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The Chosen, by Chaim Potok.
Potok's affectionate look into Brooklyn's diverse Jewish community through the eyes of two boys: Reuven is from an Orthodox family, while Danny is the heir to a Hasidic dynasty. Their friendship, and the impact of the world on their lives, makes this a great American coming-of-age novel.
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As a Driven Leaf, by Milton Steinberg.
An historical novel about a famous rabbi, Elisha ben Abuyah, known in Talmud as "the apostate." Steinberg gives us a gentle, thoughtful story of a young Jew, surrounded by a modern and secularized Greek society, questioning his faith and its strictures.
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The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant.
There is a tradition in Judaism known as "midrash," the telling of the biblically-based stories that fill in the gaps. Diamant, a contemporary Jewish feminist, tells the story of Dinah through the usually-silenced voices of the women of Genesis.
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The Source, by James A. Michener
A thinly disguised Megiddo, this epic novel is typically Michenerian in its broad expanse, covering the people who lived on this tel from pre-biblical times to 1960's Israel - told as each layer is excavated.
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Avadim Hayinu, Once We Were Slaves, by Laura Antoniou and Karen Taylor.
Yeah, we wrote our own haggadah, attentive to the structure of the Passover ritual, with a particular focus on biblical and rabbinical texts related to mastery and slavery, to give a fresh look at this ancient ritual.
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Standing Again at Sinai by Judith Plaskow.
A must-have for Jewish feminists of any gender who wish to find ways to reconcile the lack of Jewish women's voices in our tradition, without rejection the tradition itself.
More by Judith Plaskow
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The Telling, by EM Broner. (out of print)
This book is from our mothers, the Jewish feminists of the United States and Israel, about the creation of the first feminist seder.
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Deborah, Golda and Me by Letty Cottin Pogrebin.
Letty Cottin Pogrebin is a founding editor of Ms. Magazine, finally reconciled her feminism and Jewish background after a rejection for 20 years, and this book is a great re-examination of those traditions and rituals from a feminist perspective.
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Judaism as a Civilization by Mordechai Kaplan.
The founder of Reconstructionist Judaism, Kaplan's great work challenges the modern Jew to consider whether the existence of God is or isn't relevant to Judaism today, while asserting that Judaism's existence is essential to its people and the greater world.
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God in Search of Man by Abraham Joshua Heschel.
One of the most influential Jewish philosophers on our shelf. Heschel's "The Sabbath" is a jewel, but God in Search of Man lays out a thoughtful approach to Judaism that remains vibrant and passionate in every generation.
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The Jewish Holidays, by Michael Strassfeld.
A frequently-used guide in our household, The Jewish Holidays gives a great overview of each of the major holidays on the Jewish calendar, the why's and the how's related to the holidays.
More by Michael Strassfeld
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To Be A Jew by Hayim Halevy Donin.
We turn to this book frequently for the "how to's" of various rituals and holidays. It's clear, thorough, and makes Jewish ritual approachable for anyone.
More by Hayim Halevy Donin
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How to Run A Traditional Jewish Household, by Blu Greenberg.
Blu, an Orthodox Jewish feminist, lovingly describes even the most mundane tasks of caring for a Jewish home within the context of Jewish law - which is more flexible than many may think!
More by Blu Greenberg
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Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History, by Joseph Telushkin.
A great resource book that is well indexed to find things fast!
More by Joseph Telushkin
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From Beirut to Jerusalem, by Thomas L.Friedman.
Yes, I'm a die-hard Zionist. This book is one of several I have on the shelf about the various middle-east conflicts, but it is by far the clearest written look into what is happening there. |
