Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
This is more of a "living religion" book than a history of Judaism. I was looking for the latter rather than the former so was a bit dissatisfied.
If you're looking for the former, this will definitely be a good starting point.
If you're looking for the former, this will definitely be a good starting point.
Note: I had to read this for a class.
Solid book. Concise, well-organized, and engaging. Gave a lot of insight into the historical background and context of Judaism. 4 solid stars.
Recommended to anyone who wants to read a very short introduction to Judaism, of course.
Solid book. Concise, well-organized, and engaging. Gave a lot of insight into the historical background and context of Judaism. 4 solid stars.
Recommended to anyone who wants to read a very short introduction to Judaism, of course.
I really know nothing about Judaism, and wanted to learn. This was the first thing I chose from the library.
I was interested while reading it - also to see how my own study of the bible is biased toward the teachings of the religion I was in, rather than the actual book.
I was interested while reading it - also to see how my own study of the bible is biased toward the teachings of the religion I was in, rather than the actual book.
Norman Solomon's JUDAISM: A Very Short Introduction is a fairly typical installment in this Oxford University Press series. Within 150 pages, Solomon tries to give a very basic but nonetheless wide-ranging introduction to Judaism. Solomon was a fellow in Modern Jewish Thought at Oxford, and one of the major themes of his book is that Judaism is very difficult to define exactly. He emphasizes that Judaism is not a direct continuation of the religion of ancient Israel, but has its real beginnings in the dogma of rabbinic Judaism. This dogma has then been engaged by new religious movements, or left behind by those or see Judaism as just an ethnic identity or a general outlook on life. What Solomon gives us in his book is less one coherent faith, and more a variety of sometimes mutually contradictory beliefs and traditions that have all been referred to as Jewish.
A book in this format is probably never going to be completely satisfying. At a time when lame antisemitism is making a comeback due to the political situation in the Middle East, I wished he could have offered some response to the argument that Judaism is a "racist religion", with membership in the faith and ethnic origin almost always tightly interwined. In fact, the entire phenomenon of conversion to Judaism is not discussed at all. Also, the book was first published in 1996 with a reprinting in 2000. A revised version is necessary to add to the history of Israel in chapter 8, which ends on a hopeful note with Oslo II.
A book in this format is probably never going to be completely satisfying. At a time when lame antisemitism is making a comeback due to the political situation in the Middle East, I wished he could have offered some response to the argument that Judaism is a "racist religion", with membership in the faith and ethnic origin almost always tightly interwined. In fact, the entire phenomenon of conversion to Judaism is not discussed at all. Also, the book was first published in 1996 with a reprinting in 2000. A revised version is necessary to add to the history of Israel in chapter 8, which ends on a hopeful note with Oslo II.
informative
fast-paced
informative
slow-paced
Some books on topics like this one want to give a summary of who they are and what they believe, others take the approach of telling you who they are not and what they do not believe. For Solomon, he wants this book to be clear that Judaism is not Christianity. There is almost a desire to break that popular Judeo-Christian monicker that has been popular for sometime. In the vein of Tertullian, Solomon asks the question, what does Christianity have to do with Judaism? Not much. Christianity is seen as a heretical offshoot of Judaism, one that has left the historical and traditional faith of the Jews.
That being established, the actual beliefs of Judaism are summarized, the traditions and festivals are explained, and the current structure of the faith are outlined. There were many little things I found interesting in this short work, like the apprehension of the Jews to called the Hebrew Scriptures the Old Testament because of the implication of a New Testament, which they reject. Also the differences between the major sects of Jews, what their beliefs are, and how they interact (if at all) with other Jews and their traditions.
That being established, the actual beliefs of Judaism are summarized, the traditions and festivals are explained, and the current structure of the faith are outlined. There were many little things I found interesting in this short work, like the apprehension of the Jews to called the Hebrew Scriptures the Old Testament because of the implication of a New Testament, which they reject. Also the differences between the major sects of Jews, what their beliefs are, and how they interact (if at all) with other Jews and their traditions.
Short and a little disappointing. Would be been better if it discussed more the religious attitudes and rituals as opposed to dry, half-baked history lessons.
informative
medium-paced