Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Holiness of Everyday Life, October 3, 2003
What impressed me most about Mrs. Greenberg's book remains the high regard for which even the most mundane tasks receive in the traditional Jewish household. Most everyday activities have a blessing ascribed to them, and this elevation of the mundane to the divine causes one to reflect upon daily life as a worshipful experience. In addition, I felt impressed by the female-centered nature of Jewish life as depicted in the book. The wife/mother is no bystander in the religious household but a vital actor as the drama of life plays out. Preparing meals gains importance--not as a way to merely satisfy one's appetite for food but as a central expression of Shalom. The Sabbath celebration in the home centers around women as they kindle the candles and prepare the requisite meals. Mrs. Greenberg explores and explicates traditional values of modesty, honesty, love, and charity without being judgemental or "writing down" to her reader. She sprinkles her work liberally with selections from Torah, the prophets, and the sages, to say nothing of the charming anecdotes of her own family's experiences. As an aside, I've prepared all of the recipes over the years, and every one is delicious! Highly recommended to all.
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30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating even for non-observant people, November 9, 1999
I was raised in a completely non-observant household; we were "Christmas Tree" Jews. I never set foot inside a synagogue until my late 40s. I stumbled onto this book at the beginning of my search for information and my place in the greater Jewish community, and found it fascinating. I have no intention of becoming Orthodox, and have found my own home in the Jewish Renewal movement, but turn to this book often for information. I especially appreciated the explanations of some of the rituals and traditions that don't "make sense" and was touched my the author's frank acknowledgement of her struggles and disagreements with some aspects of her practice - and her commitment to the preservation of those same traditions. In fact, I have come to believe that the greatest value of this book is just that - she clearly struggles with some aspects of her faith but is absolutely commited to its complete preservation - she doesn't pick and choose at the cafeteria of observance. Here is commitment writ large! I didn't agree with everything she said - her statement that the women at the beach in the modest swimsuits are probably observant Jews struck me as a tad smug, since most faiths value modesty and the orthodox of all religions practice it. But overall, I found the book invaluable as I began my process of sorting out the holidays and practices. The practice I have found for myself is much more personal and spiritually oriented, I believe, but it's important, and valuable, to know about the roots of that practice. So I recommend this book - I even gave a copy to my mother for Christmas!
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A delightful introduction to traditional Jewish practice, September 23, 1998
By A Customer
Growing up in a Classical Reform home, where observance was minimal, Conservative practice considered dated and pointless, and Orthodoxy completely alien, I would never have expected to read this book, much less love it. But Blu Greenberg's writing describes modern Orthodox practice with such warmth and charm that we have actually taken on new observances after reading it. Furthermore, even practices we are unlikely to adopt have become understandable and something to appreciate. Highly recommended!
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