Exploring Jewish Tradition: A Transliterated Guide to Everyday Practice and Observance - Hardcover

Witty, Abraham; Witty, Rachelle

  • 3.50 out of 5 stars
    6 ratings by Goodreads
 
9780385494540: Exploring Jewish Tradition: A Transliterated Guide to Everyday Practice and Observance
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0385494548 ISBN 13: 9780385494540
Publisher: Doubleday, 2001

Synopsis

If you want to introduce Jewish traditions into your home, would like to learn about the Jewish faith of your neighbor, plan to host a traditional seder, or are just curious about a term or ritual, Exploring Jewish Tradition addresses all your needs. This thorough review of Judaism as it has been practiced by Jewish men, women, and children for thousands of years provides concise directions for observing traditions, captioned illustrations that illuminate and enhance the text, and overall guidance about how to live a Jewish life.
Organized into ten chapters, hundreds of transliterated terms are linked together in a friendly narrative that leads the readers step-by-step through the vocabulary and concepts of Jewish tradition.

The text includes chapters on the interpretation and significance of the word "Torah," the foundation of all Jewish knowledge; the synagogue and its artifacts; prayer and Jewish liturgy; the Jewish (lunar/solar) calendar; the Sabbath; the high holy days; the pilgrimage festivals; the minor festivals; the Jewish life cycle; and special words and phrases that are used in everyday Jewish life.

Exploring Jewish Tradition is a guidebook not only for the traditional Jew but for the uncertain newcomer, the inquisitive non-Jew, or anyone else who has ever wondered about the difference between Torah and Talmud, Kiddush and Kaddish, Shabbat and Shevat, or mezuzah and mazal.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author

Rabbi ABRAHAM WITTY holds master's degrees in international relations from the City University of New York and in Jewish educational administration from New York University, where he was a fellowship recipient. RACHEL WITTY is an award-winning writer with more than twenty years of professional experience in the publishing industry. The Wittys have three grown children and live in northern New Jersey.

From the Inside Flap

If you want to introduce Jewish traditions into your home, would like to learn about the Jewish faith of your neighbor, plan to host a traditional seder, or are just curious about a term or ritual, Exploring Jewish Tradition addresses all your needs. This thorough review of Judaism as it has been practiced by Jewish men, women, and children for thousands of years provides concise directions for observing traditions, captioned illustrations that illuminate and enhance the text, and overall guidance about how to live a Jewish life.
Organized into ten chapters, hundreds of transliterated terms are linked together in a friendly narrative that leads the readers step-by-step through the vocabulary and concepts of Jewish tradition.

The text includes chapters on the interpretation and significance of the word "Torah," the foundation of all Jewish knowledge; the synagogue and its artifacts; prayer and Jewish liturgy; the Jewish (lunar/solar) calendar; the Sabbath; the high holy days; the pilgrimage festivals; the minor festivals; the Jewish life cycle; and special words and phrases that are used in everyday Jewish life.

Exploring Jewish Tradition is a guidebook not only for the traditional Jew but for the uncertain newcomer, the inquisitive non-Jew, or anyone else who has ever wondered about the difference between Torah and Talmud, Kiddush and Kaddish, Shabbat and Shevat, or mezuzah and mazal.

Reviews

Not every Jew knows how to "be Jewish," but the Wittys, a rabbi-writer team, intend to remedy that lack. In this comprehensive primer of Jewish precepts and practices, they leave no custom unexplained, no term undefined. Their eye for detail enriches this easy-to-read reference to the complexities of traditional Jewish observance, with chapters on Torah; the synagogue and its artifacts; prayer and Jewish liturgy; the Jewish calendar; the Sabbath; the holidays; the life cycle; and special words and phrases used in everyday Jewish life. In addition to instructions for occasions and situations common to Jewish life, they include information not readily available in other guides, from the 40 categories of work prohibited on the Sabbath to a 10-year calendar for the first days of all the holidays. Hebrew words and phrases are written in transliteration and listed alphabetically at the end of each chapter. Boxed quotes easily identify material from biblical, rabbinic and liturgical sources (but often there are so many that they interrupt the flow of the narrative). The authors' focus on the practicalities of observance sometimes leaves the answers to deeper questions distilled into brief phrases: What is the purpose of a Jew's life? "To get closer to God and... to attain spiritual perfection." Nevertheless, this reference has great value to those who want to introduce Jewish traditions into their homes or would like to learn more about Judaism.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Doubleday
Publication date
2001
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0385494548
ISBN 13 
9780385494540
Binding
Hardcover
Edition number
1
Number of pages
576
Rating
  • 3.50 out of 5 stars
    6 ratings by Goodreads