalog: Creating Community: With a Cumulative Index to All 3
Catalogs. Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia PA. 1980. 416 pp.
ISBN 0-827601-83-2. [Catalog 3 covers justice, community, genealogy,
dispersion, exile, surroundings, and Israel. It also talks about how to be a
mentsh, and includes a cumlutive index to all three catalogs]
Syme, Daniel B. Jewish Mourning. UAHC Press #388494.
ISBN 0-807403-32-6. [Non-Orthodox, but offers both traditional and liberal
Jewish attitudes towards death-related issues.]
Telushkin, Joseph. Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things
to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History. William
Morrow, New York. 1991. 688 pp. ISBN 0-688085-06-7
[Tel97]
Telushkin, Joseph. Biblical Literacy : The Most Important People,
Events, and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible. William Morrow & Co; 1997.
Hardcover: ISBN 0-688142-97-4.
[Was97]
Waskow, Arthur. Down-To-Earth Judaism: Food, Money, Sex, and the
Rest of Life. William Morrow & Co; 1997. Paperback. 416 pages. ISBN
0-688151-27-2. [Renewal Judaism]
Wouk, Herman. This is my God: The Jewish Way of Life.
Dell, NY. 1959. Reprinted 1992. Little Brown & Co. ISBN
0-316955-14-0.
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