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To Be a Jew: A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life by Hayim Halevy Donin ISBN: 0465086322 (Orthodox)
To Life!: A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking by Harold S. Kushner ISBN: 0446670022 (Conservative)
Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History Rabbi Joseph Telushkin ISBN: 0688085067 (Orthodox)
Basic Judaism by Milton Steinberg ISBN: 0156106981 (mixed) A good intro to basic Judaism.
Jewish Wisdom: Ethical, Spiritual, and Historical Lessons from the Great Works and Thinkers by Joseph Telushkin ISBN: 0688129587
Words That Hurt Words That Heal: How to Choose Words Wisely and Well by Joseph Telushkin ISBN: 0688124453
Do Unto Others: How Good Deeds Can Change Your Life by Abraham Twerski ISBN: 0836235975 How doing the right thing can change your life as well as the life of those whom you help. This book is uplifting and inspiring.
Growing Each Day by Abraham Twerski ISBN: 0899065791 Growing day by day as a better, more ethical person. This book works on middos, character traits.
Small Miracles: Extraordinary Coincidences from Everyday Life by Yitta Halberstam Mandelbaum and Judith Leventhal ISBN: 15585064629 Inspiring stories about "coincidences" that are more than coincidences. It shows the "hand" of G-d working in our lives.
Small Miracles II by Yitta Halberstam Mandelbaum and Judith Leventhal ISBN: 1580620477 More inspiring stories about "coincidences" that are more than coincidences. It shows more of the "hand" of G-d working in our lives.
Small Miracles of Love & Friendship: Remarkable Coincidences of Warmth and Devotion by Yitta Halberstam Mandelbaum and Judith Leventhal ISBN: 1580621805 Stories of people finding each other despite the odds.
In the Footsteps of the Maggid by Paysach J. Krohn ISBN: 089906597X Inspiring stories of generations past.
Maggid Speaks: Favorite Stories & Parables of Rabbi Sholom Schwadron by Paysach J. Krohn ISBN: 0899062318 The book that launched the Maggid series. Inspiring.
Do Unto Others by Abraham Twerski ISBN: 0836235975 Inspirational stories and insites that help you grow in kindness.
Living Each Day by Abraham Twerski ISBN: 0899065619 Daily quotes and inspirational discussions.
It's Not As Tough As You Think by Abraham Twerski ISBN: 1578192595 Inspirational stories and formulas to "smooth out life's bumps".
It's Not As Tough at Home as You Think by Abraham Twerski ISBN: 157819475X Inspirational stories and formulas to make "family life smoother and better".
Being Jewish in a Gentile World: A Survival Guide by Ronald A. Brauner ISBN: 096485080X I am privileged to have Rabbi Brauner, Ph.D as one of my teachers at the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies. I think this book is essential reading. This book is excellent and gives many insites not only about how to survive as a Jew in a Gentile world, but what it means to "love the L-RD" with all our heart, soul, and might. Dr. Brauner is extremely knowlegable and he conveys some of his knowledge to the reader in an interesting and understandable way.
Toward a Meaningful Life: The Wisdom of the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn by Simon Jacobson (Editor), Menahem Mendel Schneersohn, Menachem Mendel Schneerson ISBN: 068814196X (Lubavitch Hasidic)
Who Needs God by Harold Kushner ISBN: 0671680277
Jewish Views of the Afterlife by Simcha Paull Raphael ISBN: 1568219385 Yes, we actually do have a belief in the afterlife, though the Jewish religion puts much more emphasis on what we do in this life. This book gives views from a variety of Jewish thinkers throught the ages on the afterlife.
The World of Orthodox Judaism by Eli W. Schlossberg ISBN: 0765759551 A glimpse at what it means to be Orthodox for those who aren't.
The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism by Dennis Prager, Joseph Telushkin ISBN: 0671622617
From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters. ISBN: 0963624202 A timely book recently reprinted. This book tells the true background of the conflict in Israel with the Arabs.
The Jews in Their Land in the Talmudic Age (70-640 C.E.) by Gedalia Alon, Gershon Levi ISBN: 0674474953 An excellent book on Jewish history during the age of the Talmud.
A History of the Jewish People by H. H. Ben-Sasson ISBN: 0674397312 This scholarly book is an excellent book on Jewish history.
Why the Jews? by Prager and Teluskin ISBN: 067155624X The best explaination I have read for why there is so much hatred of the Jewish people throughout history.
Everyman's Talmud: The Major Teachings of the Rabbinic Sages by Abraham Cohen ISBN: 0805210326 I think this book is a classic, and a good way to get a basic understanding of Talmud, with some indepth looks at rather important Jewish topics.
The Living Torah Aryeh Kaplan, Translator.
The Stone Edition Tanach: The Torah/ Prophets/ Writings: The Twenty-four Books of the Bible Newley Translated and Annotated Nosson Scherman(Editor) See also the Stone Chumash in the section below. This book, beautifully covered in a tooled black, leather-look cover, contains the complete Tanach in both Hebrew and English. While the commentary is not as extensive as that of the Stone Chumash, it does have brief notes where appropriate. Unique to translations, the Song of Songs is presented as the allegory the Rabbis viewed it as, with the literal translation complete in the commentary. I highly recommend this book for anyone serious about studying the Tanach.
