What Does Being Jewish Mean?: Read-Aloud Responses to Questions Jewish Children Ask About History, Culture, and Religion [Paperback]

E.b. Freedman (Author), Jan Greenberg (Author), Karen A. Katz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2003

Is everything in the Bible true?

Why are there bad people in the world? Can't God stop them?

Why do I need to learn to read, write, and speak Hebrew?

Why do we fast on Yom Kippur?

Where do we go after we die?

This classic reference -- updated for the 21st century -- provides answers to more than 180 questions that Jewish children most frequently ask about their faith. The authors cover not only the basics of Jewish belief, custom, and practice but also the kinds of questions that arise from the unique way that children view the world, such as "Will the Messiah have superpowers like Batman or Superman?" And perhaps most important for our time, What Does Being Jewish Mean? tackles the knotty philosophical questions that often leave parents stumped for quick and appropriate responses.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch, author of The Jewish Book of Why What Does Being Jewish Mean? will be a great help to parents seeking to answer their children's questions about Judaism and Jewish life. It will certainly be a wonderful source of information for adults anxious to share with young people an appreciation of their heritage.

About the Author

Rabbi E. B. Freedman is the director of the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network in southeastern Michigan.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Fireside Ed edition (August 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743254139
• ISBN-13: 978-0743254137
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,138,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, concise straightforward information, February 9, 2004

By 

Jennifer L. Metcalf (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Does Being Jewish Mean?: Read-Aloud Responses to Questions Jewish Children Ask About History, Culture, An (Paperback)

This book is about basic beliefs of Judaism and is written in a very easy-to-read format -- question and answer paragraphs divided into chapters with similar subject matter.

It's ideal for giving meaningful answers without going into great detail. The complete index in the back allows one to look up a specific subject or question easily. The subject level would be appropriate for middle elementary students and older, yet it isn't written in such a manner that would be awkward for adults to read. This reference book could be quite useful for adults who would like to learn some basic facts of Judaism.

An excerpt:

"153. What is the most important Jewish holiday?"

"Shabbat, because it comes every week, may seem as if it is not that important a holiday, but actually the Torah tells us that it is the most important holiday. It is more important than Passover and other Jewish holidays - even more important than Rosh Hashanah. The only day of the year considered more holy than Shabbat is Yom Kippur, which is considered the Shabbat of Shabbats. Once a year there is even a greater Shabbat than Shabbat and that is Yom Kippur."

Other questions addressed are: Why don't Jews believe in Jesus? Does God have feelings? Do Jews believe in the devil? Why are Jewish males circumcised? Why have the Arabs fought so many wars with Israel? Why don't we kneel when we pray? What is a cantor? Why do some people write "G-d"? What are the Ten Tribes of Israel? Why don't the kind of miracles in the Bible happen today?

Because of the way it's organized, the book is also excellent for sitting down with a child and reading one question at a time and researching the answer further. Very useful Jewish reference!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-reading for anyone Jewish or interested in Judaism, September 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: What Does Being Jewish Mean?: Read-Aloud Responses to Questions Jewish Children Ask About History, Culture, and Religion (Paperback)

This book is an insightful, authoritative and comprehensive companion to anyone interested in learning more about Judaism. Well-written and thought-out, and full of some of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish rules, customs and more, "What Does Being Jewish Mean?" not only serves as an invaluable tool for educating children on Jewish laws, but it is without a doubt equally useful to adults. If you've ever had a question about any facet of Judaism or Judaic law, "What Does Being Jewish Mean?" is your answer.