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Socrates and the Jews: Hellenism and Hebraism from Moses Mendelssohn to Sigmund Freud
By Miriam Leonard. 2012
"What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" Asked by the early Christian Tertullian, the question was vigorously debated in the…
nineteenth century. While classics dominated the intellectual life of Europe, Christianity still prevailed and conflicts raged between the religious and the secular. Taking on the question of how the glories of the classical world could be reconciled with the Bible, Socrates and the Jews explains how Judaism played a vital role in defining modern philhellenism. Exploring the tension between Hebraism and Hellenism, Miriam Leonard gracefully probes the philosophical tradition behind the development of classical philology and considers how the conflict became a preoccupation for the leading thinkers of modernity, including Matthew Arnold, Moses Mendelssohn, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud. For each, she shows how the contrast between classical and biblical traditions is central to writings about rationalism, political subjectivity, and progress. Illustrating how the encounter between Athens and Jerusalem became a lightning rod for intellectual concerns, this book is a sophisticated addition to the history of ideas.Parables of Coercion: Conversion and Knowledge at the End of Islamic Spain
By Seth Kimmel. 2015
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, competing scholarly communities sought to define a Spain that was, at least officially, entirely…
Christian, even if many suspected that newer converts from Islam and Judaism were Christian in name only. Unlike previous books on conversion in early modern Spain, however, Parables of Coercion focuses not on the experience of the converts themselves, but rather on how questions surrounding conversion drove religious reform and scholarly innovation. In its careful examination of how Spanish authors transformed the history of scholarship through debate about forced religious conversion, Parables of Coercion makes us rethink what we mean by tolerance and intolerance, and shows that debates about forced conversion and assimilation were also disputes over the methods and practices that demarcated one scholarly discipline from another.The Genealogical Science: The Search for Jewish Origins and the Politics of Epistemology
By Abu El-Haj, Nadia. 2001
The Genealogical Science analyzes the scientific work and social implications of the flourishing field of genetic history. A biological discipline that…
relies on genetic data in order to reconstruct the geographic origins of contemporary populations--their histories of migration and genealogical connections to other present-day groups--this historical science is garnering ever more credibility and social reach, in large part due to a growing industry in ancestry testing. In this book, Nadia Abu El-Haj examines genetic history's working assumptions about culture and nature, identity and biology, and the individual and the collective. Through the example of the study of Jewish origins, she explores novel cultural and political practices that are emerging as genetic history's claims and "facts" circulate in the public domain and illustrates how this historical science is intrinsically entangled with cultural imaginations and political commitments. Chronicling late-nineteenth- to mid-twentieth-century understandings of race, nature, and culture, she identifies continuities and shifts in scientific claims, institutional contexts, and political worlds in order to show how the meanings of biological difference have changed over time. In so doing she gives an account of how and why it is that genetic history is so socially felicitous today and elucidates the range of understandings of the self, individual and collective, this scientific field is making possible. More specifically, through her focus on the history of projects of Jewish self-fashioning that have taken place on the terrain of the biological sciences, The Genealogical Science analyzes genetic history as the latest iteration of a cultural and political practice now over a century old.Neighboring Faiths: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the Middle Ages and Today
By David Nirenberg. 2014
Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are usually treated as autonomous religions, but in fact across the long course of their histories…
the three religions have developed in interaction with one another. In Neighboring Faiths, David Nirenberg examines how Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived with and thought about each other during the Middle Ages and what the medieval past can tell us about how they do so today. There have been countless scripture-based studies of the three "religions of the book,” but Nirenberg goes beyond those to pay close attention to how the three religious neighbors loved, tolerated, massacred, and expelled each other--all in the name of God--in periods and places both long ago and far away. Nirenberg argues that the three religions need to be studied in terms of how each affected the development of the others over time, their proximity of religious and philosophical thought as well as their overlapping geographies, and how the three "neighbors” define--and continue to define--themselves and their place in terms of one another. From dangerous attractions leading to interfaith marria≥ to interreligious conflicts leading to segregation, violence, and sometimes extermination; to strategies for bridging the interfaith gap through language, vocabulary, and poetry, Nirenberg aims to understand the intertwined past of the three faiths as a way for their heirs to produce the future--together.Hasidism
