Customer Reviews

The Jews: A Treasury of Art and Literature

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This super 380-page coffee table book documents the history, art and literature of the Jewish Nation from tracts from the Jewish Bible (Tanach) to articles about Israel in the early 1990's.

Complementing the text are nearly 140 color and 100 black and white illustrations covering the range of Judaic arts and crafts including antiquities and ceremonial art, fabrics, precious metals, stained glass and paintings from many periods and countries.

Part 1 covers The Bible with excerpts from the Creation of the World and The Garden of Eden, through the accounts of Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, the Babylonian Exile and the rise and fall of Haman.

Part 2 covers Post-biblical literature including accounts of the victory of Judah the Maccabee, Flavius Joseph's account of the Fall of Massada and sections from the Midrash and Sanhedrin.

Part 3 covers Medieval and Rennaisance times and includes the writings of Maimonides and poets such as Solomon Ibn Gabirol and Judah HaLevi (whose poem To Israel in Exile shows how the Jewish Nation always yearned to be reunited with the Land of Israel) and also documents and writings pertaining to the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, and part 4 covers writing by and about Jews from lands such as Ethiopia, Morocco and Turkey.

Subsequent sections include writings by and about Jews and include writings by Baruch Spinoza , Israel Zangwill , IL Peretz , Israel Bashevis Singer , Sigmund Freud and Hayim Nachman Bialik , as well as extracts from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and the Proclamation by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799 promising to restore the Land of Israel to the Jews , in return for their support.

There is a section about Jews in the Americas and includes the memorable work by American Jewish poet Emma Lazarus , Banner of the Jew:

"Wake Israel, wake! Recall today The glorious Maccabean rage..."

Then there is a section describing the horrors of the Holocaust, which includes writings by Anne Frank, Eli Wiesel, Primo Levi and Simon Wiesenthal.

The last section is about the Re-established State of Israel, and includes works by Theodore Herzl, Gold Meir , Chaim Weitzman , Albert Einstein , David Ben-Gurion and Amos Oz. It ends with essays by Edward Norden and Edward Grossman describing the difficulties faced by new immigrants to Israel from Russia and Ethiopia.

This is an important historical record at a time when Jews and Israel are faced with their greatest test of endurance since the Holocaust. We need to remember our history in these frightening and somber times.

This is a very special book for me. My son Daniel, who was Down's Syndrome, found it in a book store in Baltimore just before Passover. He insisted on having it and while fighting Leukemia kept it with him his last year. He was eager to show me any picture he could identify and requested information on the ones he could not. Now, for the last eight years I have given a copy as a special award in his memory in two different synagogues to young people who have demonstrated his qualities (a love of Judaism and Jewish Life, an appreciation of art, and an empathetic soul). For years after receiving this award these yound people have taken this book with them to college and many of them tell me how much it has meant to them as they continue their Jewish growth. While I could extoll the fine choice of reading and art I hope that these young people by their actions have said it all. see [...]

This book really is quite beautiful. The text is very interesting. I like how the pictures flow around the text. If you have any interest in Jewish history you will find this book a good read.

Beautiful ...very informative..pictorially extraordinary..Perfect gift for someone you care about, who had interest in the subject matter.
Great Coffee Table book. I received this book as a gift. I proudly display it in my home. Pleased I had a special couple to present it too. This gift was very well received and appreciated.
M.Finkel

This book is truely a nice addition. It has some really beautiful work put together. The stories mentioned were very interesting. And the art work is very beautiful. The book is big, and its looks great as a show book on my coffee table. :)