SHULA JACOBS,
NEW and BRILLIANT Upload!Originally published in JJSO 29:2 (1987), pp. 138-40. Harvey E. Goldberg, ed., Judaism Viewed from Within and from Without: Anthropological Studies (SUNY Series in Anthropology and Judaic Studies, Walter P. Zenner, ed.). x + 352 pp., State ... Continue Reading ➨
Jonathan Sacks (ed.), ‘Tradition and Transition: Essays Presented to Chief Rabbi Sir Immanuel Jakobovits to celebrate twenty years in office’
Originally published in JJSO 29:1 (1987), pp. 69-71. Jonathan Sacks, ed., Tradition and Transition: Essays Presented to Chief Rabbi Sir Immanuel Jakobovits to celebrate twenty years in office; English section, 324 pp.; Hebrew section, lv pp.; ... Continue Reading ➨
Nahum M. Sarna, ‘Exploring Exodus’
Originally published in JJSO 29:1 (1987), pp. 68-9. Nahum M. Sarna, Exploring Exodus, xii +277 pp., Schocken, New York, 1986, $17.95. Following the very helpful and hugely successful guide to the first book of the Bible, Understanding Genesis, ... Continue Reading ➨
Abraham Halkin & David Hartman, ‘Crisis and Leadership: Epistles of Maimonides’
Originally published in JJSO 28:2 (1986), pp. 154-7. Abraham Halkin and David Hartman, Crisis and Leadership: Epistles of Maimonides, x + 292 pp., The Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia, 1985, $15.95. The three famous Epistles ... Continue Reading ➨
Saul Bernstein, ‘The Renaissance of the Torah Jew’
Originally published in JJSO 28:2 (1986), pp. 149-50. Saul Bernstein, The Renaissance of the Torah Jew, xiv + 412 pp., Ktav, New York, 1985,$20.00. One of the most remarkable phenomena of the post-war years in world Jewry is the growth of ... Continue Reading ➨
Reuven P. Bulka (ed.), ‘Dimensions of Orthodox Judaism’
Originally published in JJSO 26:1 (1984), pp. 65-6. Reuven P. Bulka, ed., Dimensions of Orthodox Judaism, xvii + 471 pp., Ktav Publishing House, New York, 1983, $25.00. For the information of the potential reader of this fascinating collection ... Continue Reading ➨
Chaim Raphael, ‘The Springs of Jewish Life’
Originally published in JJSO 25:1 (1983), pp. 68-9. Chaim Raphael, The Springs of Jewish Life, v + 288 pp., Basic Books, New York, 1982, $16.50. When David Hume asked a man, who was reading philosophy for the first time, how he was getting on ... Continue Reading ➨
Gerald Blidstein, ‘Honor Thy Father and Mother: Filial Responsibility in Jewish Law and Ethics’
Originally published in JJSO 18:1 (1976), pp. 67-8. Gerald Blidstein, Honor Thy Father and Mother: Filial Responsibility in Jewish Law and Ethics, Library of Jewish Law and Ethics, edited by Norman Lamm, xiv + 234 pp., Ktav Publishing House, New ... Continue Reading ➨
Symbols for the Divine in the Kabbalah
FOREWORD The ‘Friends of Dr. Williams’s Library’ was founded in November 1946, and inaugurated a series of lectures, of which this is the thirty-eighth, to promote interest in, and support for, the Library. This lecture was delivered on 9 October ... Continue Reading ➨
Acceptable to Atheists
Originally published in Manna (London) 29 (1990) as a response to another article. Precisely because this is a courageous and honest theological statement, whatever weakness is evident to some of its readers, it deserves to be noted. Maybe I am ... Continue Reading ➨
Ze’ev Falk & Aaron Kirschenbaum (eds.), ‘Dine Israel: An Annual of Jewish Law and Israel’s Family Law’, Vol. VII
Originally published in the Journal of Jewish Studies 30:2 (1979), pp. 253-4. Ze’ev Falk and Aaron Kirschenbaum (eds.), Dine Israel: An Annual of Jewish Law and Israel’s Family Law, Vol. VII. Tel Aviv University, Faculty of Law, Tel Aviv, 1976. ... Continue Reading ➨
Benzion C. Kaganoff, ‘A Dictionary of Jewish Names and their History’
Originally published in the Journal of Jewish Studies 31:2 (1980), p. 271. Benzion C. Kaganoff, A Dictionary of Jewish Names and their History, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1978. xiii, 250pp. £5.95. Rabbi Kaganoff, in his introduction to ... Continue Reading ➨
Robert Gordis, ‘Love and Sex: A Modern Jewish Perspective’
Originally published in the Journal of Jewish Studies 31:2 (1980), pp. 270-1. Robert Gordis, Love and Sex, A Modern Jewish Perspective, Farrar Strauss Giroux, New York, 1978. xii, 290 pp. $8.95. Professor Gordis faces courageously the challenge ... Continue Reading ➨
Bernard S. Jackson (ed.), ‘The Jewish Law Annual’, Vol. II
Originally published in the Journal of Jewish Studies 31:2 (1980), p. 270. Bernard S. Jackson (ed.), The Jewish Law Annual, Volume II, Brill, Leiden, 1979. ix, 270 pp. Fl. 84. The second volume of The Jewish Law Annual has the same format as ... Continue Reading ➨
Elijah J. Schochet, ‘“Taz” Rabbi David Halevi’
Originally published in the Journal of Jewish Studies 30:1 (1979), pp. 137-8. Elijah J. Schochet, “Taz” Rabbi David Halevi, New York. Ktav, 1979. 79 pages. Every student of Shulhan ‘Arukh, Yoreh De’ah, has been obliged to immerse himself in the ... Continue Reading ➨
Menahem Elon (ed.), ‘Shenaton ha-Mishpat ha-‘Ivri’
Originally published in the Journal of Jewish Studies 30:1 (1979), p. 137. Menahem Elon (ed.), Shenaton ha-Mishpat ha-‘Ivri, Vol. V. Jerusalem, The Hebrew University, Institute for Research in Jewish Law, No. 9. 1978. 406 pages. This volume ... Continue Reading ➨
Max Kadushin, ‘A Conceptual Approach to the Mekilta’
Originally published in Conservative Judaism 21:1 (1969), pp. 93-4. A Conceptual Approach to the Mekilta, by Max Kadushin, New York: Jonathan David Publishers, 1969, 298 pp.; Lauterbach’s edition and translation of the Mekilta De-Rabbi Ishmael, ... Continue Reading ➨
Abraham J. Heschel, ‘Torah min hashamayim’
Originally published in Conservative Judaism 18:2 (1964), pp. 59-61. Torah Min Hashamayim B’aspaklariah Shel Hadorot, (Theology of Ancient Judaism), by Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Soncino Press, London and New York, Vol. I, 1962, 297 pp., plus ... Continue Reading ➨
The Faces of Louis Jacobs, as Reflected through the Mirrors of his Writings
Dear Friends, We’ve had quite a few additions to the website over the past month, as some of you will have noticed. As an editor, I get to discover new pieces written by Rabbi Louis Jacobs nearly on a daily basis. And each time, it’s a new facet ... Continue Reading ➨
Eugene B. Borowitz, ‘A New Jewish Theology in the Making’ & ‘How can a Jew Speak of Faith Today?’
Originally published in Commentary Magazine 48:5 (1 November 1969), pp. 89-91. Liberal Beliefs A New Jewish Theology in the Making. by Eugene B. Borowitz. Westminster Press. 224 pp. $6.50. How can a Jew Speak of Faith Today? by Eugene B. ... Continue Reading ➨