This book offers an account of the 4,000-year history of the Jews, from the ancient Patriarchs and Kings through to modern times. It also explores the Jewish faith, its traditional beliefs and practices, its festivals and celebrations, and the way of life of Jewish people today. Divided into two volumes, The History of the Jews, details how the Jewish people flourished over time, creating the Hebrew Bible, before enduring centuries of persecution, culminating in the mass migration from Europe to America, and the eventual return to the Promised Land of Israel. The second volume, Judaism, explores the variety of religious forms of Jewish existence. The central tenets of Jewish belief are outlined and all aspects of religious life are described including the Sabbath, festivals, and home ceremonies.

Believers from a variety of faith communities were asked to assess how the Covid pandemic has affected their faith. The anthology collects their responses to key questions, such as: · How does your faith explain why such events occur? · How has it affected your religious practices? · What changes has it necessitated? · What differences might we expect once the pandemic is over? · What have we learned from it? Two exponents of each major religion and a number of minority faiths comment on these issues, combined with a concluding essay by the editors assessing the overall impact of the pandemic on religion worldwide. Faiths explored include Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Sikh Baha’i, Jain, African Traditional Religion, Zoroastrian, Unitarian, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christian Science.

For nearly four millennia Judaism was essentially a unified religious system based on shared traditions. Despite the emergence of various sub-groups through the centuries such as the Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Karaites, Shabbateans and Hasadim, Jewry was united in the belief in a providential God who had chosen the Jews as his special people and given them a code of law. In the modern period, however, the Jewish religion has fragmented into a series of separate denominations with competing ideologies and theological views. Despite the creation of the State of Israel, the Jewish people are deeply divided concerning the most fundamental issues of belief and practice. Judaism Today gives an account of the nature of traditional Judaism, provides an introduction to the various divisions that currently exist in the Jewish world and identifies and discusses contemporary issues with which the Jewish faith engages in the twenty-first century. This refreshing new approach focuses on how Judaism is actually perceived and practised by Jews themselves and the problems currently facing Jews worldwide.

The essential guide that allows both sides to be heard Rabbi Professor Dan Cohn-Sherbok presents the Israeli perspective, while Dr Dawoud El-Alami presents the Palestinian perspective Updated to cover the most recent events, including the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the May 2021 fighting in Gaza, this bestselling introduction explores the history, motivations and people behind the Palestine-Israel conflict - and assesses the prospects for peace after almost eighty years.

"This anthology does indeed offer a panoramic survey, and thus is a valuable contribution to Holocaust literature.]"
--"The Princeton Seminary Bulletin"

"Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok has provided a much needed and indeed "panoramic survey of Holocaust theology" (1) that offers a comprehensive overview of excerpts from representative writings in the field. "Holocaust Theology: A Reader" provides a fine, comprehensive overview of the interpretive possibilities."
--"Journal of the American Academy of Religion"

""Holocaust Theology: A Reader" should prove useful as an introductory text which grapples with complex issues."
--"SHOFAR"

Where was God during the Holocaust? And where has God been since? How has our religious belief been changed by the Shoah? For more than half a century, these questions have haunted both Jewish and Christian theologians. Holocaust Theology provides a panoramic survey of the writings of more than one hundred leading Jewish and Christian thinkers on these profound theological problems.

Beginning with a general introduction to Holocaust theology and the religious challenge of the Holocaust, this sweeping collection brings together in one volume a coherent overview of the key theologies which have shaped responses to the Holocaust over the last several decades, including those addressing perplexing questions regarding Christian responsibility and culpability during the Nazi era. Each reading is preceded by a brief introduction. The volume will be invaluable to Rabbis and the clergy, students, scholars of the Holocaust and of religion, and all those troubled by the religious implications of the tragedy of the Holocaust.

Contributors include LeoBaeck, Eugene Borowitz, Stephen Haynes, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Steven T. Katz, Primo Levi, Jacob Neusner, John Pawlikowski, Rosemary Radford Reuther, Jonathan Sarna, Paul Tillich, and Elie Wiesel.

