Winner of the 2021 National Jewish Book Award for Con­tem­po­rary Jew­ish Life and Prac­tice Finalist for the 2021 Kirkus Prize in Nonfiction A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Wall Street Journal, Chicago Public Library, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A startling and profound exploration of how Jewish history is exploited to comfort the living. Renowned and beloved as a prizewinning novelist, Dara Horn has also been publishing penetrating essays since she was a teenager. Often asked by major publications to write on subjects related to Jewish culture—and increasingly in response to a recent wave of deadly antisemitic attacks—Horn was troubled to realize what all of these assignments had in common: she was being asked to write about dead Jews, never about living ones. In these essays, Horn reflects on subjects as far-flung as the international veneration of Anne Frank, the mythology that Jewish family names were changed at Ellis Island, the blockbuster traveling exhibition Auschwitz, the marketing of the Jewish history of Harbin, China, and the little-known life of the "righteous Gentile" Varian Fry. Throughout, she challenges us to confront the reasons why there might be so much fascination with Jewish deaths, and so little respect for Jewish lives unfolding in the present. Horn draws upon her travels, her research, and also her own family life—trying to explain Shakespeare’s Shylock to a curious ten-year-old, her anger when swastikas are drawn on desks in her children’s school, the profound perspective offered by traditional religious practice and study—to assert the vitality, complexity, and depth of Jewish life against an antisemitism that, far from being disarmed by the mantra of "Never forget," is on the rise. As Horn explores the (not so) shocking attacks on the American Jewish community in recent years, she reveals the subtler dehumanization built into the public piety that surrounds the Jewish past—making the radical argument that the benign reverence we give to past horrors is itself a profound affront to human dignity. Now including a reading group guide.

Love Lost in Translation systematically examines the biblical stories and passages that are generally assumed to deal with, or comment on, homoerotic relationships: Noah and Ham, Sodom and Gomorrah, Leviticus 18:22, Deuteronomy 23:17-18, Judges 19, Romans 1:26-27, and 1 Corinthians 6:9. K. Renato Lings convincingly demonstrates that mistranslations of these texts into Greek, Latin and other languages occurred early, and that serious errors continue to be committed by translators today. This explains the painful controversy about same-sex relationships, which has rocked Christian churches for decades.

National Jewish Book Award Winner • Christy Award Finalist A young woman survives the unthinkable in this stunning and emotionally satisfying tale of family, love, and resilience, set against the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Esther dreams of so much more than the marriage her parents have arranged to a prosperous silversmith. Always curious and eager to explore, she must accept the burden of being the dutiful daughter. Yet she is torn between her family responsibilities and her own desires; she longs for the handsome Jacob, even though he treats her like a child, and is confused by her attraction to the Roman freedman Tiberius, a man who should be her sworn enemy. Meanwhile, the growing turmoil threatens to tear apart not only her beloved city, Jerusalem, but also her own family. As the streets turn into a bloody battleground between rebels and Romans, Esther's journey becomes one of survival. She remains fiercely devoted to her family, and braves famine, siege, and slavery to protect those she loves. This emotional and impassioned saga, based on real characters and meticulous research, seamlessly blends the fascinating story of the Jewish people with a timeless protagonist determined to take charge of her own life against all odds.

In the introduction to 'Romance of the Hebrew Calendar,' author Raphael Ben Levi writes, "This book is about relationships, I make no apologies for it. When everything has been said and done, what are we left with that endures? Relationships, borne out of agape love. This is what the deepest and most authentic relationships are composed of from beginning to end." This absorbing and ground breaking book will inspire readers to develop a deeper relationship with God, and bring restoration to those who are spiritually broken. According to the author, there is a special heartbeat that pulsates through the veins of the biblical year which has helped shape the identity of the Jewish people. Written from a Jewish messianic perspective, 'Romance of the Hebrew Calendar' contains inspirational and fresh insights that are highly engaging and provocative. The main theme is complemented by a rich compendium of poignant stories and devotions drawn from Jewish tradition, historical archives and firsthand accounts. The Jewish festivals are lovingly presented to demonstrate a unified message of redemption. The months of the Hebrew calendar are accompanied by individual sections relating to the constellation connected to each tribe as represented by their banner or flag. The Hebrew word 'mazal,' from the plural word 'mazzaroth' is associated with the patterns of stars in the sky, and we find various biblical references to it such as in the Book of Job. In addition, 'Romance of the Hebrew Calendar,' contains individual sections for each chapter relating to the jewels of the high priest's ephod, their colours and their inherent connection with the twelve tribes of Israel. The combined messages contained within the biblical feasts, the mazzaroth and the jewels of the high priest's ephod, converge to form a unified declaration of God's love, revealed in Yeshua Ha Meshiach that will capture your imagination and attention. This book is beautifully written, easy to read and contains many insights and revelations that are interwoven and presented to make it a treasure to adorn every bookshelf.

An extraordinary story of one family’s torment, betrayal and perseverance in war time Amsterdam. War and Love is a fascinating and detailed memoir of a family’s everyday life at a time of war.