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The Jewish Book of Why (Compass) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Over the years, many books describing Jewish life-its laws, its customs, its ceremonies-have appeared..." (more)
Key Phrases: Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana, New Moon (more...)

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends by Anita Diamant
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Why are there kosher dietary laws, why must the chapter of curses in the Tora be read quickly in a low voice, and what's the point of visiting a body of water to empty pockets of crumbs on Rosh Hashana? Kolatch writes lucidly and knowingly, explaining the biblical, traditional and superstitious sources of thousands of questions pertaining to Judaism; the comprehensive index is expertly organized. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

This book is for Jews and Gentiles alike, offering an encyclopedic compendium of concise, cogent explanations of Jewish rituals and practices. Kolatch, a rabbi and author of Great Jewish Quotations, treats every facet of Jewish religious observance, including births, weddings and funerals, sabbath and synagogue, holidays from Passover to Purim and the intricacies of the Jewish calendar. He teases apart the variations that distinguish different Jewish communities and denominations, and carefully notes whether a practice derives from the Torah, the Talmudic law or custom. Kolatch's catechistic format fields queries about the grand imponderables ("Why is marriage such an important institution in Jewish life?") and the most exquisite niceties ("Why do some people remove their tefilin after concluding the Amida, and then immediately put on a second pair for the balance of the service?"). In answering such questions, he sticks to Jewish law and history; on the particularly vexed issue of Kosher dietary rules, he rejects speculation about nutritional or sanitary benefits and insists that their rationale lies in the Divine injunction of "holiness" and the Jews' destiny as a people apart. While there are alternatives to some of the explanations offered here, Kolatch writes in an erudite but straightforward style, providing an intelligent, loving introduction to Jewish tradition and culture.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); Revised edition (March 4, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0142196193
ISBN-13: 978-0142196199
Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,743 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#35 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > History of Religion
#55 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Jewish Life

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Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
Over the years, many books describing Jewish life-its laws, its customs, its ceremonies-have appeared. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana, New Moon, Shemini Atzeret, Ten Commandments, Hoshana Rabba, Children of Israel, Middle Ages, Mount Sinai, Rosh Chodesh, Tisha B'Av, Second Temple, Lag B'Omer, Simchat Tora, Bar Mitzva, Book of Esther, Bat Mitzva, High Holidays, Pidyon Haben, High Priest, Conservative Jews, New Year, Book of Exodus, Orthodox Jews, Priestly Benediction

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 40 books:

The Family Seder by Alfred J. Kolatch in Front Matter, and Back Matter
Jewish Information Quiz Book by Alfred J. Kolatch in Front Matter
The New Name Dictionary by Alfred J. Kolatch in Front Matter
Simhat Torah by Norma Simon in Back Matter
Questions Jews Ask by Mordecai Menaheim Kaplan in Back Matter

See all 40 books this book cites

62 books cite this book:

The Jewish Mourner's Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch on 12 pages
Israel's Feasts and Their Fullness by Batya Ruth Wootten on 6 pages
The Second Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch on 5 pages
How to Live a Jewish Life by Alfred J. Kolatch on 5 pages
The Jewish Home Advisor by Alfred J. Kolatch on 5 pages

See all 62 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Jewish Book of Why - Boxed Set with The Jewish Book of Why and The Second Jewish book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch

Discusses:

The Second Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch

Discusses:

How To Run A Traditional Jewish Household by Blu Greenberg

Discusses:

The Jewish Home Advisor by Alfred J. Kolatch

Discusses:

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	83% buy the item featured on this page: The Jewish Book of Why (Compass) 4.5 out of 5 stars (13) $10.20
	11% buy Jewish Book of Why - Boxed Set with The Jewish Book of Why and The Second Jewish book of Why 5.0 out of 5 stars (7) $38.12
	3% buy The Second Jewish Book of Why 4.0 out of 5 stars (7) $16.47
	2% buy Classic Bible Stories for Jewish Children 4.3 out of 5 stars (3) $10.17

