
A Time to Every Purpose
Letters to a Young Jew
Jonathan D. Sarna(Author)
Basic Books (Publisher)
Published on 26. August 2008
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-0-465-00246-7 (ISBN)
Description
At the turn of the twenty-first century, the central question confronting Jewish leaders in America is simple: Why be Jewish? Jonathan D. Sarna, acclaimed scholar of American Judaism, believes that Why be Jewish?" is the wrong question. Judaism, he believes, is not so much a why" as a way ,a way of life, a way of marking time, a way of relating to the environment, to human beings, to family, and to God. Judaism is experienced through doing ,doing things Jewish, doing things for fellow Jews in need, doing things as a Jew to improve the state of the world. The more Judaism one does , the more one comes to appreciate what Judaism is . Using the Jewish calendar as his starting point, Sarna reflects on the major themes of Jewish life as expressed in a full year of holidays,from Passover in the spring to Purim eleven months later. Passover, for instance, yields a discussion of freedom Shavuot, a discussion of Torah Yom Kippur, the role of the individual within the Jewish community Chanukah, issues of assimilation and anti-assimilation. An essential brief introduction,or reintroduction,to the major practices of Jewish life as well as the many complexities of the American Jewish experience, this book will be essential reading for American Jews and the perfect gift for the holiday season.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Laminated cover
Dimensions
Height: 209 mm
Width: 136 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
332 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-465-00246-7 (9780465002467)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2009
Basic Books
€12.99
Available for download
Person
Jonathan D. Sarna is Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University, and chairs the Academic Board of the Jacob Rader Marcus centre of the American Jewish Archives. Author of American Judaism: A History, he is also the chief historian of the National Museum of American Jewish History and of the 350th commemoration of Jewish life in America, 1654-2004. He lives in West Newton, Massachusetts.