Isaac Unbound is a work of fiction that fills in the details of the life and character of biblical Isaac. People read about Isaac in Gen 17:4—28:9, and conclude he is passive and not an independent thinker. Isaac is not the iconoclast or spiritual pioneer as was his father, Abraham. He is not the scheming activist that his son, Jacob, became. As a result of his near sacrifice by his father, he evolves into a sensitive, caring, understanding person who reaches out to reconcile with his brother Ishmael, with the Philistine king Abimelech, and works to align his values with his actions. Isaac Unbound develops out of the author’s imagination as well as drawing on interpretations of ancient rabbis. The book raises questions about interpersonal reconciliation in a non-didactic way. It encourages heartfelt seeking by contemporary readers.

Isaac Unbound is a work of fiction that fills in the details of the life and character of biblical Isaac. People read about Isaac in Gen 17:4--28:9, and conclude he is passive and not an independent thinker. Isaac is not the iconoclast or spiritual pioneer as was his father, Abraham. He is not the scheming activist that his son, Jacob, became. As a result of his near sacrifice by his father, he evolves into a sensitive, caring, understanding person who reaches out to reconcile with his brother Ishmael, with the Philistine king Abimelech, and works to align his values with his actions. Isaac Unbound develops out of the author's imagination as well as drawing on interpretations of ancient rabbis. The book raises questions about interpersonal reconciliation in a non-didactic way. It encourages heartfelt seeking by contemporary readers.

Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lore collected in the modern era, Schwartz has gathered together nearly 700 of the key Jewish myths. For each myth, he includes extensive commentary, revealing the source of the myth and explaining how it relates to other Jewish myths as well as to world literature --from publisher description

"The near sacrifice and miraculous restoration of a beloved son is a central but largely overlooked theme in both Judaism and Christianity. This book explores how this notion of child sacrifice constitutes an overlooked bond between the two religions."--

Are the Old and New Testament accounts of Jesus lineage contradictory or complimentary? Is the family tree of Jesus a calendar, and what may it tell us about our own generation? Why was Adam old at 900, Abraham old at 150, and David an old man at only 70? How long is a Biblical generation, and exactly when was Jesus born? Is there historical proof of Jesus resurrection? The Family Tree of Jesus explores these questions, and much more. Within these pages: Astonishing facts and numerical properties about the lineage of Jesus. Historical and archaeological proofs that substantiate the Bibles accuracy. Biographies of over 150 real men and women in Jesus genealogy all the way back to Adam. Irrefutable evidence that Jesus of Nazareth was exactly Who He claimed to be according to the prophecies concerning Him -- the Messiah Whose coming was predicted 40 centuries before His birth. The Family Tree of Jesus is a 4000-year journey of discovery: The master list that leads to the Master