Hasidism, a Jewish religious movement that originated in Poland in the eighteenth century, today counts over 700,000 adherents, primarily in the U.S., Israel, and the UK. Popular and scholarly interest in Hasidic Judaism and Hasidic Jews is growing, but there is no textbook dedicated to research methods in the field, nor sources for the history of Hasidism have been properly recognized. Studying Hasidism, edited by Marcin Wodzinski, an internationally recognized historian of Hasid...

Probing Human Dignity from multiple disciplinary backgrounds by scholars from a variety of countries and different cultures is an intense intellectual and emotional venture. The intensity emerges from an encounter with Human dignity that challenges individuals, communities, and society at large to navigate different spheres of human action, including ethical, moral, religious, and legal realms. Difficulties arise in the attempt to bridge the conversation about Human Dignity across cultures...

Relics for the Present is a collection of thought-provoking mini-essays that explore the parameters and depths of prayer. Using Tractate Berakhot as the foundational text, Rabbi Cooper utilizes a unique combination of Talmudic wisdom, rabbinical commentary and Hassidic lore, transforming ancient teachings into inspiring vignettes for everyday life. Relics can be used to understand the meaning of the liturgical text, the prayer experience as a whole, or as a page-by-page companion to Tracta...

Relics for the Present is a collection of thought-provoking mini-essays that explore the parameters and depths of prayer. Using Tractate Berakhot as the foundational text, Rabbi Cooper utilizes a unique combination of Talmudic wisdom, rabbinical commentary and Hassidic lore, transforming ancient teachings into inspiring vignettes for everyday life. Relics can be used to understand the meaning of the liturgical text, the prayer experience as a whole, or as a page-by-page companion to Tracta...

***2015 National Jewish Book Award Winner***In this powerful and timely book, one of the most admired and authoritative religious leaders of our time tackles the phenomenon of religious extremism and violence committed in the name of God. If religion is perceived as being part of the problem, Rabbi Sacks argues, then it must also form part of the solution. When religion becomes a zero-sum conceit—that is, my religion is the only right path to God, therefore your re...

This is an electronic edition of the complete book. This book features the table of contents linked to every chapter. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the iPad, Nook, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including eReaders, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display.

An insightful look at one of the most unusual written works ever created. Compiled centuries ago by a group of wise men as a way to preserve the oral traditions of the Jewish faith, the Talmud has challenged and thrilled some of the world’s greatest minds with its complex approach to exploring ideas and subjects from virtually every possible angle. This essential guide makes the ancient text of the “oral Torah” accessible for all readers, whether they’re Jewish or not.In this C...

Storytelling was used by the ancient Talmudic sages to teach us about ethics and morality. These stories involve God, Elijah the Prophet, Biblical figures such as Abraham and Moses, Satan, animals, nature and - even - each other. This book includes numerous Talmudic stories including the Oven of Akhnai, Choni the Circle-maker, Rabbi Shimon b. Yochai and the cave, Joseph-who-honors-the-Sabbath, and Kamtza and Bar Kamtza in order to see what lessons can be learned from them. What is clear fr...

The history of the Jews of Spain is a remarkable story that begins in the remote past and continues today. For more than a thousand years, Sepharad (the Hebrew word for Spain) was home to a large Jewish community noted for its richness and virtuosity. Summarily expelled in 1492 and forced into exile, their tragedy of expulsion marked the end of one critical phase of their history and the beginning of another. Indeed, in defiance of all logic and expectation, the expulsion of the Jews from ...

The Talmud is one of the most significant religious texts in the world, second only to the Bible in its importance to Judaism. As the Bible is the word of God, The Talmud applies that word to the lives of its followers. In a range of styles including commentary, parables, proverbs and anecdotes, it provides guidance on all aspects of everyday life from ownership to commerce to relationships. This selection of its most illuminating passages makes accessible the centuries o...

**Look out for Julie's new book, The Almost Legendary Morris Sisters.From the author of Friendkeeping and Love at First Bark, one woman's hilarious, bittersweet account of growing up in a family of career-shunning, dependence-seeking women and her journey to a state of twenty-first-century self-reliance.**Julie Klam was raised as the only daughter of a Jewish family in the exclusive WASP stronghold of Bedford, New York. Her mother was sharp, glamo...

Becoming a Mensch is a "user's guide" to becoming a better person, taking readers through a process of personal growth by means of modern-day vignettes that draw upon the Talmud's ancient wisdom. By examining character traits such as "kindness and compassion," "self-mastery and self discipline," and "humility and flexibility," readers of any or no faith learn what it takes to become a "mensch" -- a decent and honorable human being. Readers are introduced to the greatest sages of t...