Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Person's Guide to Building a Jewish Life [Paperback]

Edward Feinstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2003

In Judaism we’re allowed to ask questions. We are invited to ask them. But for young people, it often feels as if no one is willing to take tough questions about religion, ourselves, and the world seriously. Tough Questions Jews Ask turns that all around. With honesty, humor, and respect, Rabbi Edward Feinstein tackles topics as diverse as:

Why does God let terrible things happen? What is God anyway? If I pray for something, will I get it? What’s the meaning of life? Is that a dumb question? Why does religion need so many rules? Why be Jewish?

With insight and wisdom--and without pretending to have all the answers--Rabbi Feinstein encourages young people to make sense of the Jewish tradition by wrestling with what we don’t understand.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Teenagers and questions go hand in hand, except perhaps when it comes to religion. Feinstein encourages young people to verbalize their doubts about God, faith and Jewish life, stating that he believes "God loves good questions." Structured as questions posed by different students in a classroom, the 18 chapters include discussions about God; Shabbat; intermarriage; prayer; bar mitzvah; Israel; Christianity; anti-Semitism; Jewish denominations; the meaning of life; good and evil; the concept of an afterlife; and the Messiah. While the format may be a bit contrived, it effectively expresses the questions young people have. Feinstein phrases his questions and answers in terms kids can readily understand: "Is Any of That Stuff in the Bible True?" or "No Cheeseburgers? No Going to the Mall on Saturday? Why Does Religion Need So Many Rules?" The rules, he suggests, are one way of requiring a commitment, like going to the gym on a continual basis: "If I really wanted results, I needed to be serious." He equates being religious with being aware of life's amazing gifts. "The opposite of being religious," he writes, "is being bored." Feeling close to God involves doing godly actions, he stresses. Theology comes alive through Feinstein's cogent analogies and non-dogmatic, down-to-earth style. This book should appeal to students and adults of all denominations who are wrestling with the age-old challenges of faith.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-7. Imagining himself the teacher of a restless class of Jewish adolescents, Rabbi Feinstein confronts his students' relentless questions head on. While his class of "teacher slayers" is fictitious, the questions they ask are real and repeatedly pique not only Jewish youths but also many of their parents. His book unfolds around these questions, each chapter pivoting on an issue of Jewish theology or practice: "Why should I believe in God?" "What is God, anyway?" "What happens to us after we die?" Using stories from the Bible and the Talmud as well as his personal experiences to underscore his wise answers, Feinstein writes conversationally and with clarity. He also engagingly addresses issues of custom and history: "Why do people hate Jews? Why is Israel so important? What is a bar or bat mitzvah?" While his thoughtful and satisfying answers are directed at Jewish youths, they offer a primer on Jewish principles for interested readers of other faiths. Charged with energy and insight, this resource will prove valuable to public and school as well as religion collections. Ellen Mandel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing (February 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158023139X
• ISBN-13: 978-1580231398
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #627,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Particularly appropriate to teenage and young adult readers, July 26, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Person's Guide to Building a Jewish Life (Paperback)

Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Adult's Guide To Building A Jewish Life by Rabbi Edward Feinstein presents answers to difficult issues raised by Jewish young adults about the Jewish faith. Dealing with such fundamental and pervasive questions such as: "Why Does Religion Need So Many Rules" (such as dietary restrictions that forbid cheeseburgers and activity restrictions that forbid going to the mall on Saturday);"Why Is It So Important to Marry Someone Jewish?"; "What's the Meaning of Life? Is That a Dumb Question?"; and "Why Does God Let Terrible Things Happen?"; "Why Be Jewish?"; and more, Tough Questions Jews Ask pre-sents patient, discerning, illuminating answers which are particularly appropriate to teenage and young adult readers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide for Building a Jewish Life...at Any Age, April 15, 2003

By 

Stanley Coleite (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Person's Guide to Building a Jewish Life (Paperback)

Rabbi Edward Feinstein is has a great mind and is a wonderful speaker and writer. In his book, Tough Questions Jews Ask, he responds to questions that have been asked by his students in the hope that his book will be a guide to young adults in building a Jewish life.

Rabbi Feinstein suceeds beautifully by answering some of the toughest questions anyone--regardless of age--can ask, and providing his deep, wise and often unpredictable responses in a way that both young and old can appreciate and understand. Such questions as: What are we here for? Why do terrible things befall us? Why pray and what do we pray for? are explored.

The book contains insightful questions and the Rabbi gives meaningful answers. Ultimately one lession of the book is that we grow by learning to ask the right questions, listening to the responses and then asking even deeper questions.

This book is great for anyone interested in growing, learing and asking.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 2003 Sydney Taylor Honor Book!, February 5, 2004

By 

Heidi Estrin (The Book of Life podcast, www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Person's Guide to Building a Jewish Life (Paperback)

This book received a silver medal for the 2003 Sydney Taylor Book Awards! These awards are presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to the best in Judaic children's literature. Find out more at www.jewishlibraries.org.