Nine Questions People Ask about Judaism

by Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin

Book Overview

The classic and essential guide for the educated, skeptical, and searching Jew, or for the non-Jew who wants to understand the meaning of Judaism.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. It poses, and thoughtfully addresses,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671622617
• ISBN13: 9780671622619
• Release Date: April 1986
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Why Christians should read this book

Looking back on my college years, I can honestly say that I learned more from listening daily to Dennis Prager on the radio than from attending my classes. What is tragicomic is that I paid over $100,000 for my Pomona College education, whereas my lessons from Prager were free.Prager is a Jewish talk radio host who also teaches the Bible at the University of Judaism. His mission in life is "to get people obsessed with what is right and wrong." He does this primarily through his nationally syndicated talk radio show in which he discusses the great moral issues of the day. He often receives challenges from a variety of callers, and I have never heard him lose a debate. I once heard Alan Dershowitz on the show, and Prager wiped the floor with the Harvard law professor. A few years back, Prager also memorably debated an Oxford philosophy professor on the question, "Can man be good without God?", and he triumphed yet again. But interestingly enough, while I have never heard a greater defender of Judeo-Christian values in the secular world than Prager, I have never experienced anyone undermine my faith as much as he has either. Since I will be recommending one of his books, I first need to mention a brief caveat before explaining why I think believers ought to read The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism.In college I read the works of existentialists, evolutionists, higher critics, et al, and still felt secure in the religion that I grew up with since birth. I could see through their smoke and mirrors, and I could sufficiently meet the objections posed by my classmates and professors in and outside of class. I must confess this was due in no small measure to listening to how Prager handled such objections from his callers. But one day as I was listening to Prager's show, he posed a question that I had never thought of before. It provoked several Christians to call in, and my heart and faith began to sink as I heard him shoot down caller after caller. The question was: How can a just God require perfection from imperfect people? By contrasting the apparent unfairness of Christianity with Judaism (which requires neither perfection nor even belief in God to go to heaven), Prager was making a strong case against Christianity and for the reasonableness of the Jewish faith. His statement that a moral giant like Gandhi could go to heaven, at least according to Judaism, which emphasizes good acts over right belief, powerfully resonated with me. To make a long story short, after about a month of searching through books, calling ministers, looking online, all to no avail, I finally came upon a small book by R.C. Sproul titled, Reason to Believe. It introduced me to John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, St. Augustine, i.e., the Reformed faith. The doctrine of original sin, as explicated by these masters, answered the challenge and my faith was reborn. In light of my own personal quandary, my caveat is that The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism devotes a chapte

Not your run-of-the-mill "Intro to Judaism"!

Sick of books that try to introduce you to Judaism through "same old, same old" descriptions of holidays, the Sabbath, and kosher food laws?This book cuts right through all of that and says with gusto, "this is what Jews believe!"Whether you're a Jew or not, this is one book you want to pick up if you want to understand the Jewish mind a little better. Did you go to Hebrew school as a kid but now you're not sure why you should care? This book will get you caring, whether you agree with Prager or not.Even those who disagree with him cannot deny that his writing gets Judaism up off the page and brings it to life in a way that few other "Intro" books do.Prager is an apologist in a religion that offers little by way of heartfelt apologetics, and an oasis of reason in a sea of religious hyperbole.

Nine Answers To Nine Questions

I am happy to report that it offers nine concise but dense and provocative answers to the nine questions it poses. Certainly people ask more than nine questions about Judaism but the book is clearly most targeted at the assimilated, disillusioned or curious nonpracticing Jew. It is perfect and on target in its speculations of main issues that trouble and perplex nonpracticing Jews (ex. How do you explain the immoral religious Jews). What makes this worthwhile reading for the non Jew is that a large bulk of the material deals with theological and metaphysical issues thoughtfully. It's also a poised argument for the superiority of religious ethics over secular ethics. Interspersed throughout the chapters are many sharp and fascinating sound bites and quotes. The mainstream success of the authors both as writers and public speakers owes to their eloquent style which is persuasive but not absolutist. Their tone is one of sharing knowledge and belief, not forcing knowledge and belief. The authors do a wonderful job of providing a logical exposition on the soundness and consequence of ethical monotheism. This book will appeal to all Jews and to anyone who has an interest in spiritual reasoning.

A compelling introduction to Jewish thought and practice

Regardless of your background, Prager & Telushkin's introduction to the major ideas and practices of Judaism will provide an immense amount of food for thought. This book is not neutral about Judaism: it is written by two passionately religious Jews (Prager is religious, not Orthodox) who do an outstanding job at presenting a case for living Jewishly in today's world. Amazingly, The Nine Questions has a great deal to offer to Jews who are already deeply committed to Judaism, as well as to the tentative or skeptical Jewish or non-Jewish thinker who is interested at learning what Judaism has to offer to life in modernity. The writing is crystal-clear, and the book has a straightforward and honest tone which is very appealing. I finished The Nine Questions in about a day, and give it a wholehearted endorsement.