This book has helped me understand the Jewish Faith as I never have. As a Christian, I wanted to know more about the Jewish religion. Jesus was Jewish and He kept the Jewish Law and customs. This book is easy to understand and very insightful.

This book has helped me understand the Jewish Faith as I never have. As a Christian, I wanted to know more about the Jewish religion. Jesus was Jewish and He kept the Jewish Law and customs. This book is easy to understand and very insightful.

I was raised by an Israeli, with a very strong Jewish background. Most of the book, I remembered from all those years in Hebrew school. However, reading and understanding the information with an adult's comprehension is much different. I found myself reading the different stories from the Hebrew Bible saying "oh yeah!" as I remembered learning the story as a child, but grasping a totally different meaning as an adult!

This book is an excellent source for people with an interest in Judiasm, either as a refresher or as a first-timer. Even my Catholic co-worker wants to borrow it to grasp a better understanding of Judaism (and, therefore, Christianity).

Perhaps the learned Christians should revisit the Judaic wisdom?
This book invites you to do so.
The author retraces and illustrace the multiple faces and facets of a great philosophical attitude toward life, social values and comparative societies.
Heavy subjects. But the author presented the core with clarity and an enchanting style.
Great book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Rabbi Telushkin's book: Jewish Literacy. I started the book off skipping around reading a few sections here and there on issues I was curious about. After a bit I just gave in and started from the beginning.
Rabbi Telushkin's style of writing is very comfortable to read and even the hard subjects go down easy.
Much of what I read in Jewish Literacy I knew already, but have broader understanding of now. What I didn't know before I'm glad I learned.

When I went on my Birthright Israel trip, I was like many young Jewish people and just didn't know all that much about my religion and it's history. So this is one of the two books I took with me. Now some of you may think me crazy, because it's a big book to lug all over the place. But if was the very best thing for me to have with me. It's well written, enjoyable to read, and easy to find any topic. And each topic is arranged into short chapters (often only a page or two), so you can read it on the bus as you go places or even the night before you go. It greatly helped my understanding of the things I saw and did in Israel.

Excellent read of the earlier section of the Old Testament, this book seeks to record and explain the breath of Jewish history form Adam to the present day. The earlier chapters on the Old Testament were excellent. Then the book discusses the early and late medieval periods. Followed by Jewish history in modern life. This book provides a good overview of the area without going into much detail. My only criticism of the book is that certain parts of history are terribly biased. Overall it was very good beginner's book.

This is such an enjoyable and educational book! It is full of wise stories and insights about the Bible and Jewish life that will profit everyone who reads it. The Rabbbi is a gifted writer and exteemly knowledgeable.
The book is devided into a page or two chapters that are easy and pleasant reading. Every page brings new information or a slant on things I had never considered.
There are Christians who avoid what they call the OT believing it has little to do with them. But, we are Judeo Chrisitans who are a branch of Judiasm and it is to our Abrahamic roots we owe the life of our faith. The more we know about Judiasm the more we know of Jesus and the faith he believed in and lived by.
Get this book, get an education and deepen your faith.

This book is intended for people, Jew or non Jew, to whet their appetite into the vast storehouse of Jewish history and all things that pertain to Jews in literature. I thought that it was (tob), good. The vastness of our history and literature is beyond reach in this life time. So, suffice to say, their exist certain fountains of knowledge such as this book that helps us mere mortals gain a foothold into our past. I want to say that this book could be used like, cliff notes, but that would trivialize the Rabbi's hard work. Nay, this book is needed and handy for a quick glance into Judaism past it is well written but like all surveys it makes you desire more.
It's a must have.
Shalom

In general, this was a good book. It is well-written, informative and intelligent. My only criticism is that the Rabbi's statements on Christianity and Islam were not always accurate of fair. (In fairness, these misinterpretations often come from the followers of the religions themselves.) If you keep these biases in mind this is a wonderful book.

This book is terrific. Absolutely terrific. Rabbi Telushkin is simply an incredible writer. This book should be read by everyone who is Jewish as well as by everyone who is interested in world religions.

I remember when I first started seeing God spelled G-d,never having a clue what the reason was-and bumbling my way to some type of mystical bs answer that pissed me off;I don't remember how long my "explanation" predated this book,but I was pissed off until I finally saw the real answer:(p.56-57)"The Third Commandment also has not fared well in English:Lo tissa et shem Ha-Shem Eloheikha la-shav is usually translated as "You shall not take the Lord your God's name in vain."Many people think that this means that you have to write God as G-D,or that it is blasphemous to say words such as "goddamn".Even if these assumptions are correct,it's still hard to figure out what makes this offense so heinous that it's included in the document that forbids murdering,stealing,idolatry,and adultery.However,the Hebrew,Lo tissa,literally means "You shall not carry(God's name in vain);in other words,don't use God as your justification in selfish causes.The Third Commandment is the only one concerning which God says,"for the Lord God will not forgive him who carries His name in vain"(Exodus 20:6-7).The reason now seems to be clear.When a person commits an evil act,he discredits himself.But when a religious person commits an evil act in the name of God,he or she discredits God as well.And since God relies on religious people to bring knowledge of Him into the world,he pronounces the sin unpardonable."Amen.

