SHULA JACOBS,
NEW and BRILLIANT Upload!Originally published in A.J.A. Quarterly, 4:2 (1958), pp. 37-8. Modern Prophet Martin Buber. By Arthur Cohen. Bowes and Bowes. 10s. 6d. It is no use pretending that Buber makes for easy reading (is the fault due to his Germanic style or is it ... Continue Reading ➨
C.S. Lewis, ‘Reflections on the Psalms’
Originally published in A.J.A. Quarterly, 5:1 (1959), pp. 38-9. DISSONANCE Reflections on the Psalms. By C. S. Lewis. Geoffrey Bles. 12s. 6d. There are fine things in this book, the chapter on praising God, for instance—“I think we delight to ... Continue Reading ➨
The God of His Fathers: Herman Wouk’s Judaism
Originally published in A.J.A. Quarterly, 6:1 (1960), pp. 18-20. The God of his Fathers HERMAN WOUK’S JUDAISM Louis Jacobs In this celebrated book[1] Herman Wouk says “Yes” to the God of his fathers; it can be described as a “‘Ken’ Mutiny” ... Continue Reading ➨
Ignaz Maybaum, ‘Jewish Existence’
Originally published in A.J.A. Quarterly, 7:1 (1961), pp. 34-5. CREATIVITY Jewish Existence. By Ignaz Maybaum. Vallentine, Mitchell. 21s. Dr. Maybaum’s essay on the distinctive character of Jewish existence contains many original ideas. Of ... Continue Reading ➨
Freud and Judaism
Originally published in A.J.A. Quarterly, 2:2 (1956), pp. 7-13. Most people know of the Freudian attack on religious belief. In his Totem and Taboo (1913), The Future f an Illusion (1928), and Moses and Monotheism (1939), Freud claims that ... Continue Reading ➨
Martin Buber, ‘Tales of the Hasidim: the early masters’
Originally published in A.J.A. Quarterly, 2:1 (1956), pp. 48-9. Buber-Maasehs Tales of the Hasidim: The Early Masters, by Martin Buber. Thames and Hudson. 18s. It is said that soon after Martin Buber’s arrival in Palestine he was complimented on ... Continue Reading ➨
Seest thou a man diligent in his occupation!
Dear Friends, I’ll start my regular update with a highly symbolic figure: 22. What is the significance of this number? Or, in more familiar terms, who knows 22? The answer is very simple. Some of you might recall the blogpost I sent in March last ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Their Heads in Heaven’ by Elliot Cosgrove
Originally published in The Journal of Religion, 87:1 (2007), pp. 138-40. JACOBS, Louis. Their Heads in Heaven: Unfamiliar Aspects of Hasidism. London: Vallentine Mitchell, 2005. x + 190 pp. $28.95 (paper). This volume is one of several recent ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Structure and Form in the Babylonian Talmud’ by Robert Goldenberg
Originally published in AJS Review, 20:1 (1995), pp. 186-8. Louis Jacobs. Structure and Form in the Babylonian Talmud. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. xii, 138 pp. This book presents the basic claim that the Babylonian Talmud as a ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Theology in the Responsa’ by Bernard S. Jackson
Originally published in Religious Studies, 13:4 (1977), pp. 511-14. Louis Jacobs, Theology in the Responsa. The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization. (London and Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1975). Pp. xi + 378. £6.00. The Jewish ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Tree of Life’ by David Pearl
Originally published in The Cambridge Law Journal, 44:3 (1985), pp. 509-10. A Tree of Life. Diversity, Flexibility and Creativity in Jewish Law. By Louis Jacobs. [Oxford: Oxford University Press for The Littman Library. 1984. 248, (Appendices and ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Theology in the Responsa’ by Jakob J. Petuchowski
Originally published in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 44:4 (1976), p. 742. Theology in the Responsa. By Louis Jacobs. London, Routledge & Kegan Paul (The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization), 1975. xi + 378 pages. $18.75. ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Hasidic Prayer’ by Alan L. Berger
Originally published in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 42:1 (1974), pp. 142, 144-6. Hasidic Prayer. By LOUIS JACOBS. New York: Schocken Books, 1973. 195 pages. $8.95 hb. L.C. No. 72-86765. Louis Jacobs’ Hasidic Prayer is the ... Continue Reading ➨
Charting the Map of Jewish Theology – A Review by Jacob B. Agus
Originally published in The Jewish Quarterly Review, 67:2/3 (1976/7), pp. 168-71. CHARTING THE MAP OF JEWISH THEOLOGY Jacobs, Louis, A Jewish Theology. New York: Behrman House Inc., 1973. Pp. 342 $12.50. This is a stimulating work, written by an ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Tree of Life’ by David Novak
Originally published in the Journal of Religion, 66:2 (1986), pp. 210-12. Jacobs, Louis. A Tree of Life: Diversity, Flexibility, and Creativity in Jewish Law. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984. 310 pp. $24.95 (cloth). Louis Jacobs is ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Tree of Life’ by Catherine Hezser
Originally published in the Journal of Law and Religion, 17:1/2 (2002), pp. 133-5. A Tree of Life. Diversity, Flexibility, and Creativity in Jewish Law. By Louis Jacobs. London: The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization 2000. Pp. xxxii, 311. ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Theology in the Responsa’ by Solomon B. Freehof
Originally published in European Judaism: A Journal for the New Europe, 10:1 (Winter 1975/6), pp. 49-50. Theology in the Responsa. Louis Jacobs. The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London and Boston, 1975. ... Continue Reading ➨
‘New Articles of Faith’ – A Review of ‘Principles of the Jewish Faith’ by Norman Bentwich
Originally published in The Times Literary Supplement 3279 (1964), p. 1185. NEW ARTICLES OF FAITH Louis Jacobs: Principles of the Jewish Faith. An Analytical Study. 473 pp. Vallentine. Mitchell. £3 3s. Dr. Louis Jacobs has during the past ... Continue Reading ➨
‘Orthodox, with reservations’ – A Review of ‘A Jewish Theology’ by Geza Vermes
Originally published in The Times Literary Supplement 3789 (1974), p. 1169. LOUS JACOBS: A Jewish Theology. 342pp. Darton, Longman and Todd. £4.75. Jews traditionally expound their beliefs in the form of interpretation. They furnish the Bible ... Continue Reading ➨
‘Panentheist’ – A Review of ‘Seeker of Unity’ by Harold Henry Rowley
Originally published in The Times Literary Supplement 3388 (1967), p. 94. Louis Jacobs: Seeker of Unity. 168pp. Vallentine, Mitchell. 25s. Rabbi Louis Jacobs combines erudition with an industrious pen, and in a rapidly growing stream of ... Continue Reading ➨