Ask the Rabbi: The Who, What, When, Where, Why, & How of Being Jewish - Hardcover

Isaacs, Rabbi Ron

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 078796784X ISBN 13: 9780787967840

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2003

Synopsis

Does God really have a chosen people? Do Jews believe in an afterlife? Why do all Jewish holidays begin at night? When is it okay to tell a lie? What does Judaism say about being gay?
From the mundane to the perplexing, Rabbi Ron Isaacs answers all your questions about the Jewish faith in a manner that is warm, wise, and witty. Isaacs brings his many years of experience as a rabbi and scholar to create a family-friendly resource that you and your children can use again and again to answer questions as they arise in your day-to-day lives— such as questions about: worship services, blessings, famous people in the Bible, miracles, fast days, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, the Seder, circumcision, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, marriage, keeping kosher, sex, death and dying, medical ethics, Jewish beliefs, Hasidim, Jewish denominations, rabbis and cantors, black Jews, Jewish professions, what others think of the Jews, Israel, ritual garments, the Torah, the mezuzah, Anti-Semitic documents and statements, Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews, language, Jews and cults, kabbalah, and classic Jewish books.

About this title

About the Author

Rabbi Ron Isaacs, Ed.D., is the rabbi of Temple Sholom in Bridgewater, New Jersey, and codirector of its Hebrew High School. An adjunct lecturer at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he is the author of more than eighty books. Rabbi Ron Isaacs can be reached directly through his Ask the Rabbi website at www.rabbiron.com.

From the Back Cover

Does God really have a chosen people? Do Jews believe in an afterlife? Why do all Jewish holidays begin at night? When is it okay to tell a lie? What does Judaism say about being gay?

From the mundane to the perplexing, Rabbi Ron Isaacs answers all your questions about the Jewish faith in a manner that is warm, wise, and witty. Isaacs brings his many years of experience as a rabbi and scholar to create a family-friendly resource that you and your children can use again and again to answer questions as they arise in your day-to-day lives–such as questions about worship services, blessings, famous people in the Bible, miracles, fast days, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, the Seder, circumcision, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, marriage, keeping kosher, sex, death and dying, medical ethics, Jewish beliefs, Hasidim, Jewish denominations, rabbis and cantors, black Jews, Jewish professions, what others think of the Jews, Israel, ritual garments, the Torah, the mezuzah, anti-Semitic documents and statements, Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews, language, Jews and cults, kabbalah, and classic Jewish books.

An extraordinary collection of questions, an extraordinary collection of answers, Ron Isaacs is indeed the rabbi who can be asked anything. His knowledge is encyclopedic, and this book is a pleasure to read.
–Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author, Jewish Literacy and The Book of Jewish Values

If you’ve ever wanted a resource to turn to when your children ask you questions about Judaism or if you’ve got a whole bunch of leftover questions from your own childhood, Ask the Rabbi will fill the bill beautifully.
–From the Foreword by Dr. Jonathan Woocher, president, Jewish Education Service of North America

Reviews

The eager student who enjoys the give-and-take of questions and answers will find this book a sheer delight. Since 1975, Isaacs has been rabbi of a New Jersey congregation and co-director of its Hebrew high school. He encourages his congregants and students to ask questions, even installing an "Ask the Rabbi" in-box. From the hundreds of questions put to him through the years, he has selected the most interesting ones for this primer on Judaism. Written in a simple, amusing, personal style, the book's 32 chapters offer straightforward responses to many complex issues. While the approach will appeal mainly to young people, others will find this a useful manual. The topics range widely from serious concerns such as the nature of God, prayer, and death to more frothy fare, such as, "why are so many comedians Jewish?" and "why do Jews like Chinese food?" A particularly useful chapter describes 10 "classic Jewish books" such as the Talmud, siddur, Zohar, megillah, etc. Jewish parents who are often challenged by their children's questions will find this book a helpful resource, but as a basic, accessible introduction to Judaism, it is also a handy guide for all readers.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 7-up. Like Edward Feinstein's Tough Questions Jews Ask [BKL Ap 1 03], this answers the questions that Jews in general, and Jewish teens in particular, ask about their faith. The book is as wide-ranging as one could imagine, and the questions move from the philosophical (How was God born?) to the more prosaic (Why are there so many Jewish doctors--and comedians?). The pithy queries are divided into expected topics: God, denominations, belief, and ritual. But there are also subjects such as "Black Jews." Isaacs, a conservative rabbi, replies directly, explains how the different denominations do things, and sometimes suggests books to extend the reader's knowledge. The questions are often phrased in a teenager's voice (or perhaps that of a belligerent adult): "I love shrimp. Why should I stop eating it?" There is also information that will particularly resonate with teenagers, such as the section about Kabbalah (What's up with Madonna's practicing it?). An essential guide for Jews and others who want to know more about Jewish practices. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 078796784X
• ISBN 13: 9780787967840
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272