Summary

Encyclopedia of Judaism explores a religion that has a 2,000-year recorded history and has been a part of the culture of almost every country and society around the globe. Encapsulating all things Jewish—language, laws, literature, arts, theology, ritual, land, culture, and personalities—this authoritative volume offers readers access to Judaism from both a historical and contemporary perspective.

Since the demise of the Israelite religion, Jewish people have settled around the world, adapted to their host cultures, and produced cultural variances within Judaism. In doing so, they have experienced prosperity and tragedy, all of which is reflected in this comprehensive reference, along with biographical data on notable Jewish individuals.

In about 800 A-to-Z entries, Encyclopedia of Judaism covers Jewish tradition from religious practices in the Temple through exile and diaspora in Europe and Asia, to the expansion of Jewish denominations in America to the modern state of Israel and the continual development of rich diaspora Jewish communities.

A comprehensive introduction, further readings, cross-references, and a chronology, in addition to photographs, a general bibliography, and a thorough index make Encyclopedia of Judaisman easy-to-use and essential reference for high school and college students, researchers, and general readers.

Entries include:

• Ancient synogogues
• Arab-Israeli conflict
• bar/bat mitzvah
• Brazil
• Camp David
• China
• Albert Einstein
• Ellis Island
• Anne Frank
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Guggenheim family
• Hasidism
• Holocaust
• Homosexuality
• Kibbutz, kibbutzim
• Knesset
• Golda Meir
• Modern Orthodox movement
• Rabbinic law
• Rome
• Seder
• Yitzhak Shamir
• Tel Aviv
• United Nations
• Yeshiva
• Yom KippurWar
• Leopold Zunz.

Specifications

Black-and-white photographs. Index. Bibliography. Cross-references. Chronology.

About the Author(s)

Sara E. Karesh is a teacher of Jewish history at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD. She received her M.A. in Jewish studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and her Ph.D. in religious studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Karesh is the coauthor of Facts On File’s Jewish Faith in America.

Mitchell M. Hurvitz is senior rabbi at Temple Sholom in Greenwich, CT and a columnist for The Greenwich Citizen. He received his M.A. and ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He is a past president of the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy and former chairman of congregation life for the Fairfield Council of Churches and Synogogues.