How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household

by Blu Greenberg

How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household is a modern, comprehensive guide covering virtually every aspect of Jewish home life. It provides practical advice on how to manage a Jewish home in the traditional way and offers fascinating accounts of the history behind the tradition. In a warm, personal style, Blu Greenberg shows that, contrary to popular belief, the home, and not the synagogue, is the most important institution in Jewish life.

Divided into three large sections—"The Jewish Way," "Special Stages of Life," and "Celebration and Remembering"—this book educates the uninitiated and reminds the already observant Jew of how Judaism approaches daily life. Topics include prayer, dress, holidays, food preparation, marriage, birth, death, parenthood, and many others.

This description of the modern-yet-traditional Jewish household will earn special regard among the many American Jews who are re-exploring their ties to Jewish tradition. Such Jews will find this book a flexible guide that provides a knowledge of the requirements of traditional Judaism without advocating immediate and complete compliance.

How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household will also appeal to observant Jews, providing them with helpful tips on how to manage their homes and special insights into the most minute details and procedures in a traditional household.

Herself a traditional Jew, Blu Greenberg is nevertheless quite sympathetic to feminist views on the role of women in Jewish observance. How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household therefore speaks intimately to women who are struggling to reconcile their identities as modern women with their commitments to traditional Judaism.

Genres: Judaism, Jewish, Religion, Nonfiction, Judaica, Spirituality, Reference

526 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 1983

Reviews

[Marit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greenberg's book is written from the perspective of a Modern Orthodox housewife, a unique viewpoint even among practicing Jews. However, her humor, use of personal anecdotes and flexible viewpoints make this book accessible to any person, Jewish or not, practicing or not, Orthodox or not. This book is lengthy because she goes into great detail about Jewish day-to-day life and what it means to live as a Traditional Jew and all the rituals, practices, traditions, etc. that demands. She does not go into much philosophical or religious discussion per se, only as much as is needed to explain the history or meaning behind a certain practice. I found it especially captivating when Greenberg would muse about how the current tradition is changing in her lifetime and will continue to do so (especially with regards to women's roles in Orthodox households). I highly recommend this accessible and informative book.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truthfully, in spite of all the parts of this book I just don't agree with (namely: she's a bit heavy handed with lumping Conservative/Reform/Reconstructionist together, she calls herself a feminist but doesn't show it in her writing except in passive agressive comments here and there, the book is written really to a specific crowd of financially well off East Coast Orthodox Jews), this is in my opinion the best and most accessible 'how-to' book that I've read to date. Greenberg's personal perspective and painstaking description of not only how but also why, coupled with not just how to but how it FEELS to, etc make this one unique. A lot has changed since this book was written, politically and socially. I'd love to see an updated version, but in the mean time, this is one I would recommend (although possibly not to a first time enquirer, more to someone who likes reading things along these lines, as I do.)

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a Presbyterian minister of quarter-Jewish descent with, obviously, a strong interest in Judaism.

I'm far from a specialist, so I don't have much to add to the conversation here other than my personal impressions. On the positive side, this book is a good read, highly accessible. It gives a very clear and beautiful window into the Greenbergs' household practices of Judaism. You can almost taste the food, see the candles, etc.

But, as some others have noted, having read similar Orthodox sources, I get the strong sense that Greenberg is not representaive of most in that wing of Judaism. She is clearly not only Modern Orthodox, but represents the left-wing of that progressive half of Orthodoxy. She is a strong feminist, for example. And she is also probably not as knowledgable as some rabbinic authors. Also, this is a little dated now, having been written in the 1980s.

For a more traditional guide to Orthodox practices and belief try some of the ArtScroll titles, like Rabbi Mord. Katz, Understanding Judaism.

[Chelsea Wegrzyniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Blu Greenberg is an incredible writer who clarifies the tiny everyday details of observant life that sometimes get left out by other authors, leaving those of us without a religious upbringing missing important aspects of daily observance. This is by far the most detailed book regarding household observance; I unfortunately think that the promotion of books authored by men tends to crowd out fantastic female scholarship such as this. Greenberg perfectly balances the emotional and personal with the practical, creating a useful, enjoyable and engaging book. Anyone interested in taking on more observance or just learning about traditional Jewish household life ought to have this in their collection.

[Kristin Youngberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this years ago for a college class and I still remember how insightful she was on her thoughts on the Sabbath.

[Siobhán · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book on Yom Kippur because it seemed the best time to do it, and I do highly recommend that.

While the edition I had is from the late 80s and I would definitely like to see it updated as some parts of changed way more than others (I'm not sure if there's a newer one), it was on the whole a fine enough book to read. Some parts I skimmed as they don't apply to me now or I'd never remember all the intricacies of preparing for these holidays by the time they roll about or I simply don't feel an attachment to that item, but I actually found I enjoyed the author's personal narratives interspersed throughout. It felt as if Blu Greenberg was there in the room and we were having a discussion, as when lovely Orthodox Jewish women would explain things to us on Shabbos in college.

So while there's parts that don't apply to me or are too traditional for me to be sure I could integrate them meaningfully into my life, if you've an afternoon to kill, this is fast despite it's size. Plus the recipes at the end do look good.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have certain differences in hashkafa with Mrs. Greenberg, such as whether or not it's permissible for an Orthodox Jew to eat in a non-kosher establishment. She ignores the issue of morris ayan (that someone who's seeing a visibly Orthodox Jew, such as a woman with a sheitel or other "Jewish type" haircovering may think that the restaurant is kosher, and eat there. Besides which, in her neighborhood of Riverdale there are plenty of kosher establishments. There are certain heterim when one is out of town or traveling, but those were not mentioned.

