In an effort to counter the confusion and isolation often experienced by a novice synagogue-goer, as well as by many who regularly attend synagogue, The Synagogue Survival Kit offers introductions and instructions for all aspects of the synagogue experience. Always mindful of the sophisticated adult reader with little or no Jewish background, Jordan Wagner clearly and comprehensively explains, in a non-dogmatic way, the practices, vocabulary, objects, and attitudes that one can expect to find in any synagogue.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
To anyone unfamiliar with the synagogue service, the prayers and the rituals may seem like a "confusing hodgepodge of activity." Wagner provides a simple, detailed and thorough road map for navigating the service and understanding its structure and content. He assumes no prior knowledge, explaining such basics as clothing and decorum, when to arrive at services, how to lift a Torah and what greetings to use. The book grew out of a lengthy orientation letter Wagner wrote to a friend who was preparing to attend a traditional service. Although the material he has set out to explain is sometimes quite cumbersome, his informal, encouraging tone make this an engaging, reader-friendly introduction. He breaks down the service piece by piece and transforms the reader's picture of it from an "amorphous blob" to a highly structured diagram. Explanations of pronunciation, customs, architecture, who's who in the service and the nature of prayer help set the stage for specific explorations of each prayer. Interpretations are worded so as to be acceptable to the spectrum of Jewish philosophies and denominations. Extensive notes follow each chapter, and a cross-reference to selections in the most commonly used prayer books fleshes out this carefully crafted primer, which is perfect for Jews rediscovering their own traditions, Jews by choice and others who wish to participate in Jewish events.
Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Wagner has written a clear and easy-to-read guidebook on the Jewish synagogue experience for the Jewish or non-Jewish individual who would like some beginning lessons and insight into what goes on when Jews gather to pray in a congregation. The chapters are devoted to such topics as synagogue customs and features, the structure of the worship experience, the siddur (Jewish prayerbook), individual prayers, and the public Torah (biblical) reading. Each chapter has a notes section with citations from Jewish literature and ideas for further study, and there are cross references to popular prayerbooks. Like previous books on Jewish prayer, e.g., Hayim Donin's To Pray as a Jew (1980; Basic Bks., 1991. reprint) and Reuven Hammer's Entering Jewish Prayer (LJ 3/1/94), Wagner's work has an open, enthusiastic, and warm-hearted approach. Libraries holding either Donin's or Hammer's title may pass on this one. Still, Wagner's book is a good choice for most public libraries serving a diverse clientele.?Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa District Lib., Ill.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
152 of 153 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An in-depth guide to synagogue ritual.,
By Daniel Kagan (Huddersfield, West Yorkshire England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Synagogue Survival Kit (Hardcover)
Wagner's book is not what I thought it would be, and in some ways it is better than I had expected, in some ways worse. What was better about it was that Wagner explains far more about synagogue ritual than I had expected. The book reveals the why behind each prayer, and indeed behind each phrase, in some cases. That kind of depth, I did not expect. Nor did I expect the historical analysis of how the rituals have evolved over the millenia. Having read this book, one gets not only a detailed guide to how and why services are as they are, but also an introduction to Jewish theology in general. All this was an unexpected bonus.So in what sense did Wagner deliver less than I had hoped for? Only in that the book is not a simple quick introduction to what goes on in a synagogue. If you buy this book hoping for a quick evening's read, thinking that after a couple of hours you will have the gist of the synagogue ritual, you will be sorely disappointed. The book, befitting its subject, is far more complex than that, and it truly demands your time and concentration, if you are to derive from it all it has to offer. But for those willing to devote the necessary time, it gives an unparalelled insight into Jewish services, and one which I have found completely absent from Jewish literature until now. Mazel Tov to Wagner for filling that gap!
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Introduction to Jewish Ritual and Prayer,
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This review is from: The Synagogue Survival Kit (Hardcover)
Jordan Wagner, who is not to my knowledge a rabbi, has put together an excellent little tract which explains in a basic yet comprehensive manner, the structure of the Jewish prayer service and the ins and outs of Synagogue ritual. Wagner states on his website that he wrote the book in order to educate some non-Jewish friends as to what to expect at a Synagogue service. The book is extensively footnoted and well written. It should be of interest to non-educated Jews interested in learning the meaning of the liturgy and non-Jews interested in the Jewish religion. It does not cover the other topics such as the laws of Kashrut (dietary laws) or the Holidays but focuses on the daily and Sabbath services.
16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Understanding the Jewish basis of Worship,
By
This review is from: The Synagogue Survival Kit (Hardcover)
Wagner has made the somewhat mysterious world of the Synagogue accessible. While people may go to most any church and feel perfectly at home, the Synagogue is not as well known. Wagner gives his readers an opportunity to understand and even participate in the worship services at the heart of Judaism. This book is highly readable and worth the time if you or anyone you know is going to Synagogue. This is the book you must buy.
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