Before I express the criticism from my title I should begin by saying that this book is well written and very informative. It contains a lot of really interesting information about Judaism and were it not for the profound biases and ignorance of its author I might even rank it among one of the better books I have read recently.

In order to understand why I so thoroughly dislike this book it might actually help to briefly discuss another book that really has nothing to do with this one. A few years ago I read Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy - another good book with a very similar abysmal nature. My issue with Russell is his utter dismissal of any other view point from his own. Thus Nietzsche is dismissed after only a page. Schopenhauer is rendered inconsequential while fundamental thinkers such as Kirkegaard and Wittgenstein are ignored. Meanwhile trivial thinks such as Dewey are praised because they agree with Russell's own positions. So while the book is well written, the general sense of history and context is brilliant, unless you already know something about philosophy, and can escape the many pitfalls, Russell's text is one to be avoided. And if you do know something it ends up seeming somewhat pathetic.

I have pretty much the same critique of Jewish Literacy by Telushkin. Yes this is a well written book. Yes there is a lot that is good here. A reader who wants to know a little something about Judaism and is willing to consult it more like a dictionary than a reading it cover to cover (like I did) might get some value from owning this book. If you want to occasionally look up different holiday's or get some brief illumination regarding Torah passages or even know a little something more about thinkers like Maimonides or Rabbi Feinstein this is a good introductory source.

What you don't want to do is think of this as having any value when it comes to that can be in any way impartial. Telushkin is an Orthodox Rabbi, so I guess I can forgive some of his opinions in much the same way I can forgive say... Pat Robertson some of his ignorant and backwards positions simply by say well... he is a Southern Baptist he probably doesn't know better.

As an example upon finishing this I was shocked and dismayed to discover that I am an Anti-Semite. I admit to not being Jewish. I can't help that my father's father was Jewish but that is matrilineally irrelevant. But felt that my admiration of so many Jewish writers, thinkers, artists and friends that I actually took the time to well... anee m'daber ktzat eevreet. But it turns out that according to Telushkin that anybody who has even the smallest criticism of Israel is Anti-Zionist and because of this also an Anti-Semite struck me as well... unkind. Or said another way, if disapproving of Israeli missiles killing unarmed Lebanese civilians, or disliking the racist and apartheid policies directed against the Palestinian population makes me an Anti-Semite the so be it; I guess I am one.

Some of his positions such as the position that only Orthodox Jews are really Jews, while Reform Jews and Conservative Jews aren't, seem to be just part of the overall position of Orthodoxy and can probably be ignored in pretty much the same way that say Ann Coulter's position that Democrats and Liberals are un-American are equally as bigoted and unfounded.
In fact if it makes my dislike of this book any easier to understand, just imagine a history of America written by an right-wing republican, then transfer the narrative into a history of Judaism. The same points would be covered 1) The troubled early years and the politically safe interpretation 2) The historical justifications for contemporary amorality 3) The veiled denouncing of political opponents 4) One hell of a lot of revisionism and glossing over.

So yes. I did not like this book. It was at times a fun read. There were a couple of funny anecdotes that I told some of my friends. I did learn a fair bit that I didn't know. The book was well written and kept my interest enough so that it only took me three days to finish reading, like I said cover to cover. But I would never recommend it to anyone. And to the people who do read it, I say be careful, read between the lines because while the author seems reasonable he really is not.

Before I express the criticism from my title I should begin by saying that this book is well written and very informative. It contains a lot of really interesting information about Judaism and were it not for the profound biases and ignorance of its author I might even rank it among one of the better books I have read recently.

In order to understand why I so thoroughly dislike this book it might actually help to briefly discuss another book that really has nothing to do with this one. A few years ago I read Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy - another good book with a very similar abysmal nature. My issue with Russell is his utter dismissal of any other view point from his own. Thus Nietzsche is dismissed after only a page. Schopenhauer is rendered inconsequential while fundamental thinkers such as Kirkegaard and Wittgenstein are ignored. Meanwhile trivial thinks such as Dewey are praised because they agree with Russell's own positions. So while the book is well written, the general sense of history and context is brilliant, unless you already know something about philosophy, and can escape the many pitfalls, Russell's text is one to be avoided. And if you do know something it ends up seeming somewhat pathetic.

