This meticulously edited collection contains the essential books of the Jewish faith, the most sacred text of Judaism, history books, as well as philosophical and theological writings concerning Jewish faith. Contents: Religious Texts: "Tanakh" – The Hebrew Bible "Talmud" – The Central Text of Rabbinic Judaism "Torah – Bilingual (English/Hebrew)" – Five Books of Moses "Tales and Maxims from the Midrash" – Biblical exegesis by ancient Judaic authorities "The Kabbalah Unveiled" – Translations and commentaries of the Books of Zohar "The Sepher Ha-Zohar" – Zohar, or Splendor is the most important text of Kabbalah. "Siddur – The Standard Prayer Book" – The Authorized Daily Prayer Book of the United Hebrew Congregations "The Union Haggadah" – Jewish text that sets forth the order of the Passover Seder. History: The Jewish Wars (Flavius Josephus) Antiquities of the Jews (Flavius Josephus) History of the Jews (Heinrich Graetz) The Legends of the Jews (Louis Ginzberg) Philosophical Works: Kitab al Khazari (Kuzari) (Judah Halevi) The Guide for the Perplexed (Moses Maimonides) Ancient Jewish Proverbs (Abraham Cohen)

Is laughter essential to Jewish identity? Do Jews possess special radar for recognizing members of the tribe? Since Jews live longer and make love more often, why don't more people join the tribe? "More deli than deity" writer Nancy Kalikow Maxwell poses many such questions in eight chapters--"Worrying," "Kvelling," "Dying," "Noshing," "Laughing," "Detecting," "Dwelling," and "Joining"--exploring what it means to be "typically Jewish." While unearthing answers from rabbis, researchers, and her assembled Jury on Jewishness (Jewish friends she roped into conversation), she--and we--make a variety of discoveries. For example: Jews worry about continuity, even though Rabbi Mordechai of Lechovitz prohibited even that: "All worrying is forbidden, except to worry that one is worried." Kvell-worthy fact: About 75 percent of American Jews give to charity versus 63 percent of Americans as a whole. Since reciting Kaddish brought secular Jews to synagogue, the rabbis, aware of their captive audience, moved the prayer to the end of the service. Who's Jewish? About a quarter of Nobel Prize winners, an estimated 80 percent of comedians at one point, and the winner of Nazi Germany's Most Perfect Aryan Child Contest. Readers will enjoy learning about how Jews feel, think, act, love, and live. They'll also schmooze as they use the book's "Typically Jewish, Atypically Fun" discussion guide.

WINNER OF THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION COOKBOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD • A monumental cookbook that gives us the story of the Jewish people told through the story of Jewish cooking—from the bestselling author of A Book of Middle Eastern Food and Claudia Roden's Mediterranean The Book of Jewish Food traces the development of both Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jewish communities and their cuisine over the centuries. The 800 magnificent recipes, many never before documented, represent treasures garnered by Roden through nearly 15 years of traveling around the world. Includes 50 photos & illustrations.