Thursday, March 27, 2014

Afterlife, The Jewish View - Where Are We Headed?

Do you lay awake at night wondering what comes next? Has someone close to you recently passed on and caused you to think about where exactly they passed on to...? Afterlife written by Jonathan Morgenstern and based on the teachings of Rabbi Sholom Kamenetsky, will answers those questions and more. 



Judging the Book by its Cover -  a first glance review:

This cover is brilliant! Life is a road, with a curve or two, but we can't see where it is headed. All we can see is the powerful sun that shines on us from beyond the horizon. That is a great metaphor for the afterlife, the World to Come, etc.


Some Details I Liked:


This book is well sourced. It has footnotes as applicable on the pages, as well as a Hebrew appendix in the back of the book.
It has clear sub-titles and charts to help ensure that the information is easily understood. 

Who This Book is For:


I felt that this book was pretty much inline with what I learned in Bais Yaakov and grew up with since. Therefore, I'd recommend it for someone with less of a strong Jewish education. It is also the perfect read before speaking with people who might ask about the seemingly abstract concept of the afterlife.

Who This Book Isn’t For:  


This book is written with the Jewish view and the Jewish view only. I would not share it with a non-Jew, just because its not relevant.  

What I Didn’t Like/Would Have Made it Better: 


There were some inconsistencies in the ways terms were written. Some had the sefardy/modern taf, while others used the ashkenazy saf. Its not a big deal, but the pronunciation does have an impact on the intended audience, so it should be one way or the other. 

In Conclusion:  

This book explains the Afterlife based on 3,000 years of Jewish tradition and scholarship, in just over 100 pages. It is also newly available in paperback.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

THE Jewish Holiday HANDBOOK

If you ever wanted a handy-dandy guide to the Jewish Year, this is it! By this, of course, I mean "The Jewish Holiday Handbook" By Doron Kornluth. Its straightforward and accurate. Best of all, it fits in your hand!

Judging the Book by its Cover -  a first glance review:

The cover, as you see, is quite pleasant to the eye. It has snapshots of the four seasons which occur throughout the year. Simple, but elegant. Truth be told, the Jewish Holidays have enough going for them, especially in this book, that they don't need an elaborate cover presentation. 


Some Details I Liked:

I very much liked the layout of the chapters. Each chapter discusses a holiday over a maximum of 20 pages. At the end of the chapter, is a section with "Fast Facts", followed by another section with "Questions for Discussion". There are also a few "I Didn't Know That" blurbs thrown in throughout the book. 
Overall, the layout of each topic and sub-topic is done in an easy to read manner.

Who This Book is For:

This book was clearly written with a lot of thought and wisdom. I say that because it translates the Hebrew terms, allowing a beginner to Judaism to grasp the basics, but at the same time, it has many deep insights, which allow even a seasoned Jew (no pun intended) to appreciate the times of the year. 

Who This Book Isn’t For:  

I guess really anyone that doesn't care about holidays, prefers to think that Chanukah is just about latkes or that Passover is just about Matzah, should not pick up this book. :)

What I Didn’t Like/Would Have Made it Better: 

I was disappointed by the Table of Contents. You see, the book completely skips over the following three minor Jewish Holidays - Tu b'Shvat, Tu b'Av and Lag b'Omer. While I understand that prayers are not different on those days, but they are marked days on the Jewish calendar. Perhaps there can be an expanded edition...

In Conclusion:  

Whether you want to brush up just before a holiday or you are going to experience it for the first time, this is one book you'll want to have within an arm's reach.