Finding Our Way: Jewish Texts and the Lives We Lead Today

by Barry W. Holtz

Book Overview

The ancient rabbis believed that the world rests on three pillars: study, worship, and good deeds. It is said that the greatest of these is study, for it leads to the other two. But exactly how does the modern Jewish reader go about studying the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash--the great ancient and often hard-to-comprehend texts of our tradition? And how do we glean the great insights and wisdom from these sacred texts, which inspired our ancestors,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0827608187
• ISBN13: 9780827608184
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Jewish Publication Society
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Every Jewish Educator and Modern Searching Jew Should Study Not Just Read This Book

This is a very special book which if you are both modern and committed to a Jewish life will provide you with great questions and a lot of wisdom. The way to read this book is to study it. Find a study partner and read it aloud to each other. It is worth the investment in the extra time. You will find so many ideas which have been in the recesses of your minds, or things which you learned put into new contexts. This book will also make you think about some very profound challenges for the modern non-Orthodox Jew, such as, what are the meanings and purposes of the Mitzvot? What are the meanings and purposes of the Mitzvot for me? How do they fit into my life? What if the concept of a Commander and commanded is not so easy for me? How do I create a meaningful structure to my Judaism? Barry Holtz mines the Talmud, Torah, Nach, and other sources to provide a plethora of concepts. It is your responsibility to create your foundation--one which bridges the modern world with the world of the Talmud. If you are looking for a process of how to create a Jewish structure of big ideas for your life, take the time to learn this book with a study partner and enjoy the insights, concepts, questions, and the journey Dr. Holtz will place you on.

An examination of how the great texts of Jewish tradition apply to people living in the modern world

Now with a new study guide, Finding Our Way: Jewish Texts And The Lives We Live Today is an examination of how the great texts of Jewish tradition apply to people living in the modern world today. Barry W. Holtz, Florence Baumritter Professor of Jewish Education at The Jewish Theological Seminary and award-winning author, carefully leads the reader through frameworks that Jewish tradition can provide to thinking about God, prayer, ritual, charity, friendship, justice, and other concerns. Especially recommended for adult Jewish learners, educators, and any individual questioning the intersection of holy writings, traditional practices and the demands of daily life.