However, all in all, it's a fairly well-written book, as long as one realizes that it is coming from a left wing part of Orthodoxy. My personal favorite was her description of a little boy describing his tzitis as "the strings that attach me to Hashem".

For those of you reading this who don't understand some of the above terminology, Google will help you out, as will Aish.com.

[Melissa Yael Winston · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, dense with information. The problem is, you can never really tell who Greenberg considered her audience to be. On the one hand, her references to holidays, rituals and bits of Hebrew are oblique enough that one must guess she intends her book to be a how-to for the most Observant of Jews, ones who know off hand how much time passes between Pesach and Shavuot and the importance of abstaining from sex when a woman is considered "niddah." On the other hand, many of her tips seemed geared toward new converts to Orthodox Judaism or even those who are simply curious about how the Torah applies to modern life. Her advice is aimed toward those who have not spent their lives absorbed in traditional Jewish culture, but the religion and culture she offers as context are likely to be understood only by those who have.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not Jewish, and even though this book is specifically geared towards Jewish households, it still strengthened my own faith as well as helped me find ways to deepen my level of commitment to living my faith within the walls of my own home. As a Christian (Latter-day Saint), I feel a special kinship and bond with the Jewish people, and Greenberg's descriptions of several of their holidays and other practices helped me understand the history and meaning behind several of our own LDS traditions. A bit long, and some sections are obviously less applicable than others, but this book certainly has a large portion with reading (unless, obviously, you're Jewish, then this would probably be a 4 or 5 star book).

[Samira · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the end, I ended up deciding that this book really serves the purpose of a reference book more than it is anything else. It is engagingly written and a good source for modern takes on traditional practice, though far more traditional than I, personally, have any desire to be.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to be very impressed with this book, and find myself coming back to it almost daily since buying it a month ago.
It is a wonderful reference tool, and I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in how an Orthodox household is run.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a religions class I took at BYU (religion in the home). I loved how this author was able to describe and explain how a jewish home is run in an entertaining and, at time, humorous way. I really enjoyed reading it for the class.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blu Greenberg has a really entertaining writing style, and it's a great book to learn about how Orthodox Jewish families live. Loved it!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive guide for any Bal Tsuvah or Convert to Judaism. Mrs. Greenberg's guide is easy to read, understand, and enjoy.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible resource on Jewish life. My Orthodox Jewish neighbor in London was amazed by it. She said it was very accurate.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Read!!! It made it tired, but appreciative. I learned so many interesting things.

[Chaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Andie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way that she writes this book. It's almost like she is talking to you, instead of writing a book. Very interesting information as well.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insight into Orthodox Jewish practice.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming from a non-jewish household, this book was very insightful about the daily and holiday workings of a Modern Orthodox Jewish life. The book brought up many discussions around the dinner table.

[Craig Bolton]

How To Run A Traditional Jewish Household by Blu Greenberg (1985)

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book three times and each time I find more little tidbits that I can apply to my life and find meaningful. I suggest this book to anyone thinking about becoming more religious.

[Kristy Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference book.

[Bruce]

Step one: find a nice Jewish doctah...

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

For an intrigued non-Jew in search of an educational it was, indeed, educational.

[Lily]

Love this book. As soon as I get my books back from storage, this will go on my bedside shelf as it is good to dip into.

[Bronte Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to my by a friend and mentor for my birthday last year. In this book Blu Greenberg has written a how-to guide for traditional Judaism that I found very informative.

There were lots of bits of this book that I already knew but I appreciated the author being detailed with advice for preparation for Shabbat and Chagim. Even if I didn't always agree with some of the philosophies/ views on Judaism presented in the book I still thought it was valuable as a practical guide to ritual and tradition.

I also appreciated the author's attempts to reconcile Judaism and Feminism which was not done to a particularly in-depth level and was also a little hand wavy "later generations will sort this out." However, as this is a book about "traditional Judaism" and was written in the 80's it made more of an attempt than I was expected it to.

It also obviously wasn't the most up to date and I think the observance of/ preparation for Shabbat in particular has changed dramatically with the rise of technology but it does the basics well and I'm not going to fault it for lacking some information that is simply a product of the time period it was written in.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found a copy of this book signed by the author to my grandmother while cleaning out the family cottage, so perhaps there's some sentimentality to this (okay - there is), but I LOVED this book. I so enjoyed Blu's voice, the autobiographical details that make the book come to life, the way she walks her line between traditional and progressive values, the detail she goes into regarding practice, meaning, and how it feels to live a Modern Orthodox life.

I had a fairly solid Jewish education growing up but this book provided such depth and detail about history, ritual, and how it all ties together; I made so many connections and learned so much. While I don't feel that the full Modern Orthodox lifestyle is right for me personally, I am so grateful to Blu for writing this book and providing a window into, and how-to guide about, what a more observant life could look like (or at least, did in the 1980s).

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully conversational, thorough, and at times even poetic. Highly recommended! My only issue is that there were SO many typos. It honestly seemed like Greenberg had half-written many sections, intending to go back, but then had forgotten about it and sent it off to the publishers who didn't bother editing it.

[Channon Coats · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Live a Loving Life

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Sometimes you can't see what is right in front of you without a key. Thank you for providing the key so generously and well.