We all have questions that need to be answered from time to time. Below are some books to help you get your Jewish home library started. Click on the book for its link.
Recommended Reading
The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels
Cahill, Thomas, Nan A Talese, Doubleday, New York, 1998, 291 pages
An examination of the unique and transformative contributions of Jews to our world view - a veritable road map that opens up the path of Western history. Thomas Cahill takes us on an enchanting journey into history, recreating a time when the actions of a small band of people had repercussions that are still felt today.
Seasons for Celebration - A Contemporary Guide to the Joys, Practices, and Traditions of the Jewish Holidays
Fox, Rabbi Karen L. and Miller, Phyllis Zimbler, Perigee Books (Putnam), New York, 1992, 160 pages.
An essential sourcebook of Jewish holidays explains the meanings and customs of each important day in a format that demonstrates how to effectively combine tradition and creativity.
The Jewish Primer - Questions and Answers on Jewish Faith and Culture
Himelstein, Rabbi Dr. Shmuel, The Jerusalem Publishing House - Facts on File, Inc., New York, 1990, 254 pages.
A perfect introductory reference for everyone interested in the tenets and traditions of Judaism. This handy volume offers a sensitive and thorough understanding of all facets of Judaism, imparted through an easy-to-understand question-and-answer format, that clarifies the often complex rich tapestry of traditions that are an integral part of contemporary Judaism.
To Life! - A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking
Kushner, Harold S., Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1993, 304 pages.
Filled with wisdom and gentle humor, here is the essential book on Judaism's traditions and practices from the bestselling author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Both practical and spiritual, Kushner makes Jewish tradition relevant to a new generation as he explores its many facets.
The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism
Prager, Dennis and Telushkin, Joseph, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1975, 218 pages.
If you have ever wondered what being born Jewish should mean to you; if you want to find out more about the nature of Judaism, or explain it to a friend, if you are thinking about how Judaism can connect with the rest of your life -- this is the first book you should own.
Putting God on the Guest List - How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah
Salkin, Rabbi Jeffrey K., Jewish Lights Publishing, Woodstock, Vermont, 1992, 155 pages.
The expanded, updated, revised edition of today's most influential book (over 35,000 copies of the first edition in print) about finding core spiritual values in American Jewrys most misunderstood ceremony. Joining explanation, instruction, and inspiration to help parent and child, it offers new insights into bar and bat mitzvah's origins, new ways for non-Jewish parents to participate in their child's bar mitzvah ceremony, new resources, and much more.
For Kids - Putting God on Your Guest List - How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Bar or Bat Mitzvah
Salkin, Rabbi Jeffrey K., Jewish Lights Publishing, Woodstock, Vermont, 1998, 134 pages.
An informative, lighthearted, inspiring, and instructive guide for kids as they embark upon a journey of growth, self-discovery and exploration in preparation for their bar or bat mitzvah. Now updated and expanded, this book engages and inspires in a language young people can understand, to teach them the core spiritual values of Judaism.
The Ten Commandments - The Significance of God's Laws in Everyday Life
Schlessinger, Dr. Laura and Vogel, Rabbi Stewart, Cliff Street Books, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, 1998, 319 pages.
The Ten Commandments are the first direct communication between a people and God. Designed to elevate our lives above mere frantic, animal existence to the sublime levels humanity is capable of experiencing, they are the blueprint of God's expectations of us and His plan for a meaningful, just, loving, and holy life. Each commandment asserts a principle, and each principle is a moral focal point for real-life issues relating to God, family, sex, work, charity, property, speech and thought.
Jewish Literacy - The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History
Telushkin, Rabbi Joseph, William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, 1991, 688 pages
All the answers are here. Jewish Literacy is a compendium of 346 short chapters on the essential trends, concepts and personalities of Jewish history, religion and culture. This is a reference book designed to be read straight through. Encyclopedic in scope yet arranged by subject, it distills a vast body of scholarship into a warm, readable review.
(Oh, and BTW, this book will DEFINITELY become part of your library!)