Judaism: A Very Short Introduction

Description

In this Very Short Introduction Normon Soloman explores Judaism as a religion and as a way of life, including its festivals, prayers, customs, and sects. Exploring both how it has developed through the centuries and what defines it as a religion, Solomon explores the key issues and debates of contemporary Judaism in the twenty first century.

• A concise guide to all aspects of Jewish faith and practice
• Includes the history of Judaism and its development thoughout the centuries
• Explores what Judaism means around the world today
• Considers some of big issues including the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel
• Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over six million copies sold worldwide

New to this edition

• Considers how Judaism is perceived and understood in the twenty first century
• Looks historically at the relationship between Judaism and the Muslim faith
• Charts the rise of Zohar and Kabbala on contemporary culture in recent years
• Considers how Judaism deals with issues such as homosexuality and gay marriage
• Updated further reading section

About the Author(s)

Norman Solomon, Member of Wolfson College, Oxford, and the Oxford University Teaching and Research Unit in Hebrew and Jewish Studies.

Norman Solomon is now retired, but was a Fellow in Modern Jewish Thought at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, and is affiliated to the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University. He is the author of Historical Dictionary of Judaism, 2nd edition (Scarecrow Press Inc, 2006).

Table of Contents

Introduction
1:Who are the Jews
2:How did Judaism and Christianity split up?
3:How did Judaism develop?
4:The calendar and festivals
5:The spiritual life - prayer, meditation, Torah
6:Making a Jewish home
7:Out of the ghetto, into the whirlwind
8:Judaism Today
9:'Eternal law', changing times
Further reading
Index

Reviews

"invaluable for students" - Birmingham Jewish Recorder