Monday, December 03, 2007
Hanukkah toys
It's Hanukkah/Chanuka/however you spell it in English/ time again. The Jewish Book Mall now has a sister site for toys of all kinds, Toys and Reviews. If you're looking for a holiday gift for the kiddies, give it a try.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
The Jewish Book Blog is moving...sort of
We've decided to start posting our Jewish book reviews on the main Jewish Book Mall site and to make it possible for authors of Jewish books and reviewers to post reviews and comments, too.
The new address for Jewish book reviews is Jewish Book Reviews.
We'll probably keep posting non-review news here.
The new address for Jewish book reviews is Jewish Book Reviews.
We'll probably keep posting non-review news here.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Books Received: "The Optimistic Jew"
Newly received, waiting for a review: The Optimistic Jew: A Positive Vision for the Jewish People in the 21st Century by Tsvi Bisk. The publisher is Maxanna Press.
Publication date is August 1.
Stay tuned...
Publication date is August 1.
Stay tuned...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Shavuot books
Shavuot, perhaps the least ritually enriched holiday of the three festivals. But fear not: there are books and CDs about Shavuot. See Shavuot books at - where else? the Jewish Book Mall.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim)
Today is Jerusalem Day. Celebrate with a book, music, movie, game, magazine, software, Judaica item, or even clothing related to Jerusalem.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Operation Solomon reviewed
Few in the Western world are aware of the story: in a day and a half in May, 1991, Israel airlifted 14,310 black Jews from Ethiopia to safety in the Jewish state.
Stephen Spector has written a thoughtful account of this rescue, titled Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews (Oxford, 2005) with in-depth analysis of all the people and organizations involved. It's now available in both hard and soft covers, and should be required reading for anyone who has ever heard (false) charges of racism thrown at Israel and Zionism. Really, how many countries would have done the same?
Stephen Spector has written a thoughtful account of this rescue, titled Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews (Oxford, 2005) with in-depth analysis of all the people and organizations involved. It's now available in both hard and soft covers, and should be required reading for anyone who has ever heard (false) charges of racism thrown at Israel and Zionism. Really, how many countries would have done the same?
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Divahn is delightful
Not long ago, we had the pleasure of attending a benefit concert for the people of Darfur. One of the two acts perfroming was the delightful Divahn, a musical mix of Persian and other Middle Eastern Jewish rhythms with...believe it or not, instruments that include a banjo.
The vocals are powerful. The instrumentation is cool. You never heard Dror Yikra at double time before? Give Divahn a listen.
The vocals are powerful. The instrumentation is cool. You never heard Dror Yikra at double time before? Give Divahn a listen.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Jewish conspiracies?
It's far from the best selling Jewish book at Amazon...but if you search for "jewish", it's the first result. One reviewer says anti-Semites should read it. But we wonder if they'd get the joke. Yes, it's a humor book.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Jewish Posters
In the blogosphere, there are Jewish posters, and then there are Jewish posters.
The former are those who post in Jewish blogs; um, like this one.
The latter are the kind with pictures of Israeli desert landscapes or Marc Chagall prints. These can be found at the Jewish Book Mall's Jewish Posters page.
The former are those who post in Jewish blogs; um, like this one.
The latter are the kind with pictures of Israeli desert landscapes or Marc Chagall prints. These can be found at the Jewish Book Mall's Jewish Posters page.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Capital Punishment in the Talmud - Book Wins Award
From a JTS press release:
Dr. Beth Berkowitz, Assistant Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at The Jewish Theological Seminary, has been awarded the 2006 Baron Book Prize for her book Execution and Invention: Death Penalty Discourse in Early Rabbinic and Christian Cultures (Oxford University Press 2006).
Presented by the American Academy for Jewish Research, the Baron Book Prize recognizes the author of an outstanding first book in Jewish studies that makes a significant contribution to the field. All winners must have received their doctorates within the past seven years.
Execution and Invention argues that the ancient Rabbis augment their own authority through their laws of capital punishment. This argument runs counter to the commonly held position that the Rabbis opposed capital punishment and did everything they could to abolish it.