By Martin Buber. 1948
Famous Zionist philosopher Martin Buber introduces the Western audience in his modern masterpiece. This book is a result of forty…
years of study, and Buber interprets the ideas and motives that underlie the great Jewish religious movement of Hasidism and its creator, Baal-Shem. Buber's interpretation of Hasidic stories and teachings influenced the revival of it's practices in a new generation to turn to Hasidic teachings, and his collection Hasidism continues to affect Jewish scholarship worldwide. With his lasting work in both Hasidism and Zionism, Buber imagined a renewal in the Jewish faith, and his philosophies and idealisms enrich the pages of this book, making it a must-read for any Jewish or religious scholar.The Coming of Lilith
By Judith Plaskow, Donna Berman. 2005
This first collection of Judith Plaskow's essays and short writings traces her scholarly and personal journey from her early days…
as a graduate student through her pioneering contributions to both feminist theology and Jewish feminism to her recent work in sexual ethics.Accessibly organized into four sections, the collection begins with several of Plaskow's foundational essays on feminist theology, including one previously unavailable in English. Section II addresses her nuanced understanding of oppression and includes her important work on anti-Judaism in Christian feminism. Section III contains a variety of short and highly readable pieces that make clear Plaskow's central role in the creation of Jewish feminism, including the essential "Beyond Egalitarianism." Finally, section IV presents her writings on the significance of sexual ethics to the larger project of transforming Judaism.Intelligently edited with the help of Rabbi Donna Berman, and including pieces never before published, The Coming of Lilith is indispensable for religious studies students, fans of Plaskow's work, and those pursuing a Jewish education.Hitler's First Victims
By Timothy W. Ryback. 2014
The remarkable story of Josef Hartinger, the German prosecutor who risked everything to bring to justice the first killers of…
the Holocaust and whose efforts would play a key role in the Nuremberg tribunal. Before Germany was engulfed by Nazi dictatorship, it was a constitutional republic. And just before Dachau Concentration Camp became a site of Nazi genocide, it was a state detention center for political prisoners, subject to police authority and due process. The camp began its irrevocable transformation from one to the other following the execution of four Jewish detainees in the spring of 1933. Timothy W. Ryback's gripping and poignant historical narrative focuses on those first victims of the Holocaust and the investigation that followed, as Hartinger sought to expose these earliest cases of state-condoned atrocity. In documenting the circumstances surrounding these first murders and Hartinger's unrelenting pursuit of the SS perpetrators, Ryback indelibly evokes a society on the brink--one in which civil liberties are sacrificed to national security, in which citizens increasingly turn a blind eye to injustice, in which the bedrock of judicial accountability chillingly dissolves into the martial caprice of the Third Reich. We see Hartinger, holding on to his unassailable sense of justice, doggedly resisting the rising dominance of Nazism. His efforts were only a temporary roadblock to the Nazis, but Ryback makes clear that Hartinger struck a lasting blow for justice. The forensic evidence and testimony gathered by Hartinger provided crucial evidence in the postwar trials. Hitler's First Victims exposes the chaos and fragility of the Nazis' early grip on power and dramatically suggests how different history could have been had other Germans followed Hartinger's example of personal courage in that time of collective human failure.From the Hardcover edition.How to Improve Your Mind
By Dagobert D. Runes, Baruch Spinoza. 1956
How to Improve Your Mind is an engaging philosophical text by master Enlightenment thinker Baruch Spinoza. Dr. Dagobert D. Runes,…
the founder of Philosophical Library, and Albert Einstein were close friends and colleagues who regarded Spinoza as the greatest of modern philosophers. This edition includes exclusive commentary and biographical notes written by Dagobert D. Runes.The Responsive Self
By Susan Niditch. 2015
Works created in the period from the Babylonian conquest of Judea through the takeover and rule of Judea and Samaria…
by imperial Persia reveal a profound interest in the religious responses of individuals and an intimate engagement with the nature of personal experience. Using the rich and varied body of literature preserved in the Hebrew Bible, Susan Niditch examines ways in which followers of Yahweh, participating in long-standing traditions, are shown to privatize and personalize religion. Their experiences remain relevant to many of the questions we still ask today: Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God hear me when I call out in trouble? How do I define myself? Do I have a personal relationship with a divine being? How do I cope with chaos and make sense of my experience? What roles do material objects and private practices play within my religious life? These questions deeply engaged the ancient writers of the Bible, and they continue to intrigue contemporary people who try to find meaning in life and to make sense of the world. The Responsive Self studies a variety of phenomena, including the use of first-person speech, seemingly autobiographic forms and orientations, the emphasis on individual responsibility for sin, interest in the emotional dimensions of biblical characters, and descriptions of self-imposed ritual. This set of interests lends itself to exciting approaches in the contemporary study of religion, including the concept of "lived religion," and involves understanding and describing what people actually do and believe in cultures of religion.Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit
By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins. 2012
In deference to its cure-all effects, chicken soup is warmly referred to as "Jewish penicillin. " It is not merely…
the delicious golden elixir itself, but, perhaps even more so, the love that is stirred into every potful that produces these miraculous results. Storytelling is a major component of Jewish tradition and this book honors that heritage with stories that celebrate the joys, sorrows, and challenges of being Jewish. Some stories are timely and others are timeless, yet all are filled with heart--and, of course, love. Discover the invincible power of love in the pages of this book---ove of family, love of tradition, love of God. For Jews and non-Jews alike, this collection is sure to capture hearts.Sarah's Passover (Cloverleaf Books holidays and special days)
By Lisa Bullard, Constanza Basaluzzo. 2012
Sarah is excited to celebrate Passover! She helps get the house ready. At the seder, the special Passover dinner, she…
asks The Four Questions. After dinner, the children hunt for the matzah that Grandpa has hidden. Find out how families celebrate this Jewish holiday -- a holiday of freedom. Grades K-3. 2012.Kabbalah
By Moshe Idel, Shahar Arzy. 2015
In this book, the world’s foremost scholar of Kabbalah explores the understanding of erotic love in Jewish mystical thought. Encompassing…
Jewish mystical literatures from those of late antiquity to works of Polish Hasidism, Moshe Idel highlights the diversity of Kabbalistic views on eros and distinguishes between the major forms of eroticism. The author traces the main developments of a religious formula that reflects the union between a masculine divine attribute and a feminine divine attribute, and he asks why such an "erotic formula” was incorporated into the Jewish prayer book. Idel shows how Kabbalistic literature was influenced not only by rabbinic literature but also by Greek thought that helped introduce a wider understanding of eros. Addressing topics ranging from cosmic eros and androgyneity to the affinity between C. J. Jung and Kabbalah to feminist thought, Idel’s deeply learned study will be of consuming interest to scholars of religion, Judaism, and feminism.The Hebrew Impact on Western Civilization
By Dagobert D. Runes. 1951
An eye-opening classic volume on the enduring cultural impact of the Jewish people This authoritative work considers the creative and…
cultural influence of the Jews throughout our time. At more than 800 pages, D. D. Runes has complied a mid-twentieth century account of the various contributions in many spheres in which the Jews have had an impact on western civilization. Eminent scholars consider the ways in which the Jews contributed toward the making of modern society and helped in raising human standards and values. Richard Van Dyck, in "The Jewish Influence on Journalism," observes that the preponderance of Jewish newspapermen disproves the commonly held belief that Jewish journalism is "necessarily subversive." William B. Ziff's "The Jew as Soldier, Strategist and Military Adviser" delineates the successes of Jewish military forces throughout history. Dr. Abraham I. Katsh discusses "The Hebraic Foundations of American Democracy," noting the influence of Hebrew Scriptures on standards of conduct in western civilization. Curtis Lubinski's "The Jew in Drama, Theatre, and Film" traces the success of Jewish performers and dramatists. The essays compiled in this volume are a fascinating and expansive look at the far-reaching impact Jews have had on Western life.Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul
By Jack Canfield, Mark Hansen, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins. 2012
In deference to its cure-all effects, chicken soup is warmly referred to as "Jewish penicillin." It is not merely the…
delicious golden elixir itself, but, perhaps even more so, the love that is stirred into every potful that produces these miraculous results. Storytelling is a major component of Jewish tradition and this book honors that heritage with stories that celebrate the joys, sorrows, and challenges of being Jewish. Some stories are timely and others are timeless, yet all are filled with heart--and, of course, love. Discover the invincible power of love in the pages of this book---ove of family, love of tradition, love of God. For Jews and non-Jews alike, this collection is sure to capture hearts.Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul
By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins. 2012
In deference to its cure-all effects, chicken soup is warmly referred to as "Jewish penicillin." It is not merely the…