Tanakh: A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (Paperback version) Jewish Publication Society ISBN: 0827603665 A good basic translation in modern English. Like any translation, there are a few problems and some of the nuance of the origianal Hebrew is lost. Yet, overall, I recommend having this translation. If you prefer larger print, go for the hardback version right below.
Tanakh: A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (Hardback version) Jewish Publication Society ISBN: 0827602529 A good basic translation in modern English. Like any translation, there are a few problems and some of the nuance of the origianal Hebrew is lost. Yet, overall, I recommend having this translation. If you prefer more portablity, go for the paperback version right above.
JPS Torah Commentary Set Jewish Publication Society ISBN: 0827603312 An indepth commentary that draws both on the traditional commentaries as well as archeology and other modern day finds. Each book of the Torah is covered in a separate book of this 5 book set. The complete text of the Torah in both Hebrew and English are there, along with the commentary.
The Canonization of Hebrew Scripture: The Talmudic and Midrashic Evidence by Sid Z. Leiman ISBN: 1878508040 A good scholarly book about how the Hebrew Scriptures got canonized, and when.
Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Israel by Nahum M. Sarna ISBN: 0805210636 Sarna also did the JPS commentary on Exodus. He includes historical and archeological information, as well as drawing from traditional Jewish sources.
On the Book of Psalms: Exploring the Prayers of Ancient Israel by Nahum M. Sarna ISBN: 0805210237 Valuable insites into the Psalms as a whole and some individual Psalms.
Understanding Genesis: the Heritage of Biblical Israel by Nahum M. Sarna ISBN: 0805202536 Sarna also did the JPS commentary on Genesis. He includes historical and archeological information, as well as drawing from traditional Jewish sources.
The Chumash: The Torah: Haftoras and Five Megillos with a Commentary Anthologized from the Rabbinic Writtings by Rabbi Nosson Scherman ISBN: 0899060145 First published in 1993, this commentary on the Torah is already a classic. The beauty of the cover is only surpassed by the beauty of the words contained therein. The Torah is in easily read Hebrew on the right, with the Aramic translation of Onkelos next to it, and Rashi's Hebrew commentary below. The left hand page has a quality English translation and commentary based upon Rabbinic sources. This book should be in every Jewish home and in the hands of every bnai mitzvah.
Biblical Literacy: The Most Important People, Events, and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible by Joseph Telushkin ISBN: 0688142974
The Complete Artscroll Siddur (Paperback) by N. Scherman ISBN: 0899066550 The Siddur with commentary and explainatory notes, I use this version when I am away from home. Nusach Ashkenazi.
Siddur: The Complete Artscroll Siddur (Hardback) by N. Scherman ISBN: 089906650X The Siddur with commentary and explainatory notes, I use this version when I am home. Nusach Ashkenazi. Also available in Nusach Separd
Modern Hebrew
Hebrew: A Language Course Primer by Sheldon Dorah, Lois Rothblum, Bella Bergman (Contributor), Ora Band (Contributor) ISBN: 0874414636 This is the first in the series of books teaching modern Israeli Hebrew.
Sorry, but level 1 appears not to be currently available
Hebrew : A Language Course Level 2 by Ora Band (Editor) ISBN: 0874413605 This is the second in the series of books teaching modern Israeli Hebrew.
Hebrew : A Language Course Level 3 by Ora Band, Bella Bergman (Editor) ISBN: 0874413818 This is the third in the series of books teaching modern Israeli Hebrew.
Science in the Light of Torah: A B'or Ha'Torah Reader by Herman Branover, Ilana Coven Attia (Editor) ISBN: 1568210345
Genesis and the Big Bang: The Discovery of Harmony Between Modern Science and the Bible by Gerald L. Schroeder ISBN: 0553354132 A pysicist finds harmony between the big bang and the creation account in Genesis.
The Science of G-d: The Convergence of Scientific and Biblical Wisdom by Gerald L. Schroeder ISBN: 0684837366
To Be a Jewish Woman by Lisa Aiken ISBN: 1568211538 The role of Jewish women in Torah Judaism, including our obligations.
Tradition in a Rootless World: Women Turn to Orthodox Judaism by Lynn Davidman ISBN: 0520075455 Personal accounts of women who have become Orthodox.
The Woman in Jewish Law and Tradition by Michael Kaufman ISBN: 1568216246 Both a historical treatement of women in Jewish law, as well as up to date information on women in Torah Judaism.
The Jewish Way in Love and Marriage by Maurice Lamm ISBN: 0824603532
Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls: The History of Judaism, the Background of Christianity, and the Lost Library of Qumran (Anchor Bible Reference Libr) by Lawrence H. Schiffman ISBN: 0385481217 This book clearifies, in my opinion, many of the missconseptions surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is important to get a Jewish perspective on what are, after all, Jewish documents.
Teshuvah: A Guide for the Newly Observant Jew by Adin Steinsaltz ISBN: 0765759500
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