Dr. Berkowitz specializes in rabbinic literature, Judaism and Christianity in late antiquity, ritual studies, theories and methods in the study of religion, and cultural criticism. Dr. Berkowitz received a bachelor of arts, master of philosophy, and doctorate in religious studies from Columbia University. In addition, she holds a master of arts from University of Chicago Divinity School. She was a post-doctoral fellow in the Program of Judaic Studies in the Religious Studies Department at Yale University from 2001 to 2003. Dr. Berkowitz has taught at Columbia University and Yale University. Currently, she is working on a book titled Anxieties of Identity in Jewish Reading: Leviticus 18:3 and the Laws of the Gentiles.
Dr. Beth Berkowitz, Assistant Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at The Jewish Theological Seminary, has been awarded the 2006 Baron Book Prize for her book Execution and Invention: Death Penalty Discourse in Early Rabbinic and Christian Cultures (Oxford University Press 2006).
Presented by the American Academy for Jewish Research, the Baron Book Prize recognizes the author of an outstanding first book in Jewish studies that makes a significant contribution to the field. All winners must have received their doctorates within the past seven years.
Execution and Invention argues that the ancient Rabbis augment their own authority through their laws of capital punishment. This argument runs counter to the commonly held position that the Rabbis opposed capital punishment and did everything they could to abolish it.
Dr. Berkowitz specializes in rabbinic literature, Judaism and Christianity in late antiquity, ritual studies, theories and methods in the study of religion, and cultural criticism. Dr. Berkowitz received a bachelor of arts, master of philosophy, and doctorate in religious studies from Columbia University. In addition, she holds a master of arts from University of Chicago Divinity School. She was a post-doctoral fellow in the Program of Judaic Studies in the Religious Studies Department at Yale University from 2001 to 2003. Dr. Berkowitz has taught at Columbia University and Yale University. Currently, she is working on a book titled Anxieties of Identity in Jewish Reading: Leviticus 18:3 and the Laws of the Gentiles.
Available via the Jewish Book Mall at http://www.jewishbookmall.com/shop/asinsearch_0195179196/Execution+and+Invention:+Death+Penalty+Discourse+in+Early+Rabbinic+and+Christian+Cultures.html
Monday, April 23, 2007
Happy Yom Ha'atzmaut!
It's Israel's Independence Day. Why not celebrate with products from Israel, a book on Israel, or a CD of Israeli music?
New look for the Jewish Book Mall
Nothing earthshaking, but it had been several years since we'd updated the look of the Jewish Book Mall site. How many? Well, it hadn't actually changed much since we got on the web in 2002.
Sure, the contents change all the time. But we decided the yellowish parchment look was getting tired. Now there's a plain white background and a somewhat more modern-looking font.
Comments welcome. We won't be offended if you tell us we're wearing a plaid jacket over a striped shirt. The Jewish Book Mall recognizes that it must pay some semblance of homage to design taste. It's just that we'd rather focus on Jewish books.
Sure, the contents change all the time. But we decided the yellowish parchment look was getting tired. Now there's a plain white background and a somewhat more modern-looking font.
Comments welcome. We won't be offended if you tell us we're wearing a plaid jacket over a striped shirt. The Jewish Book Mall recognizes that it must pay some semblance of homage to design taste. It's just that we'd rather focus on Jewish books.
New look for the Jewish Book Mall
Nothing earthshaking, but it had been several years since we'd updated the look of the Jewish Book Mall site. How many? Well, it hadn't actually changed much since we got on the web in 2002.
Sure, the contents change all the time. But we decided the yellowish parchment look was getting tired. Now there's a plain white background and a somewhat more modern-looking font.
Comments welcome. We won't be offended if you tell us we're wearing a plaid jacket over a striped shirt. The Jewish Book Mall recognizes that it must pay some semblance of homage to design taste. It's just that we'd rather focus on Jewish books.
Sure, the contents change all the time. But we decided the yellowish parchment look was getting tired. Now there's a plain white background and a somewhat more modern-looking font.
Comments welcome. We won't be offended if you tell us we're wearing a plaid jacket over a striped shirt. The Jewish Book Mall recognizes that it must pay some semblance of homage to design taste. It's just that we'd rather focus on Jewish books.
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