Jewish Traditions: A JPS Guide [Hardcover]

Dr. Ronald L. Eisenberg (Author)

Book Description

Series: A JPS Guide | Publication Date: October 4, 2004

Thanks to these generous donors for making the publication of this book possible:
Miles z”l and Chris Lerman; David Lerman and Shelley Wallock

The bestselling guide to understanding Jewish traditions, now in paperback

This is a comprehensive and authoritative resource with ready answers to questions about almost all aspects of Jewish life and practice: life-cycle events, holidays, ritual and prayer, Jewish traditions and customs, and more. Ronald Eisenberg has distilled an immense amount of material from classic and contemporary sources into a single volume, which provides thousands of insights into the origins, history, and current interpretations of a wealth of Jewish traditions and customs.

Divided into four sections—Synagogue and Prayers, Sabbaths and Festivals, Life-Cycle Events, and Miscellaneous (a large section that includes such diverse topics as Jewish literature, food, and plants and animals)—this is an encyclopedic reference for anyone who wants easily accessible, accurate information about all things Jewish. Eisenberg writes for a wide, diversified audience, and is respectful of the range of practices and beliefs within today's American Jewish community—from Orthodox to liberal.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A number of different handbooks exist to help Jews observe the many holiday rituals and life cycle events required by Jewish tradition. Eisenberg, who is not a rabbi but rather a radiologist and a lawyer, produces a major volume that attempts to encompass all the rituals in one useful compendium. He begins with the traditions associated with the ages and stages of life from birth to death; moves to a consideration of Sabbath and festivals; and follows with a section on the synagogue and prayer. A segment on the Bible and rabbinic literature interrupts the discussion of rituals but it is then resumed by identifying prescribed daily activities (mitzvot). Before getting to the dietary laws and the role of food in Jewish tradition, Eisenberg deals with miscellaneous topics such as symbols, superstition and conversion. One appendix lists the Torah portions for weekly readings, holidays and special Sabbaths; a second sets forth the tractates of the Talmud and their topics. The presentation shows a great deal of research, and Eisenberg's behavioral prescriptions sensitively take into account differences among the various Jewish denominations. Like an encyclopedia, this is not a book to read from cover to cover. Instead, it is a handy and readable reference, based on the Jewish contention that creed follows deed and that behavior precedes belief.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The ongoing debate about the growing role of religion in American life raises another important issue: the urgent need to understand the beliefs and practices of each of the many religions in our multicultural society. This highly informative work covers the major elements of Jewish life, including life-cycle events (birth, bar and bat mitzvah, marriage, divorce, parenting, and death), the Sabbath and holidays, the synagogue, prayer, and the Bible and Jewish literature, among many other topics. In addition, the volume surveys a variety of other fascinating issues, including popular superstitions, attitudes toward specific foods and animals, the Israeli flag, and conversion to Judaism. Informative sidebars scattered throughout the book provide more specific information on a variety of Jewish practices and customs; a "Notes" section offers useful bibliographical references from each chapter to other pertinent works. The book concludes with a long bibliography, a list of weekly and holiday Torah readings, and an excellent keyword index.

Although Seasons of Our Joy: A Handbook of Jewish Festivals (Bantam, 1982) is more graphically pleasing, The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions is a much more comprehensive work. The author has done a masterful job in distilling the major beliefs and practices of a 3,000-year-old religion into lively and informative prose and in creating an accessible, essential reference work. Highly recommended. Donald Altschiller
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 752 pages
• Publisher: The Jewish Publication Society (October 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827607601
• ISBN-13: 978-0827607606
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #608,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Information on every Jewish tradition practiced today, January 6, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jewish Traditions: A JPS Guide (Hardcover)

The JPS Guide To Jewish Traditions by Ronald L. Eisenberg is an 806-page encyopedic compendium of comprehensive information on every Jewish tradition practiced today, from Orthodox to liberal. Written with respect and close attention to detail, The JPS Guide To Jewish Traditions includes ceremonies for rites of passage and marriage, holidays and observances, personal prayers, Jewish literature, ethics for living, dietary laws, and much more. Written in plain terms and accessible to lay readers and theologians alike, The JPS Guide To Jewish Traditions is a superb, easy-to-follow reference for personal and professional use. Also very highly recommended is Ronald Eisenberg's previous Judaic study, The Jewish World In Stamps: 4000 Years Of Jewish Civilization In Postal Stamps (1887563-768; $36.00; 288 pages; Schreiber Publishing).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable for Lovers of the Jewish People and Israel, February 6, 2010

By 

Elke B. Speliopoulos (Downingtown, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jewish Traditions: A JPS Guide (Hardcover)

As someone who has traveled to Israel many times and has a love affair with the land and its people and who longs to understand Jewish customs, this book is indispensable. It easily explains to someone, especially with a biblical studies background, where the traditions originated (those that are over and above the biblical text itself) and how they are expressed in both Orthodox and more liberal Jewish groups. It also includes explanations of non-biblical topics, such as why Jewish men wear the kippah or how the Israeli flag came to be. Well worth the price if you want to expand your knowledge of Jewish traditions and customs as a non-Jew.