In this illuminating history, Dan Cohn-Sherbok traces the development of Jewish history from ancient times to the present day. Containing over 100 maps and 30 photographs, this is a comprehensive atlas of Jewish history designed for students and the general reader. It is ideally suited for those courses in Jewish or Biblical Studies, serving as a handy reference guide as well as a textbook.

In this illuminating volume, Dan Cohn-Sherbok traces the development of Jewish history from ancient times to the present day. Generously illustrated with over 100 maps and 24 black-and-white illustrations, the atlas details the central developments of the Jewish heritage. It is the first extensive, up-to-date atlas of Jewish history designed for students and the general reader. It is ideally suited for those taking courses in Jewish or Biblical Studies, serving as a handy reference guide as well as a textbook.

Today the Islamic faith has exploded on the contemporary scene. On television and in newspapers Islam is depicted as playing a major role in world events. In this illuminating volume distinguished Muslim, Christian and Jewish writers explore the nature of the Islamic religion and its impact on a pluralistic society. In diverse ways they present a new and challenging vision of dialogue between the three monotheistic faiths in the modern world.

This is an exploration of the origins and development of Zionism, illustrating the theory and history of the Zionist movement and the creation of the state of Israel. In recent years, there has been an explosion of interest in Middle Eastern affairs. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is a constant theme on television and in newspapers. Yet there is considerable misunderstanding about the origins and ideology of the Zionist movement. This volume seeks to address these issues by providing a concise but comprehensive guide to the origins and development of Zionism from its inception in the nineteenth century until the creation of the Jewish state of Israel in 1948. Dan Cohn-Sherbok explores how, in the early stages of Zionism, a number of Jewish thinkers including religious Zionists, spiritual Zionists and secular Zionists formulated various theories about the need for a Jewish homeland. Illustrating the history of the Zionist movement up to the creation of Israel in 1948, the author also provides an extensive explanation of the various forms of anti-Zionism which emerged in the early history of the Zionist movement.

Fifty Key Jewish Thinkers is a panoramic survey of over 2,000 years of Jewish thought, religious and secular, ancient and modern. Now in its second edition, this essential reference guide contains new introductions to the lives and works of such thinkers as: Hannah Arendt, Immanuel Levinas, Judith Plaskow, Sigmund Freud, and Walter Benjamin.

Also including fully updated guides to further reading on figures from the middle ages through to the twenty-first century, historical maps and a chronology placing the thinkers in context, this is an essential and affordable one-volume reference to a rich and complex tradition.

Arguing about Judaism differs from other introductions to Judaism. It is unique, not solely in its engaging dialogues between a Reform rabbi and a humanist, atheist philosopher, but also in its presentation of and challenges to the fundamental religious beliefs of the Jewish heritage and their relevance to today's Jewish community. The dialogues contain both Jewish narratives and philosophical responses, with topics ranging from the nature of God to controversies over sexual relations, animal welfare and the environment - from antisemitism to the state of Israel and Zionism. Although the rabbi and philosopher argue strongly, clearly enjoying the cut and thrust of debate, they do so with sensitivity, charm and respect, revealing the rich intricacies of the Jewish religion and contemporary Jewish life. While essential reading for those studying Judaism and Jewish history, the book aims to stimulate debate more generally amongst Jews and non-Jews, the religious and the atheist - all those with a general interest in religion and philosophy.

This is a comprehensive history of Jewish religion and philosophy, its traditions and practices, magnificently illustrated with over 500 photographs and paintings. It is an in-depth introduction to the religion and its rich cultural and spiritual heritage. It describes the different aspects of Orthodox and Reform, and of mysticism and kabbalah. This book highlights biblical teaching and traces its development across the centuries from earliest and rabbinic times to the present day. It presents all the festivals of the year, such as Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, Purim and Passover. It covers teachings about rites of passage including marriage, bar and bat mitzvahs. Blending authoritative information with superb pictures of Jewish life and culture, this book brings together a vast amount of knowledge for students and general readers. For nearly 4,000 years, Judaism has been a living monotheistic faith. This book offers an account of the faith, its core beliefs and practices, and the way of life of Jewish people today. The book is divided into three sections: Jewish Traditions covers the history of Jews from the biblical period to the present; Jewish Belief introduces the reader to the concept of God and his relationship with Israel as the chosen people; and Jewish Practice embraces all aspects of worship and personal piety. This comprehensive picture of Jewish life, thought and heritage, with its 500 stunning illustrations, is a fascinating reference guide to every aspect of this complex religion.

