Originally published in Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought, 14:4 (Fall 1974), pp. 143-7. Jewish theology seems to be enjoying something of a renaissance today. It reached its high-point in the middle ages with the Jewish Aristotelians ... Continue Reading ➨
Review of ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ by Bernard Glassman
Originally published in Conservative Judaism, 52:1 (Fall 1999), pp. 81-2. Beyond Reasonable Doubt, by Louis Jacobs. London and Portland, Oregon: The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 1999. 267 pages. Louis Jacob’s new book, Beyond ... Continue Reading ➨
Face to Faith
Originally published in The Guardian, 2 April 1984. Theological terms are notoriously imprecise (now could they be otherwise given their subject matter?), but clarity ought to be sought were it is readily available. Fundamentalism, for example ... Continue Reading ➨
The Jewish Approach to Racial Prejudice
Unpublished article, most likely written in the 1950s. The terms and overall approach will likely shock our readers. We ask that they take historical context into account while approaching this piece, and stress that the largest majority of rabbis ... Continue Reading ➨
Herbert Rosenblum, ‘Conservative Judaism: A Contemporary History’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 30 March 1984. Conservative Judaism: A Contemporary History. By Herbert Rosenblum. United Synagogue of America, New York, 1983. As this brief, popular, but far from inadequate account shows, the ... Continue Reading ➨
Questions of Personal Status
Originally published in New London Forum: Journal of the New London Synagogue, 1:2 (September 1983). The Editorial Board is most grateful to the Congregation for the welcome it accorded to the first issue and now places before it a symposium on ... Continue Reading ➨
Simon Greenberg, ‘A Jewish Philosophy and Pattern of Life’ (JC)
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 19 March 1982. A Jewish Philosophy and Pattern of Life. By Simon Greenberg. The Jewish Theological Seminary of America/Ktav, New York. $17.50. For the oft-repeated “Jewish way of life” to be ... Continue Reading ➨
Jacob Neusner, ‘Judaism: The Evidence of the Mishnah’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 23 April 1982. Judaism: The Evidence of the Mishnah. By Jacob Neusner. University of Chicago Press. £17.50. After compiling no fewer than 43 books (!) of detailed literary analysis of five orders of ... Continue Reading ➨
J. A. Emerton & Stefen C. Reif (eds.), ‘Interpreting the Hebrew Bible: Essays in honour of E. I. J. Rosenthal’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 10 December 1982. Interpreting the Hebrew Bible: Essays in honour of E. I. J. Rosenthal. Edited by J. A. Emerton and Stegan C. Reif. Cambridge University Press. £22.50. In addition to a delightful ... Continue Reading ➨
A. A. Macintosh & Otto Kaiser – 2 reviews on commentaries to Isaiah
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 5 June 1981. Isaiah XXI: a Palimpsest. By A. A. Macintosh. Cambridge University Press. £12.50. Isaiah 13-39. By Otto Kaiser. Translated from the German by R. A. Wilson. SCM Press. £7.50. A ... Continue Reading ➨
John Barton, ‘Amos’s Oracles against the Nations’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 20 March 1981. Amos’s Oracles against the Nations. By John Barton. Cambridge University Press. £7.50. Dr. Barton’s brief (only 83 pages) but very scholarly monograph analyses the opening section of ... Continue Reading ➨
Mircea Eliade; Robert P. Carroll; Sheldon H. Blank – 5 reviews on the prophetic experience
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 1984. A History of Religious Ideas. By Mircea Eliade. Collins. £12.00. When Prophecy Failed. By Robert P. Carroll. SCM Press. £7.50. Prophetic Essays and Addressee. By Sheldon H. Blank. ... Continue Reading ➨
Gerald Hammond, ‘The Making of the English Bible’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 1982. The Making of the English Bible. By Gerald Hammond. Carcanet New Press, Manchester. £9.95. Gerald Hammond shows how the translators responsible for the Authorised Version carried out their ... Continue Reading ➨
William W. Simpson, ‘Jewish Prayer and Worship: An Introduction for Christians’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 20 August 1982. Jewish Prayer and Worship: An Introduction for Christians. By William W. Simpson. SCM Press. £2.95. William W. Simpson’s excellent introduction to Jewish prayers for Christian ... Continue Reading ➨
Ninian Smart & Richard D. Hecht (eds.), ‘Sacred Texts of the World: A Universal Anthology’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 25 February 1983. Sacred Texts of the World: A Universal Anthology. Edited by Ninian Smart and Richard D. Hecht. Macmillan. £14.95. A useful test for a Jewish reader wishing to buy a work on ... Continue Reading ➨
Zeev W. Falk, ‘Law and Religion’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 11 December 1981. Law and Religion. By Zeev W. Falk. Mesharim Publishers, Jerusalem. $10. Jewish law, like any other legal system, can be approached as if it operates entirely under its own ... Continue Reading ➨
Louis Barish, ‘Varieties of Jewish Belief’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 17 October 1980. Varieties of Jewish Belief. By Louis and Rebecca Barish. Jonathan David, New York. Distributed by Jewish Chronicle Publications. £6.00. This reprint of Rabbi Barish’s “Basic Jewish ... Continue Reading ➨
Mayer Lerner, ‘Hadar Ha-Karmel’, Vol. 2
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle. Hadar Ha-Karmel, Vol 2. By Rabbi Mayer Lerner, edited by Rabbi J. D. Feld and published by the author’s son. London, N.P. This is the second volume (the first was published in 1970 and reviewed in ... Continue Reading ➨
C. K. Barrett, E. Bammel, and W. D. Davies, ‘Donum Gentillicium: New Testament Studies in honour of David Daube’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 14 July 1978. Donum Gentillicium: New Testament Studies in honour of David Daube. Edited by C. K. Barrett, E. Bammel and W. D. Davies. Clarendon Press, Oxford University Press. £15.00. The time is ... Continue Reading ➨
Israel Weinstock, ‘Studies in Jewish Philosophy and Mysticism’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 23 July 1971. Studies in Jewish Philosophy and Mysticism (Hebrew). By Israel Weinstock. Mossad Harav Kook, Jerusalem. The conventional view in Jewish scholarship is that the Cabala, which arose in ... Continue Reading ➨