This three-volume prayer series based on the Conservative Shabbat Morning Service transforms Hebrew study into a practical prayer learning experience. The only entry requirement is the ability to read Hebrew phonetically.¬+

In this second volume of his long-anticipated five-volume collection of parashat hashavua commentaries, Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks explores these intersections as they relate to universal concerns of freedom, love, responsibility, identity, and destiny. Chief Rabbi Sacks fuses Jewish tradition, Western philosophy, and literature to present a highly developed understanding of the human condition under Gods sovereignty. Erudite and eloquent, Covenant Conversation allows us to experience Chief Rabbi Sacks sophisticated approach to life lived in an ongoing dialogue with the Torah.

Why do Jews eat gefilte fish? Why is a glass broken at the end of a Jewish wedding ceremony? Why must the chapter of curses in the Torah be read quickly in a low voice? Why are shrimp and lobster not kosher? Why do Jews fast on Yom Kippur? Why are some Matzot square while others are round? If you've ever asked or been asked any of these questions, The Jewish Book of Why has all the answers. In this complete, concise, fascinating, and thoroughly informative guide to Jewish life and tradition, Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch clearly explains both the significance and the origin of nearly every symbol, custom, and practice known to Jewish culture-from Afikomon to Yarmulkes, and from Passover to Purim. Kolatch also dispels many of the prevalent misconceptions and misunderstandings that surround Jewish observance and provides a full and unfettered look at the biblical, historical, and sometimes superstitious reasons and rituals that helped develop Jewish law and custom and make Judaism not just a religion, but a way of life. L'chaim!

In a time when Rome rules the world and the people are crying out for a savior, a revolutionary rabbi walks the land, dividing families and faith. A Pharisee disciple will do whatever it takes to secure his future, even betray those he loves. A young woman longs for peace and safety, but her heart pulls her far from home. What are they willing to give up for their faith? From the temperamental Sea of Galilee to the tinder-box that is Jerusalem, this journey through Matthew's gospel will sweep you into the first-century world. Witness the epic events of the gospel with all its wonder and conflict. See Jesus through the eyes of a woman and a Pharisee. Beth believes Jesus offers healing and hope, but his plan for her husband rises like the waves of the sea to wash away her dreams for the future. Afraid of being left behind, she chases after her husband Peter, but in traveling with Jesus she finds more questions than answers. As her husband pursues the Nazarene with his whole heart and her cousin's bitterness towards Jesus grows, she wonders, what place can a woman have in the coming kingdom? Reuben believes the way to a restored Israel is through careful obedience to law and tradition, and Jesus of Nazareth is challenging tradition at every turn. Under the watchful eye of his secretive rabbi, Reuben hopes he can rise above obscurity and take his place as a leader among men, but a disastrous confrontation with the Nazarene threatens to destroy his budding career. When his dreams collide with the people he loves, is he willing to do what it takes? "Powerful, imaginative, stirring! Get ready for a unique, substantive, and emotional journey down a stream that flows cleverly from, around, and through the Gospel of Matthew" -Gary D. Collier (Ph.D.), Director of the Institute for the Art of Biblical Conversation "This well-written book provides insight and reading pleasure. Even though we know the story, each chapter brings a new surprise. Hamel takes the abbreviated account in the Gospel and expands it using the knowledge we have about ancient Palestinian culture." -Rev. Richard Davies (Ph.D.), Dean Emeritus, Martin University

A little boy says the Sh'ma before he goes to bed.

This book examines a key tradition in Judaism (the rule that exempts women from "timebound, positive commandments"), which has served for centuries to stabilize women's roles. Against every other popular and scholarly perception of the rule, Elizabeth Shanks Alexander demonstrates that the rule was not intended to have such consequences. She narrates the long and complicated history of the rule, establishing the reasons for its initial formulation and the shifts in interpretation that led to its being perceived as a key marker of Jewish gender.