What Happens After I Die?: Jewish Views of Life After Death (Paperback)

~ Rifat Sonsino; Daniel B. Syme (Author) "Death transcends human comprehension..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Reform Jews, Reform Judaism (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Offers a wide spectrum of Jewish responses to the question of life after death. Classical answers are drawn from traditional Jewish literature. Modern Jewish thinkers, from all denominations in the Jewish community, add their personal notions of life after death.

Product Details

• Paperback: 147 pages
• Publisher: Urj Press (July 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807403563
• ISBN-13: 978-0807403563
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #250,931 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #90 in

  Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Theology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice intro, brief and simple, August 2, 1999

By	Rabbi Yonassan Gershom (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This book is obviously an attempt on the part of the Reform movement to correct the misconception, common among Reform Jews, that there is supposedly no Jewish belief in an afterlife. The authors explore a variety of beliefs about life after death from different periods and branches of Judaism. I was pleasantly surprised to see a section on reincarnation, acknowledging that Hasidim and some others believe in it.

All in all, although the book takes a more rationalist approach than I would prefer, it does give the average reader a nice introduction to Jewish afterlife doctrines. Best of all, it's short and very reader-friendly.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great perspectives and approaches to the afterlife, June 26, 2000

By	Matthew T. Phillips (Winston-Salem, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book's usefulness is certainly not limited to a Jewish audience. The wide range of essays included in Sonsino & Syme's book provide insight into the views of other faiths as well, especially Christianity. I was required to read this book as a college religion student to better understand Jewish views of the afterlife, but it is just as well suited for someone who wants to sort out their own personal views. I am confident that regardless of your own opinions and the level of your reflection on the afterlife, you will be moved by several of the included essays.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I learned something, January 23, 2001

By	Michael Lewyn (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My gentile friends (and my less educated Jewish ones) occasionally ask me what Jews think about the afterlife. After reading this book, I know the answer. The answer is: there's no consensus. Certainly Jews don't have the precise picture of Heaven and Hell that some fundamentalists have. There is (outside the leftward fringes of Reform Judaism) a consensus that there is some sort of afterlife -- but no consensus (even within Orthodox, Conservative or Reform as far as I could tell) as to what that afterlife looks like, except for some vague notion of some sort of reward and punishment in the world to come.