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Jewish Traditions: A JPS Guide

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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).

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.