Judaism: History, Belief and Practice

by Dan Cohn-Sherbok

This newly revised all-encompassing textbook is a guide to the history, beliefs and practice of Judaism. Beginning with the ancient Near Eastern background, it covers early Israelite history, the emergence of classical rabbinic literature and the rise of medieval Judaism in Islamic and Christian lands. It also includes the early modern period and the development of Jewry in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Extracts from primary sources are used throughout to enliven the narrative and provide concrete examples of the rich variety of Jewish civilization.

Specially designed to assist learning,



• Introduces texts and commentaries, including the Hebrew Bible, rabbinic texts, mystical literature, Jewish philosophy and Jewish theology

• Provides the skills necessary to understand these step-by-step with the help of a companion website

• Explains how to interpret the major events in nearly four thousand years of Jewish history

• Supports study with discussion questions on the central historical and religious issues, and includes key reading for each chapter, an extensive glossary and index

• Illustrates the development of Judaism, its concepts, observances and culture, with maps, photos, paintings and engravings

• Links each chapter to a free companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/cohnsherbok which provides things to think about, things to do and tips for teachers as well as other online resources

Genres: Religion, Judaism, History, Nonfiction

630 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 8, 2003

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

[Joshua]

didnt read the whole thing-- just the section on history. not really what i was looking for but it wasnt bad

[Salma Faiz Usmani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed and informative. Ideal for a first time reader on Judaism.

[Graham Cammock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece! Vast and comprehensive, for anyone looking for an authoritative text on (or introduction to) Judaism, this book is it. It comprehensively takes you through the history of Judaism, from the beginnings of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent in about 7000 BC, through the patriarchs of Abraham, Issac, Jacob and Joseph, Moses and the exodus, King David, Solomon, the Assyrian conquest of Israel, the Babylonian conquest of Judea, the destruction of Solomans temple, Cyrus and the return from exile, Ezekiel, Rabbanic Judaism, the Mishnah, the Talmuds, the rebellion against Rome and the destruction of the second temple, mystical Judaism, right up to modern times with reform, orthodox and humanist Judaism. The history comprises about 60% of the book. The next section explores Jewish belief in depth, the unity of God etc, and the the final section equally considers Jewish practice, with a nice look at the Jewish calendar, and also how the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah are kept. A masterpiece and a thoroughly interesting read!