Celebrating the Jewish Year: The Fall Holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot - Softcover

Steinberg, Rabbi Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 082760842X ISBN 13: 9780827608429

Publisher: JEWISH PUBLICATON SOCIETY, 2007

Synopsis

Named a 2007 National Jewish Book Award Runner-Up in the category of Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice.

JPS’s holiday books take us through the joys, spirit, and meaning of the seasons. Blending the old and the new, they ground us in the origins and traditions of each holiday and open up to us ways we can add our own expression to these special days. Although synagogue ritual is touched upon, the real focus here is on our personal connections to each holiday and our home observance.

As we move from season to season, Paul Steinberg shares with us a rich collection of readings from many of the Jewish greats—Maimonides, Rashi, Nachmanides, Shlomo Carlebach, Marge Piercy, Elie Wiesel, Martin Buber, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Arthur Green, and others—and he guides us in discovering for ourselves the many treasures within each text. The readings teach us about the history of each holiday, as well as its theological, ethical, agricultural, and seasonal importance and interpretation; others give us inspiration and much food for thought. These stories, essays, poems, anecdotes, and rituals help us discover how deeply Jewish traditions are rooted in nature’s yearly cycle, and how beautifully season and spirit are woven together throughout the Jewish year.

About this title

About the Author

Paul Steinberg is a rabbi and the director of Jewish studies and Hebrew at the Levine Academy in Dallas, Texas. He holds master's degrees in both education and rabbinic studies and was ordained from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. He is the author of The Study Guide to Jewish Ethics (JPS, 2003), articles on Hebrew Bible and Jewish education, and a monthly column on the spirit of Jewish holidays and family in the Texas Jewish Post.

Janet Greenstein Potter is the editor of several JPS publications, including the National Jewish Book Award Finalist Wise and Not So Wise, Praise Her Works, Zayda Was a Cowboy, Sarah's Journey, and The Kids' Catalog of Animals and the Earth, a book about the environment and the Jewish tradition.

From the Back Cover

Celebrating the Jewish Year: The Fall Holidays Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot

Learn the origins of a holiday, gain deeper insight into the season's themes, and discover new ways to celebrate. Bursting with primary sources, poems, prayers, rituals, and stories, Celebrating the Jewish Year includes contributions from some of the greatest Jewish thinkers in history, as well as original essays by acclaimed writers of today. Whether you are celebrating for the first time or the fiftieth, Celebrating the Jewish Year will help you create a holiday experience rich in meaning and spirit.

For Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot: Rachel Adler - S.Y. Agnon - Shlomo Carlebach - Elliot Dorff - Ellen Frankel - Erich Fromm- Shefa Gold - Arthur Green - Jill Hammer- Reuven Hammer - Abraham Joshua Heschel - Samson Raphael Hirsch - Rav Kook- The Maggid of Mezritch - Moses Chaim Luzzatto - The Rebbe of Lizensk - Franz Rosenzweig - Joel Roth - Harold. M. Schulweis - Bradley Shavit Artson - Arthur Waskow - Elie Wiesel--and others.

Reviews

Steinberg, a rabbi and educator, calls the Jewish holidays fundamental expressions of our spirituality. In Judaism's holistic approach, he says, spirituality encompasses the interaction of a person's intellectual, emotional and physical aspects, so the holidays tie us to history, the earth, the Jewish people and God. This first of three volumes explores Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Each section discusses a holiday's biblical origins, ideology and customs, followed by writings from Jewish thinkers throughout history, contemporary perspectives and alternative meditations. What makes this volume stand out from other holiday guides is an additional section with sacred texts presented in and inspired by Talmudic format. Steinberg examines each text at three different levels—literal, interpretive and personal. He doesn't shy away from questioning practices that may seem outmoded, but challenges readers not to abandon them abruptly. His careful, thorough and reasoned explanations will deepen understanding of each holiday's history and tradition, allowing celebrations to become, in fact, more celebratory. (Sept.)
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Edition details

• Publisher: JEWISH PUBLICATON SOCIETY
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 082760842X
• ISBN 13: 9780827608429
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 220
• Editor: Potter Janet Greenstein