Christians, Muslims and Jews all stem from one man, Abraham, and yet relations between them are so often strained. Three men of faith - one Jew, one Muslim and one Christian - debate the differences between them. The result is a compelling discussion: What do their faiths teach on the big issues of life? What can be done to make for better relationships in the future? What can be done on the big global areas of conflict and tension? How can they get along? For hundreds of years, many of the biggest global conflicts have been fuelled by religious hatred and prejudice. It is evident, in the early part of the 21st century that not much has changed. Whether it is fundamentalist Muslims waging jihad in Afghanistan and Pakistan, or the perpetual low scale hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians, to the man in the street, religion seems to make people more likely to fight each other, not less. Why is this? Why Can't They Get Along? is a powerful and much needed account. Current, passionate and compelling it is essential reading.

Around the globe religion is under attack. Humanists, secularists and atheists depict believers as deluded and dangerous. The aim of this book is to challenge this perception. Sensible Religion defends the validity and emphasises the excitement of the religious quest across the faiths. It demonstrates that the practice of sensible religion is often a courageous path pitted against religious extremism and secularism. Written by committed believers from the major world's faiths, the book endorses the term 'sensible' as expressing religious reasonableness as well as sensitivity to criticism and new insights. Followers of the different traditions live ordinary lives in the mainstream of the world. This volume therefore addresses beliefs and the manner in which these convictions relate to social, political and ethical action. Countering the argument that religion is at root extremist and irrational, Sensible Religion brings together thoughtful and critical reflections by leading thinkers about humanity's spiritual quest.

Around the globe religion is under attack. Humanists, secularists and atheists depict believers as deluded and dangerous. The aim of this book is to challenge this perception. Sensible Religion defends the validity and emphasises the excitement of the religious quest across the faiths. It demonstrates that the practice of sensible religion is often a courageous path pitted against religious extremism and secularism. Written by committed believers from the major world's faiths, the book endorses the term 'sensible' as expressing religious reasonableness as well as sensitivity to criticism and new insights. Followers of the different traditions live ordinary lives in the mainstream of the world. This volume therefore addresses beliefs and the manner in which these convictions relate to social, political and ethical action. Countering the argument that religion is at root extremist and irrational, Sensible Religion brings together thoughtful and critical reflections by leading thinkers about humanity's spiritual quest.

Fifty Key Jewish Thinkers is a panoramic survey of over 2,000 years of Jewish thought, religious and secular, ancient and modern. Now in its second edition, this essential reference guide contains new introductions to the lives and works of such thinkers as: Hannah Arendt, Immanuel Levinas, Judith Plaskow, Sigmund Freud, and Walter Benjamin.

Also including fully updated guides to further reading on figures from the middle ages through to the twenty-first century, historical maps and a chronology placing the thinkers in context, this is an essential and affordable one-volume reference to a rich and complex tradition.

Believers from a variety of faith communities were asked to assess how the Covid pandemic has affected their faith. The anthology collects their responses to key questions, such as: · How does your faith explain why such events occur? · How has it affected your religious practices? · What changes has it necessitated? · What differences might we expect once the pandemic is over? · What have we learned from it? Two exponents of each major religion and a number of minority faiths comment on these issues, combined with a concluding essay by the editors assessing the overall impact of the pandemic on religion worldwide. Faiths explored include Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Sikh Baha’i, Jain, African Traditional Religion, Zoroastrian, Unitarian, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christian Science.

