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

by Anita Diamant (Author), Howard Cooper (Collaborator) "The Jewish home has been called a mikdash ma t, a little sanc..." (more)
Key Phrases: barlbat mitzvah, brit habat, gemilut hassadim, New York, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
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.

About the Author
Anita Diamant is a prize-winning journalist whose previous books include The New Jewish Wedding and The New Jewish Baby Book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Collins; Rei edition (September 3, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062734431
• ISBN-13: 978-0062734433
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #363,957 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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 (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Joel M Sax (Trabuco Canyon, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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 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.