Yes, But Is It Good for the Jews?: A Beginner's Guide, Volume 1

by Jonny Geller

An indispensable A-Z guide that dares to answer the one question that has plagued Jews for over 5,000 years.

The only question more popular among the Jewish people than "Have you eaten yet?" is "Yes, But Is It Good for the Jews?" Jews have long considered everything from current events to dinner menus to NBC's fall lineup through this essential prism. Revealed here for the first time is the ancient method by which to evaluate this burning question - the mathematical art of Judology. Think of it as the third cousin of Kabbalah.

Yes, But Is It Good for the Jews? is a hilarious tour of world history and culture that features entries on a wide variety of subjects including: Ikea, The Bible (Old and New Testaments), Vidal Sassoon, Scientology, and more. Each one includes a definition, an explanation for why it might or might not be good for the Jews, and the Judological formula which untimely determines the answer. It's easy:


Antisemitic Potential/Backlash + Impact on the world x The J Factor (level of Jewishness) = Tzurus (Yiddish word for "trouble") / 7 (Kabbalah mystical number) = Good or Not Good for Jews

This must-have guide for our times will tell you which celebrity to disparage (Madonna), which product to boycott (Nintendo), which book to skip (almost anything by Hemingway) and which country to avoid (Turkmenistan).

Yes, But Is It Good for the Jews? is the perfect gift for every night of Chanukah or for the Bar Mitvah boy/Bat Mitzvah girl in your life.

Genres: Jewish, Humor

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 31, 2008

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laugh out loud, funny! I could not stop laughing. This book is hilarious. What a great idea for a book.

Some very very minor parts of this book are not true anymore (example: I think David Arquette and Courtney Cox are no longer married). But this is forgivable because, with everything pop culture, things constantly change and this doesn't take away from the overall value of the book. What I don't think is true in the book is that you can not walk your dog on Shabbat. I think you can but I also think that the author may have been trying to be funny which he was but I don't think we should confuse anyone who is Jewish and is keeping or wants to keep Shabbat.

This is an excellent coffee table book for a Jewish or Jewish by association household. I highly recommend it.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny if taken with a massive spoonful of kosher salt.

[VAle · Rating 2 out of 5]

preso in biblioteca

Mah.
Mi aspettavo un libro frizzante...
Troppo autoreferenziale, troppi riferimenti a fatti e personaggi sconosciuti ai più.
Temo che sia uno di quei libri per i quali l'adattamento italiano è quasi impossibile.