Where was God when six million died? Over the last few decades this question has haunted both Jewish and Christian theologians. If God is all-good and all-powerful, how could he have permitted the Holocaust to take place? Holocaust Theology: A Reader provides a panoramic survey of the responses of over one hundred leading Jewish and Christian Holocaust thinkers. Beginning with the religious challenge of the Holocaust, the collection explores a wide range of thinking which seek to reconcile God's ways with the existence of evil. In addition, the book addresses perplexing questions regarding Christian responsibility and culpability during the Nazi era. Designed for general readers and students, the readings are arranged thematically and each one is divided into separate topics. For anyone who is troubled by the religious implications of the tragedy of the Holocaust, this collection of Holocaust theology provides a basis for discussion and debate: each reading is followed by several questions designed to stimulate this.

For nearly four thousand years the wisdom of Judaism has supported people through exile and suffering, good times and bad. Founded on the universal principles of justice, integrity and righteousness, its message is as relevant today as ever, and has much to offer all members of the global community, regardless of race or creed. Contained within this beautiful little book are some of the most profound and pertinent extracts from Jewish writing. Addressing a multitude of timeless themes, from the nature of God to family life, the passages are drawn not only from the scriptures, but also from the work of great Jewish thinkers ancient and modern, male and female. For solace, for inspiration, or simply for browsing through at moments of quiet, this exquisite anthology will be treasured by readers as a source of perpetual wisdom.

This addition to the Curzon "Popular Dictionaries of Religion" series contains around 1400 entries, describing clearly and concisely all the key aspects of religion, culture and history in Judaism. Entries range from "Aaron" to "Zugot" via "abolition", "cherub", "documentary hypothesis", "euthanasia", "falashas", and many other interesting and essential topics. This is not only a reference tool for those who want to know more about the tradition, but a practical guide to the current Jewish interpretation of topics of universal interest.

Beginning with the earliest philosopher of the Middle Ages, Saadiah ben Joseph al-Fayyumi, this work surveys the writings of such figures as Solomon ben Joseph ibn Gabirol, Bahya ben Joseph ibn Pakuda, Abraham ben david Halevi ibn Daud, Judah Halevi, Moses Maimonides, Gersonides, Hasdai Crescas, Simon ben Zemah Duran, Joseph Albo, Isaac Arama, and Isaac Abrabanel. Throughout an attempt is made to place these thinkers in an historical context and describe their contributions to the history of Jewish medieval thought in simple and lucid terms. The book is directed to students enrolled in Jewish studies courses as well as to those who seek an awareness and appreciation of the riches of medieval Jewish philosophical tradition.

Surveys the writings of leading Jewish thinkers, attempting to place them in an historical context and describe their contributions to the history of Jewish medieval thought in simple and lucid terms.

This concise dictionary of Judaism contains over a thousand entries describing all the key aspects of religion, culture and history in the Jewish faith. Entries range from Aaron to Zugot via Abolition, Cherub, Documentary Hypothesis, Euthenasia, Falashas, and many other interesting and essential topics. This is not only a reference tool for those who want to know more about the tradition, but a practical guide to the current Jewish interpretation of topics of universal interest. Designed for the student as well as the general reader, it deserves a place in every library and every Jewish home.

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 history * Supports study with discussion questions on the central historical and religious issues, and includes key reading for each chapter, an extensive glossary and index * Illustrates the development of Judaism, its concepts, observances and culture, with maps, photos, paintings and engravings * Links each chapter to a free companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/cohnsherbok which provides things to think about, things to do and tips for teachers as well as other online resources

Life expectancy is going up. Our parents are increasingly likely to be living into their eighties and nineties. Many find themselves in the position of caring for their parents when they are already retired themselves, or not in good health, or still have children to support financially. What can we do for the best in these situations? Do you feel your parents are a burden? Do they feel that? How do we cope with the huge costs of geriatric care? How do we manage this conflicting tangle of interests? This is a practical book that looks at the range of alternatives and provides realistic solutions. It also recognizes the negative and ambivalent feelings that plague families on all sides. Extreme old age is not easy. We need to help our parents through the difficulties they inevitably face during their final years, and balance those needs with equally pressing ones elsewhere. Dan and Lavinia Cohn-Sherbok, drawing on their own experiences, here provide a succinct overview of the problems and answers for all with elderly parents.