Understanding Judaism : Origins * Beliefs * Practices * Holy Texts * Sacred Places

by Carl S. Ehrlich

Judaism is one of the oldest and most influential of all faiths and it has been a profound formative influence on both Christianity and Islam. This text provides an introduction to this ancient religion.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Stephan Naro]

Something tells me that Ehrlich is a religious person. As such it is understandable that he'd want to point fingers at Darwin, rather than at other religious people.
"It will not do to say that the Nazis were anti-Christian. It won't even do to say the Jews died for racial reasons, not because of their religion. The Nazis were able to do their evil, destructive work because they were so good at playing on myths, the myths which lurk in people's minds. And this myth was that the Jews were the killers of Christ, the enemies of Christian civilisation. In that sense, Christianity is implicated fatally in the murder of the Jews.", Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, BBC, ep 6: God in the Dock.
"I am not saying that Christianity is to blame for the Holocaust. I am saying that if it had not been for Christianity, the history of the Jewish people would have been completely different. The hatred of the Jews that came down through the history of Western Europe and that led to the Holocaust originated in Christian circles.", Bart D. Ehrman, Jesus, Interrupted, pg 291.

[PolicemanPrawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know much about Judaism, but this book did a good job of informing me of the basic concepts. The book is easy to read and has nice pictures. Too many authors of these of type of books eschew telling us basic things, preferring instead to demonstrate how much bookwork they have done and how clever they are.

[Miguel Soto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curioseando en la Biblioteca Norte de la UAA encontré una colección de pequeños textos sobre algunas religiones mundiales. Entre estos, estaba este librito, que contiene una somera pero excelente introducción a las creencias básicas y prácticas fundamentales del judaísmo. Me pareció muy accesible la organización de los temas, aunque creo que podrían tratarse con mayor amplitud. Sin embargo, como introducción es un muy buen libro.

Pensé en continuar leyendo los siguientes libros sobre las demás religiones, pero tras una breve observación noté que todos se desprendían de un mismo libro más grande, por lo que preferí continuar con ese.

[Angel Serrano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sencillo resumen de las principales características de la fe hebrea, desde sus orígenes e historia a lanrelación entre sociedad y religión pasando por los aspectos de lo divino, textos sagrados, personas sagradas, principios éticos, espacios sagrados, tiempo sagrado, muerte y vida después de la muerte.

[Cindy Adams hussey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for an essay I was writing but found it very interesting. I enjoyed learning a little more about a religion I didn't know much about.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but basic