How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even If: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think Keeping Kosher Is Stupid, D. You Hated hebrew [Paperback]

Gil Mann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1996

Much has been written by rabbis and other Jewish professionals about American Jews, assimilation, intermarriage, and continuity. This unique book, based on focus groups and interviews with more than 150 Jews in the U.S., gives voice to the Jewish population. Filled with potent arguments, challenging questions, raw emotion, and insights into Judaism, this book helps answer the question: Why be Jewish?

Product Details

• Paperback: 167 pages
• Publisher: Leo & Sons Pub; 2nd edition (1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096517090X
• ISBN-13: 978-0965170901
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,219,170 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even if:, December 6, 1999

By 

Carol Hillman (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even If: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think Keeping Kosher Is Stupid, D. You Hated hebrew (Paperback)

I am the president of a small synagogue and this book really hit home for me. It put into words things I have been wrestling with all my adult life. All serious Jews would benefit from reading it, in fact, you might not know you are a serious Jew until you do read it. Thanks to Gil Mann, the author.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Noteworthy Effort, December 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even If: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think Keeping Kosher Is Stupid, D. You Hated hebrew (Paperback)

Gil Mann has successfully taken several hot topics and presented them in a manner that is reader friendly, insightful and intriguing.

Reader friendliness is evident from the start; the book is written in interview format. Each chapter highlights a different person discussing a specific topic from the title. I read it in two days, and enjoyed the reading.

I also enjoyed it because it was insightful. After reading several of Mann's interpretations of Judaism, I spent time reflecting on his words. His comments lead me to both forgive myself and to rethink the way I'd been thinking about religion, community and spiritualism.

And that, to me, is very intriguing. He presented his insights in a clear and simplistic manner. While I don't agree with everything he said, I do feel that he inspired the participants of the book into questioning themselves, and me into doing the same.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who thinks they're a BAD Jew for not believing in God, not wanting to waste time in synagogue, and for hating talmud torture. (His words, not mine, although I agree!)

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a perfect introduction to understand who we are, February 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even If: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think Keeping Kosher Is Stupid, D. You Hated hebrew (Paperback)

I read this book one year ago, and I still remember it as a perfect introduction to judaism. As a non religious jew, I always felt aside the society but also aside the jews. This book helped me to put religion and everyday life together, and more important, motivated me to read more about my religion. I would also recommend after this book the excellent "The Nine Questions People Ask about Judaism" by Dennis Prager.