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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian religions > Judaism > General
A philosophical case against religious violence We live in an age
beset by religiously inspired violence. Terms such as "holy war"
are the stock-in-trade of the evening news. But what is the
relationship between holiness and violence? Can acts such as murder
ever truly be described as holy? In Does Judaism Condone Violence?,
Alan Mittleman offers a searching philosophical investigation of
such questions in the Jewish tradition. Jewish texts feature
episodes of divinely inspired violence, and the position of the
Jews as God's chosen people has been invoked to justify violent
acts today. Are these justifications valid? Or does our
understanding of the holy entail an ethic that argues against
violence? Reconstructing the concept of the holy through a
philosophical examination of biblical texts, Mittleman finds that
the holy and the good are inextricably linked, and that our
experience of holiness is authenticated through its moral
consequences. Our understanding of the holy develops through
reflection on God's creation of the natural world, and our values
emerge through our relations with that world. Ultimately, Mittleman
concludes, religious justifications for violence cannot be
sustained. Lucid and incisive, Does Judaism Condone Violence? is a
powerful counterargument to those who claim that the holy is
irrational and amoral. With philosophical implications that extend
far beyond the Jewish tradition, this book should be read by anyone
concerned about the troubling connection between holiness and
violence.
Most studies on violence in the Hebrew Bible focus on the question
of how modern readers should approach the problem. But they fail to
ask how the Hebrew Bible thinks about that problem in the first
place. In this work, Matthew J. Lynch examines four key ways that
writers of the Hebrew Bible conceptualize and critique acts of
violence: violence as an ecological problem; violence as a moral
problem; violence as a judicial problem; violence as a purity
problem. These four 'grammars of violence' help us interpret
crucial biblical texts where violence plays a lead role, like
Genesis 4-9. Lynch's volume also offers readers ways to examine
cultural continuity and the distinctiveness of biblical conceptions
of violence.
Hanukkah is the holiday that lights up our lives every winter. The
glow of the menorah reminds us of the light that shines brightly
within us and the power we have to make the world a better place.
HANUKKAH STORIES is filled with over 101 stories of personal
memories, anecdotes, and tales from celebrities to people like you
and me. Here you'll find heartwarming reminiscences about Hanukkah
experiences across the globe from an RV campground in California,
on the ice in Finland, even aboard Spaceship Hubble. There's also a
chapter just for latkes, including the new chocolate chip ones.
Hanukkah is a joyful holiday. Whatever one's religion, it's a
testament to the universal human values of dedication,
perseverance, generosity, and remembrance. Whether it's sharing
stories with our families today or passing on traditions for
tomorrow's generation, Hanukkah is a festival of family,
celebration, and joy.
Jewish philosophy is often presented as an addendum to Jewish religion, rather than as a rich and varied tradition in its own right. This volume explores the entire scope and variety of Jewish philosophy from the Bible as a source for philosophical interpretation up to Jewish feminist thought. It includes: * detailed discussions of the most important Jewish philosophers, from Moses Maimonides to Spinoza and Leo Strauss * chapters on key concepts in Jewish thought, such as mysticism, orthodoxy or zionism * descriptions of the social and cultural contexts in which Jewish philosophical thought developed throughout the centuries * a detailed and extensive bibliography * contributions by 40 leading experts from Britain, Israel and the United States The links between Jewish philosophy and its wider cultural context emerge, so that an accurate view of the place of Jewish philosophy in the development of philosophy as a whole results.
When Ziske's klezmer band is invited to play at a wedding in Pinsk,
they arrive to discover many of the people in the town very sick.
But tradition says that if two orphans get married in a cemetery a
miracle may happen, so Ziske sets his mind to finding the perfect
couple.
Women rabbis are changing the face of Judaism.
Discover how their interpretations of the Prophets, Writings,
and Megillot can enrich your perspective.
The Haftarah is a potent tool for understanding the values,
ethics, and moral lessons contained in the Torah readings. In this
first-of-its-kind volume, more than eighty women rabbis from the
Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements offer fresh
perspectives on the beloved texts that make up the Haftarah the
Prophets and Writings and the Five Megillot.
Based on readings that are rich in imagery some poetic, some
narrative, some dark and brooding their commentaries include
surprising insights on the stories of Deborah and Yael, David and
Goliath, David and Bathsheva, and the witch of Endor, among many
others. Themes such as Jerusalem as woman, the story of Jonah and
the fish, and other prophetic images are informed and challenged by
this groundbreaking work.