I have pretty much the same critique of Jewish Literacy by Telushkin. Yes this is a well written book. Yes there is a lot that is good here. A reader who wants to know a little something about Judaism and is willing to consult it more like a dictionary than a reading it cover to cover (like I did) might get some value from owning this book. If you want to occasionally look up different holiday's or get some brief illumination regarding Torah passages or even know a little something more about thinkers like Maimonides or Rabbi Feinstein this is a good introductory source.

What you don't want to do is think of this as having any value when it comes to that can be in any way impartial. Telushkin is an Orthodox Rabbi, so I guess I can forgive some of his opinions in much the same way I can forgive say... Pat Robertson some of his ignorant and backwards positions simply by say well... he is a Southern Baptist he probably doesn't know better.

As an example upon finishing this I was shocked and dismayed to discover that I am an Anti-Semite. I admit to not being Jewish. I can't help that my father's father was Jewish but that is matrilineally irrelevant. But felt that my admiration of so many Jewish writers, thinkers, artists and friends that I actually took the time to well... anee m'daber ktzat eevreet. But it turns out that according to Telushkin that anybody who has even the smallest criticism of Israel is Anti-Zionist and because of this also an Anti-Semite struck me as well... unkind. Or said another way, if disapproving of Israeli missiles killing unarmed Lebanese civilians, or disliking the racist and apartheid policies directed against the Palestinian population makes me an Anti-Semite the so be it; I guess I am one.

Some of his positions such as the position that only Orthodox Jews are really Jews, while Reform Jews and Conservative Jews aren't, seem to be just part of the overall position of Orthodoxy and can probably be ignored in pretty much the same way that say Ann Coulter's position that Democrats and Liberals are un-American are equally as bigoted and unfounded.
In fact if it makes my dislike of this book any easier to understand, just imagine a history of America written by an right-wing republican, then transfer the narrative into a history of Judaism. The same points would be covered 1) The troubled early years and the politically safe interpretation 2) The historical justifications for contemporary amorality 3) The veiled denouncing of political opponents 4) One hell of a lot of revisionism and glossing over.

So yes. I did not like this book. It was at times a fun read. There were a couple of funny anecdotes that I told some of my friends. I did learn a fair bit that I didn't know. The book was well written and kept my interest enough so that it only took me three days to finish reading, like I said cover to cover. But I would never recommend it to anyone. And to the people who do read it, I say be careful, read between the lines because while the author seems reasonable he really is not.

What can I say about Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, shlita, except that he is a true talmid chacham (scholar). Every book of his that I've read was excellent,and this one is no different. It's a fantastic introduction to MANY things Jewish. Go out and buy one (or more) today. Makes a great Bar Mitzvah gift !!

I'm not a religious person but was interested to know hat the Judaism is. This book gave an excelent introduction to many questions important in Judaism. I wouldn't say that I agree or like the answers, but it was very intersting to understand what our ancestors were thinking about.

Large volume with short chapters. Concise chapters are very useful in learning about almost all aspects of Judaism. Helpful for adults taking courses in Judaism. Best general book on Judaism that I have been able to read.

I bought this book for a college course, and loved it. Even after the course was over two years ago, I kept the book and read it often. It is very comprehensive, easy to understand, and fun to read.

An incredible book if you want be become informed about Judaism.There is nothing left out in this book,and Mr.Telushkin writes so well,so simply,but at the same time with a passion and unmatched intellect.

Having purchased this remarkable book and thinking that I knew quite alot about Judaism was quite an eye-opener for me. I was astonished at the wealth of information this work has to offer anyone who is interested in learning the basics of the jewish faith. The articles which are divided between the Bible, the holidays, the history of the jewish people, the holocaust and other subjects provide the reader with an excellent source of material and a basic knowledge of all things jewish. I recommend it highly.

If you are looking to know more about Judaism one of your best investments is to buy any book written by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. Especially, "Jewish Literacy" and "Bible Literacy" because both of these books have all the essential information about pretty much everything and they are great reference to have in your library once you are done reading them for the first time.

They are both easy to read with short chapters and you can read them front-to-back and back-to-front. Both books are great start up books for Judaism and they will make you crave for further reading as suggested in the chapters. They are both AWESOME guides to further study. Reading them you will know the essential on each subject and from there you can take your studies in any direction.

These books are addictive and once you start reading them you are going to be hooked! That is what happened to me. :-)

"Jewish Literacy" starts with an explanation of the Jewish texts and it covers topics chronologically from Genesis to current events. The chapters in "Bible Literary" will go more in depth about the Torah and Tanach which is already covered, with less detail, in "Jewish Literacy".

