Introduction to Judaism: Text Book List

Required Books

• Diamant, Anita, Living a Jewish Life, HarperCollins, 2007. $16.99
• Green, Arthur, Judaism's 10 Best Ideas, Jewish Lights, 2014. $9.99
• Silberman, Shoshana, A Family Haggadah, Kar-Ben, 2011. $4.95
• Sonsino, Rifat and Syme, Daniel, Finding God: Selected Responses, Behrman House/URJ Press, 2002. $14.95
• Wylen, Stephen, Settings of Silver, Paulist Press, 2000. $24.95

We recommend that you buy The Jewish Study Bible instead of a Hebrew/English Tanach. It is an excellent resource, as it contains the JPS translation along with commentary on the biblical text, as well as essays and maps. A Jewish Bible (Tanach) (JPS English translation) will be used in the class.
The Jewish Study Bible, Oxford University Press, 2004 or 2014. $45.00

We also recommend you buy a guide for observing Shabbat.
Zion/Fields-Meyer, A Day Apart: Shabbat at Home, Shalom Hartman Institute, 2004. $24.95

Books are available (new and used) online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and as e-books.
Please make sure you buy the most recent edition of the books.

Optional 

Diamant, Anita. Choosing a Jewish Life. Schocken, (rev. ed.) 2016. $14.95 - Highly recommended for participants interested in conversion.

Scheindlin, Raymond. A Short History of the Jewish People. Oxford University Press, 1998. $17.95  - Recommended for participants interested in academic history on the subject.

Syme, Daniel. The Jewish Home: A Guide for Jewish Living. Behrman House, 2017. $16.95 - Recommended for participants looking for a clear and comprehensive introduction to Jewish holidays and life-cycle events. 

Lieberman/Person eds. Honoring Tradition, Embracing Modernity. CCAR Press, 2017. $32 - A reader recommended for participants interested in Reform sources about Judaism’s wisdom, practices, customs, and beliefs. 

Questions

Please contact Intro Director, Rabbi Sabine Meyer.