Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I stumbled across this great new handbook for jewish living at the public library. It is so useful I have to have my own copy. I found the layout and language to be very user friendly. I prefer this book to "How to be a jew". The Witty's book is organized in a way that allows the reader to browse efficiently. They take each topic and then break it down further with subheadings in the same way an outline is. The Witty's include personal anecdotes to bring life to the topics they are discussing. After reading it, I have been inspired to work toward leading a more Torah true life. The Witty's write from an orthodox perspective.

If you want to buy one overall detailed (but not overwhelming) introduction to traditional Jewish practice and thought, this would be a very good choice. It covers the basic topics in enough depth to give a good basis for doing further inquiry if desired but doesn't talk down to the reader.

One advantage to this book is the transliteration, which lets readers new to Judaism/Jewish thought & practice focus on the ideas rather than struggling to read a new language.

Exploring Jewish Tradition is a priceless book for someone contemplating Orthodox conversion or desiring to deepen their everyday observance. Absolutely priceless. If you are curious about Judaism, remember this book is only dealing with Orthodox Judaism. There are many customs observed in any given community which are treated as law, yet are not a part of Judaism as a whole, therefore not covered here. This is the very best substitute if you can't find a Rabbi to teach you with the exception of the Talmud alone. This is the ONLY book I'd recommend for one seeking a conversion to Rabbinic Judaism. (If you are a Karaite you should read this book and dispell some of the misconceptions about Rabbinic Judaism.) The book is 540 pages of topics such as What is Torah?, The Synagogue, Prayer and Jewish Liturgy, The Jewish Calendar, The Sabbath, The Days of Awe, Pilgrimage Festivals, Minor Festivals and Fast Days, and the Jewish Life Cycle. For every topic passages are given from the Torah or sages, which makes easy reading on a subject. There are at times many passages sited but not all possible references are given. Hebrew words are introduced but only transliterated words, sadly, no Hebrew letters. There are even Jewish recipies found on a page or two. Enjoy.

Hannukah is over and the lights have been put out. As the Christian celebrate their biggest religious celebration (the life of Christ on his birthday) next to Easter (when he died on the cross and was ressurected), the Jewish use our Christmas Eve for their major matchmaking even across the country. They call it the Matzo Ball for non-Christians; actually, the matzo ball is some food item they eat at different of their celebrations.

I learned in Neil Diamond's explanations to a non-Jewish person he loved that Hannukah is not their major holiday, but it is the 8 nights of lights and presents are given each of these nights to the children. So that sounds pretty major to me. We Christians give gifts to our children only one night per year, Christmas Eve. The Day of Atonement is their Major Event, I think he said. Anyway, he played a modern Jazz Singer, a Jewish fellow performing with some black kids, who makes it big out in Hollywood and deserts his Jewish upbringing, to his father's distress. The scene of the father, a rabbi, tearing his clothing meaning that his son is dead to him was very moving. I've loved Jewish singers, Eddie Fisher, Neil Diamond (Johnathan Livingston Seagull) and now Michael Feinstein all my life. I once was interested in becoming Jewish but our college religion teacher refused to have someone from that faith to talk to our class. It's just as well. I married the next June, so I needed no matchmaking.

This is a new aspect of the Jewish tradition we were not aware of until now: matchmaking on Christian Eve! I loved 'Fiddler on the Roof' and it seemed they had a matchmaker who coupled the Jewish youth at any time of the year. I thought perhaps it had to do with their ages. Something new, something old, who cares! It is unique for one religion to use the celebration of another for such an important event in a young person's life.