Both of these books are the best introduction to Judaism books you can buy today.

Boring is not so bad

The title of this book is missleading. "Jewish literacy" is not acquired by reading the protestations of halachic detectives or humdrum pedants and heavenly caretakers. Nor is it acquired through the unquestioned participation in thousands of years of tradition. This is not a book to be read from cover to cover. It is a colorless reference volume in encyclopedic format lacking in dimension. This book will collect dust until you suddenly need some basic facts or a review of same. It may be worth picking up a used copy if you need a facsimile of (orthodox) Jewish facts within reach. I do not mean to imply here that religion is "factual"; inasmuch if you cozy up with this one then you are really in trouble. For this purpose one could go much faster on line.

As a non-Jew interested in getting a better grasp of all of the traditions and beliefs of the Jewish faith I'm glad I read through this book first before buying it. It is written by an Orthodox rabbi and assumes an Orthodox, literalist approach on all topics, the ordination of women and homosexuality to cite just two of the more controversial issues. Now, this would be fine if the book were marketed as an Orthodox text but it is advertised as a comprehensive book of general Jewish wisdom for everyone.

What is a Jew? by Morris Kertzer (5th edition) and updated four times since 1953 is a much more comprehensive and wide-ranging introductory book that covers the stance of each branch of Judaism to various issues organized in an easy question and answer format. It makes very clear all the differences between the different branches (Orthodox, Conservative and Reform) and how they approach various moral/ethical/social issues.

Since (according to a recent poll) about 85% of Jews consider themselves either Reform or Conservative (not Orthodox) I think any general book on Judaism should include much more diverse viewpoints possible within a Jewish framework than this book allows for. Jewish Wisdom is well-written, nicely annotated and a great resource for the Orthodox though. It's really quite good for what it is but readers looking for a broader overview beyond the limits of an Orthodox angle will need to look elsewhere.

The author has a gift for being able to clearly condense essential aspects of Judaism and Jewish History. It is full of fascinating facts and stories, and gives a very even-handed treatment of controvertial issues. However the aspect of reading this book is that knowlege gives us meaning. It is startling to find how strongly details about our history touch us personally, and shed light on our own experiences. Each topic links into many others in the book, as it cross-references, so I found this book to be a journey and a chance to explore as much as something to read.

I thought it contained a tad too much about Israeli History, yet I was wrong; the lesson of this book is that you cannot learn too much of this stuff. :-)

Whether you are a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim, well, one needs to know about the Jewish people and the early history of Monotheism. Rabbi Telushkin tries to present it in a concise and compact way. As in all religious texts there are statements open to questioning and I am sure, there are many many Rabbis that would not share the exact same view with Rabbi Telushkin on uncountably many issues. Yet, this book is a must to start to understand Judasim and the Jewish culture too. The Christians and Muslims I believe have to find the book worth reading too, if not for the religious views, most of which they do share as well, but to see the results of a social observation one can say.
Rightfully, Rabbi Telushkin finds some Orthodox sects to be very extremist, some others may find him to be extremist too. It is never a good idea to read one and only one Rabbi, let me say this is true for any religion as far as I can see. May be one must take his/her time to take a look at Rabbi Harold Kushner or Rabbi Harold Schuldweiss as well, as more liberal and to me, may be more up to date Rabbis, but, well, If one can read Isaac Luria,Moshe ben Maimon, it is quite a good idea to add to this picture Rabbi Telushkin too.In my oppinion, If one is to read Rumi to jump into the ocean of wisdom, making a culture of Judaism through this book would not hurt at all..

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin is one of the outstanding teachers and writers of Judaism living and working today. He has succeeded in writing works that reach a very broad public, and touching many who know very little about their own Judaism. In this encyclopediac work he chooses around three- hundred and fifty subjects in various areas of Judaism such as the Jewish Bible, t Jewish history, the Holocaust, the History of Zionism and Israel, the Jewish calendar, the Jewish life cycle and writes a short essay on each subject. He is a very clear writer who is capable of using examples from everyday life to forcefully make his points. The work is intended to provide ' literacy' that is basic knowledge about Judaism and it does so on a very broad range of subjects. I believe there is no other writer on Judaism today except Rabbi Louis Jacobs who provides this kind of encyclopediac knowledge in such an insightful way. If you are someone just getting interested in Judaism this is a very good book for you. And if you are someone who knows ' something ' and wants to know even more this work is also recommended. As someone who has studied Judaism for years I find that reading such a work not only refreshes my knowledge but fills gaps that I have. So this is a good book also for the more learned especially when traditional Jewish learning often means to repeat and go over and learn again that which one has learned before.