Tree of Souls by
The first anthology of Jewish mythology in English, Tree of Souls reveals a mythical tradition as rich and as fascinating as any in the world. Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lorecollected in the modern era, Schwartz has gathered together nearly 700 of the key Jewish myths. The myths themselves are marvelous. We read of Adams diamond and the Land of Eretz (where it is always dark), the fall of Lucifer and the quarrel of the sun and the moon, the Treasury of Souls and theDivine Chariot. We discover new tales about the great figures of the Hebrew Bible, from Adam to Moses; stories about God's Bride, the Shekhinah, and the evil temptress, Lilith; plus many tales about angels and demons, spirits and vampires, giant beasts and the Golem. Equally important, Schwartzprovides a wealth of additional information. For each myth, he includes extensive commentary, revealing the source of the myth and explaining how it relates to other Jewish myths as well as to world literature (for instance, comparing Eves release of evil into the world with Pandoras). For ease ofuse, Schwartz divides the volume into ten books, Myths of God, Myths of Creation, Myths of Heaven, Myths of Hell, Myths of the Holy Word, Myths of the Holy Time, Myths of the Holy People, Myths of the Holy Land, Myths of Exile, and Myths of the Messiah.
Hanukkah in America by
Explores the ways American Jews have reshaped Hanukkah traditions across the country In New Orleans, Hanukkah means decorating your door with a menorah made of hominy grits. Latkes in Texas are seasoned with cilantro and cayenne pepper. Children in Cincinnati sing Hanukkah songs and eat oranges and ice cream. While each tradition springs from its own unique set of cultural references, what ties them together is that they all celebrate a holiday that is different in America than it is any place else. For the past two hundred years, American Jews have been transforming the ancient holiday of Hanukkah from a simple occasion into something grand. Each year, as they retell its story and enact its customs, they bring their ever-changing perspectives and desires to its celebration. Providing an attractive alternative to the Christian dominated December, rabbis and lay people alike have addressed contemporary hopes by fashioning an authentically Jewish festival that blossomed in their American world. The ways in which Hanukkah was reshaped by American Jews reveals the changing goals and values that emerged among different contingents each December as they confronted the reality of living as a religious minority in the United States. Bringing together clergy and laity, artists and businessmen, teachers, parents, and children, Hanukkah has been a dynamic force for both stability and change in American Jewish life. The holiday?s distinctive transformation from a minor festival to a major occasion that looms large in the American Jewish psyche is a marker of American Jewish life. Drawing on a varied archive of songs, plays, liturgy, sermons, and a range of illustrative material, as well as developing portraits of various communities, congregations, and rabbis, Hanukkah in America reveals how an almost forgotten festival became the most visible of American Jewish holidays.
Coming of Age in Jewish America by
The Jewish practice of bar mitzvah dates back to the twelfth century, but this ancient cultural ritual has changed radically since then, evolving with the times and adapting to local conditions. For many Jewish-American families, a child's bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah is both a major social event and a symbolic means of asserting the family's ongoing connection to the core values of Judaism.
The Jewish Americans by
Judaism is considered by many to be both an ethnicity and a religion. This dual relationship has made Jews in America distinct from other minority groups. From the colonial period to the late 20th and early 21st century, waves of immigrant Jews have influenced the practice and overall identity of the American Jewish community based on the places from which they came. Today, Israel's policy of automatically granting Jews around the world dual citizenship has created a strong tie to that country and further complicated the intricate relationship American Jews have with America.
Leaves from the Garden of Eden by
In Leaves from the Garden of Eden, Howard Schwartz, a three-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award, has gathered together one hundred of the most astonishing and luminous stories from Jewish folk tradition.Just as Schwartz's award-winning book Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism collected the essential myths of Jewish tradition, Leaves from the Garden of Eden collects one hundred essential Jewish tales. As imaginative as the Arabian Nights, these stories invoke enchanted worlds, demonicrealms, and mystical experiences. The four most popular types of Jewish tales are gathered here--fairy tales, folktales, supernatural tales, and mystical tales--taking readers on heavenly journeys, lifelong quests, and descents to the underworld. King David is still alive in the City of Luz, whichthe Angel of Death cannot enter, and somewhere deep in the forest a mysterious cottage contains the candle of your soul. In these stories, a bride who is not careful may end up marrying a demon, while the charm sewn into a dress may drive a pious woman to lascivious behavior. There is a dybbuklurking in a well, a book that comes to life, and a world where Lilith, the Queen of Demons, seduces the unsuspecting. Here too are Jewish versions of many of the best-known tales, including "Cinderella," "Snow White," and "Rapunzel." Schwartz's retelling of one of these stories, "The Finger,"inspired Tim Burton's film Corpse Bride.With its broad selection from written and oral sources, Leaves from the Garden of Eden is a landmark collection, representing the full range of Jewish folklore, from the Talmud to the present. It is a must-read for everyone who loves fiction and an ideal holiday gift.
Jews and Baseball by
Traces the arc of Jews in baseball after Hank Greenberg retired in 1948. During this post-war period, Jews saw greater acceptance into the American mainstream as organized anti-Semitism was largely displaced by greater affluence, education, and a more geographically dispersed Jewish community. Jews continued to flourish in baseball - new stars like Al Rosen, Sandy Koufax and Shawn Green debuted. This book further demonstrates how and why Jews and baseball have continued to grow together.
Julius Rosenwald: The Man Who Built Sears, Roebuck and Advanced the Cause of Black Education in the American South by
Peter M. Ascoli brings to life a portrait of businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, the son of first-generation German Jewish immigrants, who fashioned Sears, Roebuck and Company into the greatest mail order firm in the world and also founded Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. In the American South Rosenwald helped support the building of the more than 5,300 schools, many for African American children, that bore his name.
Jewish American Literature: A Norton Anthology by
A "comprehensive anthology of Jewish American literature. Includes the works of 145 writers, from 1645 to the present, writing in all genres―fiction, poetry, drama, essays, letters, editorials, journals, autobiography, cartoons, song lyrics, and jokes."
Masterpieces of Jewish American Literature by
Jewish Americans have produced some of the most imaginative, provocative, and widely read literary works of the 20th century. This book gives students and general readers an introduction to ten of the most significant works of Jewish American literarure.
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America's First Synagogues
"Tells the story of the Jewish pilgrims who founded Congregation Shearith Israel-a 'Remnant of Israel'-in 1654 in the Dutch trading post of New Amsterdam, modern day New York City. Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI, built in 1763, is the oldest continual Jewish house of worship in the U.S. Viewers will also learn about the history of Sephardic Jews who fled to the New World to escape the Spanish Inquisition...."
A Life Apart: Hasidism in America by
With their use of the Yiddish language, their distinctive clothes and their strict observance to Jewish ritual and law, the Hasidim are considered by many an insular people with little connection to mainstream America. And yet their values are those that many Americans find most precious: family, community and a life of meaning.
Yidl in the Middle: Growing Up Jewish in Iowa. by