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Jewish Guide, January 2, 2001

By	rzaster - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jewish Book of Why (Hardcover)

The Jewish Book of Why is among the best Jewish books ever published. The book gives insight to Jewish customs like marriage, birth, divorce, holidays, and a lot of Jewish history. Whether reading the book or just leaving it on the coffe table to peruse through, The Jewish Book of Why will be great for a jew, a person that is interested in Judaism, and yourself. I highly reccomend this book. For more jewish reading I reccomend the second Jewish Book Of Why. This is a great book that you will definitley enjoy.

HAPPY READING!

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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Reference, October 10, 2000

By	G. J Wiener (Westchester, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Jewish Book of Why (Hardcover)

This book makes an excellent reference because it answers many important questions about Jewish beliefs. Whether its customs related to holidays, marriage, death, clothing, food or otherwise each questions is answered in ane asy to read manner. The authortakes an open minded stance which further adds to the book's value. I frequently look back at this book and learn something new each time I pick it up. Just timeless!

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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers a lot of ground, December 18, 2000

By	David E. Levine (Peekskill , NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Jewish Book of Why (Hardcover)

This book was originally published nearly 20 years ago so the fact that it is still a popular seller is a testament to how good a volume this is. A lot of ground is covered in an easy to understand question and answer format. The first few chapters cover Jewish life cycle events such as birth and childhood, marriage and divorce, and finally the end of life itself .. death and mourning. Then the book covers other areas of Jewish life such as rituals, holidays, etc. Obviously a basic book on Judaism written in this format cannot be exhaustive (of course there is now a Second Jewish Book of Why). However, in a very understandable manner, this book explains a lot. This book is very informative but I recommend that it not be considered the last word, ie, it is not authorative. If there is an argument as to what Jewish law requires, this book is a valuable guide but the authority would be original sources.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for any Jewish household
My parents and in-laws have this book on their coffee tables. Soon I will buy a copy for my husband as well.

Published 3 months ago by Julie S.

1.0 out of 5 stars I returned it
I returned this item. I was looking for something that had a little humor and was 'light' reading - eventhough it would have alot of information. Read more

Published 11 months ago by Valerie Hire

5.0 out of 5 stars The Jewish Book of Why
I am currently very interested in learning everything that I can learn about the Jewish Faith. This particular book was absolutely wonderful!!! Read more

Published 20 months ago by Gina Dumas

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Gift
Give a copy of this book to every kid whose Bar or Bat-Mitzvah you attend. It's a terrific reference for all those nagging little questions. Read more

Published on January 25, 2006 by Catty

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensible, Readable & Informative
This book's question-and-answer format makes for easy reading, and should be of equal interest to both Jews and non-Jews alike. Read more

Published on December 3, 2005 by K.A.Goldberg

5.0 out of 5 stars Basic answers
The book provides basic answers to the thousands of questions on Jewish relgious matters.
Its explanations are most often clear and insightful.

Published on September 27, 2005 by Shalom Freedman

4.0 out of 5 stars Good to have but leaves out important questions
I really like these books and the way they are written. The question and answer format make it easy to use it as a "reference" and also allows one to read a few pages at a time... Read more

Published on August 7, 2004 by Free Polazzo

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Jewish Book of Why" : A Jewish Work of Art
This book makes Judaism accessible to a wide range of people. If you are Jewish and you do not remember or do not know the reasons underlying some Jewish symbols, practices and... Read more

Published on March 17, 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative
It was incredibly informative and I learned alot. Perhaps my unanswered questions are in the second edition!

Published on August 10, 2003 by J. Friedman

5.0 out of 5 stars Things you've forgotten and things you never knew!
This is a wonderful book to own or give as a gift. It contains a thoughtful array of Jewish traditions, some significant and some trivial, but all heart-warming and colorful... Read more

Published on March 25, 2000

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