Strictly Kosher Reading: Popular Literature and the Condition of Contemporary Orthodoxy (Jewish Identity in Post-Modern Society) Hardcover – August 1, 2011

I found this book so interesting that I read it in just two sittings. Starting from a survey of popular writings published by and for the Haredi (often called "Ultra-Orthodox") Jewish community, primarily in the USA, the author arrives at very perceptive insights into the nature of contemporary Judaism. The book is written from an admirably non-polemical perspective and I think that it could be read with great profit by members of the Haredi community (especially the educators among them). Certainly anyone interested in contemporary Judaism cannot afford to miss this book. Perhaps reflecting my own interests, I found ch 5, on popular theology, particuarly interesting and compelling.
The book is blessedly free of academic jargon, and is very carefully edited and proofed. Altogether a wonderful book.

Yoel Finkelman does a terrific job of analyzing Hareidi (Jewish, ultra-orhtodox) literature and how it's used to promote and maintain the philosophical agenda of this close-knit community.

For those outside of orthodox Judaism it gives a glimpse into a very different world. These readers can gain some understanding of what lies behind the cloistered communities and conservative clothing.

Though such a book may not be "Kosher" for readers in the Hareidi world, I think it would give them insight into how much of the information they receive is "processed" before it reaches them. Anyone in that world who's reading a book review on Amazon most probably would have no issue reading this book!)

I think this book is most important for orthodox Jews who do not subscribe to the "Hareidi" mindset. Even though much of this literature is targeted for Hareidi audiences, much of it finds its way into non-Hareidi homes. I think it's important for such people to understand the limitations of this literature so they can counteract its effects, especially as it impacts on impressionable children.

Don't we all censor our reading? You don't have to be Haredi to learn from this book how any of us can discard Milton's pleas in Areopagitica and turn to the system of imprimatur, for freedom of the press is a sword that can injure its own advocates, and no community dares give up its responsibility to protect the vulnerable from maleficent influences. Finkelman's book ably shows how people (me, too) rationalize censorship. My Dad wouldn't allow comic books in the house, unless we were sick. School boards ban books routinely, even wholesome classics; the American Library Association has lists of the most frequently banned classics. Though we value and protect freedom of the press, intellectual freedom is often under challenge. That's why I find Yoel Finkelman's book so interesting. His vast knowledge of the history of religious and cultural thinking sets Haredi censorship in context. He exposes the rhetorical techniques by which Haredi authors include or reject other thinking, techniques that we may readily recognize in other spheres of writing. While I cheerfully endorse the enthusiastic praise of other reviewers, I'd add that though I'm not Haredi, this book has many lessons for me as a reader, and maybe for you too.

One curious feature of the book is Finkelman's use of words like "totalize" and "problematize" that are not familiar to me. Perhaps they're common in his academic environment; perhaps they're Anglicized forms of the Hebrew hiphil (causative) conjugation; perhaps they're happy coinages; and perhaps they're a sign of the decline of the English language. These words challenge my lexical tolerance, and perhaps I should accept them, just as I think all readers should expand their intellectual tolerance and consider any idea carefully before declaring it untrue.

Read this book, share it with your friends, and think how it applies to you!

I agree fully with Professor Kellner's note. The book was a joy to read and is full of profound and thoughtful insights while maintaining respect for its subject without being polemical or judgmental. While the focus of the book is ostensibly the popular Haredi press and publishing industry, his insights are equally applicable to the consumers of Haredi books and periodicals (i.e., the Haredi world more generally). Finkelman does a particularly excellent job outlining the various ways in which popular Haredi writers pass along modern ideas regarding parenting, relationships and education while seeking to demonstrate fidelity to Haredi values. This book is an indispensable guide for both "insiders" and anyone interested in understanding this vibrant and growing industry.