The First Jewish Catalog: A Do-It-Yourself Kit

by Richard Siegel (Editor), Michael Strassfeld (Editor), Sharon Strassfeld (Editor)

A true classic! When no one else can answer your questions on celebrations, ceremonies, customs, and rituals, The First Jewish Catalog can. 

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

324 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 1965

Reviews

[Oriyah N]

Still only in the beginnings of reading, but I feel like this is the Moosewood cookbook version of Judaism.

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining in a time-capsule sort of way, heartbreaking a bit that some things haven't changed that the authors noted needed changing even in the mid 1960s, and completely beyond wonderful that some of the things they couldn't yet fathom have changed, for the best. Great how-to on a lot of things new or recently observant Jews may not even know how to ask.

Pros: Accessible (though good luck on finding a copy these days, Amazon does have a few. E-bay is a good option, surprisingly) in that they cover a wide range of Jewish beliefs and levels/ways of observance.

Cons: A bit too hippie-woo for my general taste. At the same time, they already had the mystical paths they seem to be searching for built in and didn't take them. Classical Hasidism largely discounted, although some authors got mention.

Recommended, but to select crowd. Better for folks who already have read a bit of other material, as much is very outdated (still worth a read, just good for new folks to know we've grown).

[Shiloh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this (and the second and third catalogs) up from a book swap at my shul, and wow! I was seriously impressed by these books, which are so funny, so comprehensive, and such a time capsule of 1970s chevurahniks. So fascinating to see what has changed in the years since, with some of these once-very-progressive ideas being mainstreamed and others failing, unfortunately, to really catch on, or sometimes even seeming conservative/moderate now.

If you're interested at all in the chevurah movement, in neo-Hasidism or the Jewish Renewal movement, this will be really interesting for you. I loved all the tiny, hand-drawn cartoons in the margins, and the graphic design is just beautiful. This reminded me a lot of my time in grad school, going through old issues of Christopher Street -- we could use a revival of these community magazines, imo!

[Janice Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent instructional and informational book. Some resources are outdated. Overall, excellent.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oddball, exciting leftover hippie relic that was somehow haunting an unnnoticed, unloved bookshelf in my childhood home - mind you, my father wore a crew cut until the mid-70s, so I have no clue how it got there. Perfectly subversive for a little yeshiva boy in the '80s. I loved it.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my guide and inspiration the year (1976/77) I lived in the Westwood Bayit and experienced a chavurah (non-synagogue-based community) of Jewish students, then spent the following year in Israel for the first time.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this book! If you're new to Judaism, and can find it, get this one. You will refer to it again and again.

[Myla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure 70's nostalgia - the original hippy-Jew book - loved it way back when!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a goofball hippie book from the 70s with actually really great information in there. Great reference book.