delicious golden elixir itself, but, perhaps even more so, the love that is stirred into every potful that produces these miraculous results. Storytelling is a major component of Jewish tradition and this book honors that heritage with stories that celebrate the joys, sorrows, and challenges of being Jewish. Some stories are timely and others are timeless, yet all are filled with heart--and, of course, love. Discover the invincible power of love in the pages of this book---ove of family, love of tradition, love of God. For Jews and non-Jews alike, this collection is sure to capture hearts.The Holy Grail
By Rav Berg. 2012
The Holy Grail is a mystical legend that dates back before Christianity. It is often described as a cup, dish,…
or bowl made of earth or wood. Some references describe it as the vessel of the Last Supper. Believed to have mystical and magical influences, the Holy Grail is widely known as possessing the ability to endow infinite knowledge and power upon the person who has earned the right to discover it through spiritual work.Kabbalists explain the terms vessel and earth are code words that refer to humanity's desire and ability to draw the radiance of the Creator into this physical world. The Zohar, which means "splendor," is believed to contain the concealed Light of the Creator that has been saved for a meritorious generation to reveal it. The Zohar itself explains that our generation in the Age of Aquarius will be able to bring about the end of pain and suffering, but we will need the Light of the Zohar to banish the darkness and usher in a time of peace and goodwill for all.In 1922, when Rav Ashlag opened The Kabbalah Centre, the Zohar was only available to a select few people in the entire world, after centuries of being hidden away. When Rav Berg was handed The Centre's leadership in 1969, he risked everything to make this secret book available to anyone anywhere who had a desire to use it as a tool for spiritual transformation. Here in this unique short form, Rav Berg explains what the kabbalists have said for centuries-the Zohar is the Holy Grail. In clear modern language he explains how the Zohar can empower anyone, with an open mind and an open heart, who studies from its pages to leap from the world where we experience ups and downs, good and evil, to a parallel universe in which all is good.On the Wings of Shekhinah
By Rabbi Leah Novick. 2008
One effect of rising interest in the Kabbalah is a renewed focus on the Shekhinah, Judaism's divine feminine principle. Written…
with warmth and clarity, On the Wings of Shekhinah interweaves historical views of this concept with thoughtful quotes and guided meditations. Rabbi Leah Novick offers healing strategies for both Jews and non-Jews disaffected by rigid gender roles. Awareness of the Shekhinah's energy within and around us helps bring hope to a planet afflicted by war, violence, and environmental abuse -- this book shows how to find and use that energy.Women's Divination in Biblical Literature
By Esther J. Hamori. 2015
Divination, the use of special talents and techniques to gain divine knowledge, was practiced in many different forms in ancient…
Israel and throughout the ancient world. The Hebrew Bible reveals a variety of traditions of women associated with divination. This sensitive and incisive book by respected scholar Esther J. Hamori examines the wide scope of women's divinatory activities as portrayed in the Hebrew texts, offering readers a new appreciation of the surprising breadth of women's "arts of knowledge" in biblical times. Unlike earlier approaches to the subject that have viewed prophecy separately from other forms of divination, Hamori's study encompasses the full range of divinatory practices and the personages who performed them, from the female prophets and the medium of En-dor to the matriarch who interprets a birth omen and the "wise women" of Tekoa and Abel and more. In doing so, the author brings into clearer focus the complex, rich, and diverse world of ancient Israelite divination.Kabbalah and Ecology
By David Mevorach Seidenberg. 2015
Kabbalah and Ecology is a groundbreaking book that resets the conversation about ecology and the Abrahamic traditions. David Mevorach Seidenberg…
challenges the anthropocentric reading of the Torah, showing that a radically different orientation to the more-than-human world of nature is not only possible, but that such an orientation also leads to a more accurate interpretation of scripture, rabbinic texts, Maimonides and Kabbalah. Deeply grounded in traditional texts and fluent with the physical sciences, this book proposes not only a new understanding of God's image but also a new direction for restoring religion to its senses and to a more alive relationship with the more-than-human, both with nature and with divinity.The Everything Jewish History and Heritage Book
By Richard D Bank. 2003
Prepare yourself for an extraordinary adventure! In the following pages, you'll traverse a time continuum spanning more than 4,000 years…
as you learn about the history of the Jewish people. We'll begin in the area known as the Fertile Crescent, the cradle of civilization and the home of the early Hebrews. Then, we'll move forward in time and place to follow the footsteps of Abraham and descend with Jacob's clan into Egypt, emerging years later as a nation searching for freedom and the Promised Land. We will witness the founding of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, their destruction, the re-establishment of the Second Temple, and how it, too, was destroyed. The Everything Jewish History and Heritage Book brings together all the rich history that has united the Jewish people for centuries--for everyone to enjoy.