A rich resource, a major contribution to modern biblical
commentary, and the ideal companion to The Women s Torah
Commentary, The Women s Haftarah Commentary will inspire all of us
to gain deeper meaning from the Hebrew scriptures and a heightened
appreciation of Judaism.
The life and times of a treasured book read by generations of
Jewish families at the seder table Every year at Passover, Jews
around the world gather for the seder, a festive meal where family
and friends come together to sing, pray, and enjoy traditional food
while retelling the biblical story of the Exodus. The Passover
Haggadah provides the script for the meal and is a religious text
unlike any other. It is the only sacred book available in so many
varieties-from the Maxwell House edition of the 1930s to the
countercultural Freedom Seder-and it is the rare liturgical work
that allows people with limited knowledge to conduct a complex
religious service. The Haggadah is also the only religious book
given away for free at grocery stores as a promotion. Vanessa Ochs
tells the story of this beloved book, from its emergence in
antiquity as an oral practice to its vibrant proliferation today.
Ochs provides a lively and incisive account of how the foundational
Jewish narrative of liberation is remembered in the Haggadah. She
discusses the book's origins in biblical and rabbinical literature,
its flourishing in illuminated manuscripts in the medieval period,
and its mass production with the advent of the printing press. She
looks at Haggadot created on the kibbutz, those reflecting the
Holocaust, feminist and LGBTQ-themed Haggadot, and even one
featuring a popular television show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Ochs shows how this enduring work of liturgy that once served to
transmit Jewish identity in Jewish settings continues to be
reinterpreted and reimagined to share the message of freedom for
all.
A deeply personal look at death, mourning, and the afterlife in
Jewish tradition After One-Hundred-and-Twenty provides a richly
nuanced and deeply personal look at Jewish attitudes and practices
regarding death, mourning, and the afterlife as they have existed
and evolved from biblical times to today. Taking its title from the
Hebrew and Yiddish blessing to live to a ripe old age-Moses is said
to have been 120 years old when he died-the book explores how the
Bible's original reticence about an afterlife gave way to views
about personal judgment and reward after death, the resurrection of
the body, and even reincarnation. It examines Talmudic perspectives
on grief, burial, and the afterlife, shows how Jewish approaches to
death changed in the Middle Ages with thinkers like Maimonides and
in the mystical writings of the Zohar, and delves into such things
as the origins of the custom of reciting Kaddish for the deceased
and beliefs about encountering the dead in visions and dreams.
After One-Hundred-and-Twenty is also Hillel Halkin's eloquent and
disarmingly candid reflection on his own mortality, the deaths of
those he has known and loved, and the comfort he has and has not
derived from Jewish tradition.
"In Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit Jodi Magness unearths 'footprints'
buried in both archaeological and literary evidence to shed new
light on Jewish daily life in Palestine from the mid-first century
b.c.e. to 70 c.e. the time and place of Jesus' life and ministry.
Magness analyzes recent archaeological discoveries from such sites
as Qumran and Masada together with a host of period texts,
including the New Testament, the works of Josephus, and rabbinic
teachings. Layering all these sources together, she reconstructs in
detail a fascinating variety of everyday activities dining customs,
Sabbath observance, fasting, toilet habits, burial customs, and
more" -- BACK COVER.
Is laughter essential to Jewish identity? Do Jews possess special
radar for recognizing members of the tribe? Since Jews live longer
and make love more often, why don't more people join the tribe?
"More deli than deity" writer Nancy Kalikow Maxwell poses many such
questions in eight chapters-"Worrying," "Kvelling," "Dying,"
"Noshing," "Laughing," "Detecting," "Dwelling," and
"Joining"-exploring what it means to be "typically Jewish." While
unearthing answers from rabbis, researchers, and her assembled Jury
on Jewishness (Jewish friends she roped into conversation), she-and
we-make a variety of discoveries. For example: Jews worry about
continuity, even though Rabbi Mordechai of Lechovitz prohibited
even that: "All worrying is forbidden, except to worry that one is
worried." Kvell-worthy fact: About 75 percent of American Jews give
to charity versus 63 percent of Americans as a whole. Since
reciting Kaddish brought secular Jews to synagogue, the rabbis,
aware of their captive audience, moved the prayer to the end of the
service. Who's Jewish? About a quarter of Nobel Prize winners, an
estimated 80 percent of comedians at one point, and the winner of
Nazi Germany's Most Perfect Aryan Child Contest. Readers will enjoy
learning about how Jews feel, think, act, love, and live. They'll
also schmooze as they use the book's "Typically Jewish, Atypically
Fun" discussion guide.
