Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 784 pages
• Published by: William Morrow
• Edition: 1st Edition April 26, 1991
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0688085067
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0688085063
• Book Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 2.6 inches
• Weighs: 2.8 pounds

Reader Reviews
A Rabbi once joked to me about learning about Judaism. He noted that some folks promote their religions by giving out pamphlets from fold-up tables. He noted, "If someone asked a Jew about Judaism, he'd have to do this," and he plunked down a stack of about ten books on his desk with a loud whack. That's how it gets after 3500 years, I'm afraid. Well, here it is for your perusal; Judaism between two covers. It's not complete, but it's pretty much the best damn overview of Judaism that I have ever seen. It's well-written, concise, informative, and thorough. There is very little authorial agenda in the book, and he clearly tries to treat potentially hot "political" issues (such as the divisive "Who is a Jew" issue) as even-handedly as possible (Telushkin is an Orthodox Rabbi). Further, the book is laid out in such a way, like encyclopedia entries, that a person looking for information on a particular topic--such as the Jewish take on Jesus, say--can find it quickly and easily. If you are interested in learning about Judaism at all, or if you are a Jew yourself who wants a good starting point for educating yourself, I highly recommend this book. Comment | | (Report this)