The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Judaism

by Dan Cohn-Sherbok

Jewish culture and religion has played a significant role in the formation of world, as well as American, culture. Jews, both practicing and non-practicing, have become thoroughly integrated into society. Outside of Israel, the U.S. maintains the highest concentration of Jews worldwide. The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Judaism looks at the Jewish religious tradition from its birth in Biblical times to the foundation of the modern Jewish state of Israel. Key themes in Judaic history, such as the formative period of the Temple, coexistence with Christianity, the critical Reform and the community's long struggle against anti-Semitism, are explored. Important contemporary concepts, practices and holidays such as Zionism, Kaddish and Passover, are but a few points of interest concisely covered. The book ends with a brief survey of Judaism's future the survival of the Jewish state, Judaism and feminism and the assimilation of Jews into secular society.

Genres: Religion

208 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2002

About the author

Rabbi Professor Dan Cohn-Sherbok is Professor of Judaism at the University of Wales, Lampeter. He is the author of over fifty books including the acclaimed The Palestine Israeli Conflict: A Beginner's Guide, co-authored with Dawoud El-Alami.

Reviews

[LeAnn L Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book for an insight into Judaism and this 164 page book certainly helped.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard for me to learn a lot of facts all at once with minimal context--so the first time I tried to read "The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Judaism" I had to lay it down for a several months and immerse myself in some deeper and more scattered reading about Judaism before coming back to this book. At that point, reading it helped me put together and reinforce all of the disparate pieces of information I had picked up. Obviously the book simplifies some things, but I think it does a very nice job of introducing Judaism broadly & succinctly.