Living a Jewish life: A guide for starting, learning, celebrating, and parenting [Hardcover]

Anita Diamant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1991

Jewish tradition is a gift and a challenge. Living a Jewish Life is your guide to the cultural and spiritual treasures of Judaism, explained in ways that address the choices posed by modern life. From hanging a mezuzah to celebrating a wedding, from lighting Sabbath candles to choosing a synagogue that's right for you and your family, you will find "why-to's" and "how-to's" in these pages, which are tuned to both the realities of the modern world and the timeless, grounding rhythms of Jewish tradition.

Spanning the spectrum of liberal Jewish thought -- Conservative, Reconstructionist and Reform, unaffiliated, new age and secular -- this book provides a sensitive and practical introduction to making Judaism a meaningful part of your life.

Filled with anecdotes, lore, memorable quotations, history, prayers and ceremonies, Living a Jewish Life celebrates the diversity, joy and fulfillment of Jewish life today. This book is filled with your Jewish choices.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anita Diamant is a prize-winning journalist whose previous books include The New Jewish Wedding and The New Jewish Baby Book. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 330 pages
• Publisher: HarperPerennial (1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062715089
• ISBN-13: 978-0062715081
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,893,366 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In my first novel, The Red Tent, I re-imagined the culture of biblical women as close, sustaining, and strong, but I am not the least bit nostalgic for that world without antibiotics, or birth control, or the printed page. Women were restricted and vulnerable in body, mind, and spirit, a condition that persists wherever women are not permitted to read.

When I was a child, the public library on Osborne Terrace in Newark, New Jersey, was one of the first places I was allowed to walk to all by myself. I went every week, and I can still draw a map of the children's room, up a flight of stairs,where the Louisa May Alcott books were arranged to the left as you entered.
Nonfiction, near the middle of the room, was loaded with biographies. I read several about Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, and Helen Keller, with whom I share a birthday.

But by the time I was 11, the children's library was starting to feel confining,so I snuck downstairs to the adult stacks for a copy of The Good Earth. (I had overheard a grown-up conversation about the book and it sounded interesting.)The librarian at the desk glanced at the title and said I wasn't old enough for the novel and furthermore my card only entitled me to take out children's books.

I defended my choice. I said my parents had given me permission, which was only half a fib since my mother and father had never denied me any book. Eventually,the librarian relented and I walked home, triumphant. I had access to the BIG LIBRARY. My world would never be the same.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly A Gem, January 12, 2002

By 

G. J Wiener (Westchester, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs and Values for Today's Families (Paperback)

Several years ago I purchased this book. In my quest to learn more about my heritage I started reading this book again. Upon just finishing it right now, I can recommend it wholeheartedly.

There are oh so many great qualities about this book. Probably the greatest aspect is the way it is organized. Main sections consist of an Introduction, Home, Observance, Community, and Life Cycle. Each of these main sections discuss critical aspects of the Jewish religion sucha s keeping Kosher, the Holidays, Shabbat, Jewish Calendar, Jewish Schooling, Bar Mitzvah, Wedding, and other milestone activities. Furthermore, at the end of each chapter, the authors Anita Diamant and Howard Cooper list further readings for both adults and children. This is extremely helpful for anyone who wants to learn more about a specific aspect of Judiasm whether it be the origins of Purim, Jewish Cookbooks, or more informaiton about the different approaches of Judiasm(Conservatism, Reform).

The Sabbath(Shabbat) section is especially helpful as many of the prayers and the meanings are explained. Those who do not have a strong command of Hebrew need not fear. The explanations here are to the point and provide enough information to leave you to want to find out more. The sections on the holidays are also very informative.

The Community aspect of Judiasm is detailed in a very pleasing way. In the middle of the book, there is a comprehensive listing of service organizations which can be of great assistance to a wide audience.

I could sing the praises of Living A Jewish Life for several more paragraphs. The bottomline is that it covers so many topics in an easy to read manner that anyone with even the slightest interest in the Jewish relgion should check out this fabulous book.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insights into Jewish Life, April 24, 2002

By 

Joel M Sax - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs and Values for Today's Families (Paperback)

Whether you are a lost Jew, the spouse of a Jew, or just someone who is interested in Jewish observances and traditions, this is a worthwhile book to own. The authors emphasize Judaism as a series of choices that you can make or not make. They discuss, in admitted brevity, the various facets of Jewish life and Jewish customs as they have evolved since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Each chapter concludes with a list of books for further reading. You will be tempted!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book!, August 3, 2000

By 

nicole (brooklyn, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs and Values for Today's Families (Paperback)

this book is wonderfully inspiring. it presents jewish values and traditions in a non-intimidating fashion. it's not written like a text. the language is engaging, interesting, and informative. not only is this book a reference on different jewish customs, but it includes reasoning behind each and every one; reasoning that can fit into your lifestyle regardless of faith. it provides numerous ideas for implementing different aspects of judaism into your home. it does this so well that i found myself want to jump into everything all at once. it presents judaism in a new and refreshing light, something that is joyous and most likely you haven't heard before. it also includes wonderful ways to pass on these traditions to kids.