Encyclopaedia of Judaism

Reviews / Votes

The Encyclopaedia of Judaism has been selected by the American Library Association as Outstanding Reference Source 2001.

This book has been selected as CHOICE's Outstanding Academic Title for 2000.

'In summary, this is a fine reference work on a mosaic of topics informed by competent scholarship and spouting a wellspring of Jewish knowledge and attitudes.'
Zev Garber, Review of Biblical Literature, 2005.
'The publication of the Encyclopaedia of Judaism in the year of the Millennium is an event worthy of celebration. In three volumes scores of scholars have recorded all that happened to a millennial people, whose religious 'Civilization' influenced...the human race, Europe, Asia and the Americas, a measure far beyond what one might have expected from their small number in any given age.'
Emanuel Rackman, Rabbi, Bar-Ilan University
'These internationally renowned editors have been able to assemble many highly qualified scholars well known in their fields of research to guarantee the success of this extremely well planned Encyclopaedia.'
Guenter Stemberger, Institut fuer Judaistik, Universitaet Wien
'It is actually more than an ordinary encyclopedia. It is a substantial reference book. I recommend the Encyclopaedia of Judaism to everyone who wants to get reliable information about major subjects in Judaism in a compact...usefully detailed, format.'
Ithamar Gruenwald, Tel Aviv University
'It has been recently said that 'the Christian ignorance of Judaism is one of the great tragicomedies of history.'...The Encyclopaedia of Judaism will be a splendid resource to combat that epidemic of ignorance, not only for Christians and for neutral observers, but also, I suspect, for an American Judaism that is increasingly in need of finding ways, as the prophet Isaiah admonished, to 'look unto the rock whence ye are hewn.'
Jaroslave Pelikan, Sterling Professor Emeritus, Yale University
'As an outsider, I find this encyclopedia comprehensive and stimulating. It is indeed learned, but not at all specialistic, and in fact is designed to appeal to people of all ages, backgrounds, and religion. Where to my mind it outdoes similar encyclopedias of surveys is in its quiet insistence throughout that Judaism is a living religion, and not just a thing of the past that simply survives into the present.'
Leonard E. Boyla, O.P., Prefect, The Vatican Library, 1984-1997.
'These three volumes represent the cutting edge of contemporary learning of Judaism as religion. The authors of the various entries have opinions of their own and they are not always identical with conventional views. This is, therefore, not a bland encyclopedia. It is provocative in the tradition of the great eighteenth century encyclopedia which spoused the views of the Enlightenment and of the Britannica which accepted the result of modern science. An encyclopedia is most useful and important when is makes the reader think.'
Arthur Hertzberg, Senior Editor, Encyclopedia Judaica.
'The Encyclopedia of Judaism is an essential resource for those interested in learning more about Jewish life.'
Dr. Alfred Gottschalk, President of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York, 2001.