With diverse and robust voices, women are reclaiming their place
at the seder table. This complete sourcebook and guide shows you
how to do it, too. For the first time, contemporary Jewish women's
writings on the Passover seder are gathered in one comprehensive
and compelling sourcebook an unprecedented and powerful resource
for those planning a women s seder and those seeking to infuse
their Passover celebration with the creative and courageous voices
of Jewish women. Arranged according to the order of the seder, this
practical guide gathers the voices of more than one hundred women
in readings, personal and creative reflections, commentaries,
blessings and ritual suggestions that can be incorporated into your
Passover celebration as supplements to or substitutes for
traditional passages of the haggadah. It also includes a detailed
guide to planning a women s seder, based on information from
successful seder organizers around the world. Whether you are
organizing a women s seder in your community or planning a family
seder in your home, this inspiring and accessible resource will
help you take an active role in re-creating the educational and
spiritual experience of Passover and in shaping Judaism s future.
Contributors include: Dr. Rachel Adler Dr. Rebecca T. Alpert Rabbi
Renni S. Altman Zoe Baird Dr. Evelyn Torton Beck Susan Berrin
Senator Barbara Boxer Dr. Esther Broner Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin
Tamara Cohen Anita Diamant Dr. Carol Diament Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell,
PhD Eve Ensler Dr. Marcia Falk Merle Feld Rabbi Susan P. Fendrick
Rabbi Tirzah Firestone Dr. Ellen Frankel Nan Fink Gefen Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb Dr. Susannah Heschel Rabbi
Karyn D. Kedar Rabbi Naamah Kelman Naomi Klein Irena Klepfisz
Maxine Kumin Rabbi Noa Rachel Kushner Rabbi Joy Levitt Hadassah
Lieberman Ruth W. Messinger Dr. Faye Moskowitz Joan Nathan Dr.
Alicia Suskin Ostriker Dr. Judith Plaskow Marge Piercy Dr. Rachel
Naomi Remen Anne Roiphe Danya Ruttenberg Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg
Sasso The Honorable Jan Schakowsky Rabbi Susan Schnur Rabbi Susan
Silverman Dr. Ellen M. Umansky Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg Dr.
Chava Weissler Cantor Lorel Zar-Kessler"
How did a Jewish teacher, healer, sage and mystic become the
vehicle for so much hatred and harm directed against his own
people?
Dialogue is demanding and difficult. It is often painful. It
entails deep listening, letting others define themselves and being
willing to confront and transform deep-rooted prejudices in
ourselves. It requires the courage to re-envision absolutely
everything we tend to cherish and protect, and to relinquish our
entrenched vainglorious ego attachments, our inflated sense of I,
me and mine. This challenge to grow beyond tribalism, to approach
others in a fair and reasonable way, is an essential step in our
human evolution. from the Invitation to the Reader
Judaism and Christianity have had a volatile relationship in
their two-thousand-year history. Anger, rivalry, insensitivity,
bloodshed and murder have marred the special connection these two
Abrahamic faiths share. In the last several decades, scholars,
activists, laypeople and clergy have attempted to expose and
eliminate the struggles between Jews and Christians.
This collaborative effort brings together the voices of
Christian scholar Ron Miller and Jewish scholar Laura Bernstein to
further explore the roots of anti-Semitism in Christian faith and
scripture. In a probing interfaith dialogue, Miller and Bernstein
trace the Jewish-Christian schism to its very source in the first
book of the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew. Illuminating the
often misunderstood context of Matthew s gospel a persecuted
Christian minority writing some sixty years after Jesus s death
this examination of a foundational Christian text discerns the ways
in which the Jewishness of Jesus was forgotten and Jews and Judaism
became Christianity s foil. More important, it takes a renewed look
at Matthew with contemporary retellings that present a new and
better future of conciliation and compassion between the two faith
traditions.
Finalist: 2014 National Jewish Book Award, Modern Jewish Thought
and Experience This study seeks to examine the relationship between
the two major categories of commandments (mitzvot): ritual commands
(between man and his Maker) and social interpersonal commands
(between man and his neighbor). It is argued here that when there
is a clash between these two categories, and one cannot carry out
both, the interpersonal mitzvot almost always override those of a
ritual nature. Different scenarios from a broad spectrum of Jewish
law are cited to prove this contention, and the conclusion is
underscored through the examination of the behavior and rulings of
several leading Jewish legal authorities. Finally, the implications
of this conclusion and their impact on religious educational
direction and rationale are also discussed.
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