Stringing the Pearls: How to Read The Weekly Torah Portion - Softcover

Diamond, James S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0827608683 ISBN 13: 9780827608689

Publisher: JEWISH PUBLICATON SOCIETY, 2008

Synopsis

James S. Diamond, a consummate teacher of the Bible, provides a clear and simple (but not simplistic) method for reading and understanding the weekly Torah portions. This is a how-to book, not an interpretive one. It is not a commentary on each week’s reading, but rather an “instruction manual” on how each of us can read and interpret for ourselves the 54 Torah portions of the year. Diamond provides a set of structured guidelines to the readings, and then he leads us through one Torah portion from each of the five biblical books to give us examples of how we can continue the “stringing” process on our own. He concludes with a personal guide to recommended Bible commentaries so readers can engage in further study if they choose. Stringing the Pearls is intended for all who would like to reach a greater personal understanding of the Torah, no matter what their biblical knowledge. An invaluable resource for Jewish learners, this book will also be an important tool for rabbis and for Jewish educators.

JPS inadvertently failed to include Section 8 of Part V: Selected Books (following page 206) in James Diamond’s new book Stringing the Pearls. We apologize to our readers for any inconvenience that this has caused.

About this title

About the Author

James S. Diamond teaches in the Program in Judaic Studies at Princeton University. He combines two personal and professional personae: a rabbi and an academic. Rabbi Diamond was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary, and he holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Indiana University in Bloomington. Adult Jewish learning has been a focal point throughout Diamond's career. In recent years, he has taught the Tanakh course in the Me'ah program, a two-year intensive adult Jewish learning program that is sponsored by the Hebrew College of Boston. Stringing the Pearls grew out of this Me'ah program course.

From the Back Cover

Stringing the Pearls How to Read the Weekly Torah Portion A smart, accessible guide to understanding the weekly Torah portion <set as headline> The weekly Torah portion is arguably the most widely read and discussed of all Jewish texts. Each year Jews around the world complete the weekly cycle of Torah and then immediately begin again, constantly mining the text for new meanings and insights. And yet, though there is an abundance of books that offer interpretations of the 54 weekly portions, there are none that attempt to empower readers to make these interpretations themselves.

Stringing the Pearls gives us the tools we need to understand and analyze these Bible readings. Diamond, a master teacher, provides a range of strategies for approaching the text and presents a clear method for working through the weekly portion, for both the novice and advanced reader.

Stringing the Pearls is a wonderful tool for anyone preparing a d'var Torah, participating in a Bible study group, or simply seeking to be a more confident and active reader of Torah.

"I was thrilled with Jim Diamond's work on how to get the most out of the weekly Torah portion. I learned a great deal from it...." --Edgar M. Bronfman, president, World Jewish Congress

"A meticulously organized, indispensable study guide for the ...Torah student at any level." --Liz Zinbarg Nover, director, Florence Melton Adult Mini-School of Gratz College

James S. Diamond teaches in the Program in Judaic Studies at Princeton University. He was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary and holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Indiana University in Bloomington. In recent years, he has taught the TANAKH course in the Me'ah program, a two-year intensive adult Jewish learning program sponsored by the Hebrew College of Boston. Stringing the Pearls grew out of this course.

Edition details

• Publisher: JEWISH PUBLICATON SOCIETY
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0827608683
• ISBN 13: 9780827608689
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288