Customer Reviews
A great one-volume survey - By: Kurt Messick, 13 Oct 2006 
This text is the primary text for a course I teach on Modern & Contemporary Judaism, at a university primarily set up for military personnel to get their education via distance education. It is ideally suited for a coursein Judaism, as it is divided into three broad sections (history, belief, & practice) which are eachin turn subdivided into short chapters easily digested by students, linking together well both within the sections & across the three principle divisions.
The longest section is the history section, & Cohn-Sherbok beginsin ancient Mesopotamia, drawing on archaeological evidence & chronicles of other ancient peoples as well as biblical sources for his development of the people who came to be called the Jews. Cohn-Sherbok presents both the popular and/or biblical accounts of the history as well as areas of divergence & controversy where archaeological & other data may conflict or be missing. This is true at different key periods such as the Exodus & conquest of Canaan, but occasionally this part is missing (for example, there are scholars who doubt the historicity of the figure David, due to lack of extra-biblical evidence; Cohn-Sherbok does not address this controversy).
Further into history, things become a bit more clear, & Cohn-Sherbok's discussion of the post-Babylonian development through the Hellenistic, Roman, Islamic, & European experiences is very solid. The discussions of the nineteenth & twentieth century include topics such as the Zionist movement, the increasing Diaspora throughout the world, the rise of Anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, the advent of the state of Israel, & a few speculations on the future of Judaismin the world. Being more than a religion or an ethnic identity, the future of Judaism looks to be as rich & complex as its past.
The second section of the text deals with beliefs. This is looks at some pointedly theological issues (the unity of God, providence, revelation, etc.) as well as some issues that point toward identity (the idea of a chosen people, the promised land). There is also a good discussion of messianic ideasin Judaism, & what is though about issues such as the afterlife. Cohn-Sherbok avoids the fairly common practice of discussing these ideasin relation to Christianity, to keep both the issue & discussion groundedin the Jewish context.
The third section is devoted to Jewish practice. Tying these two latter sections together, Cohn-Sherbok states that this `explores Judaism both as a religion & way of life, providing essential information on Jewish family & community customs as well as on the beliefs & traditions that have shaped the Jewish faith throughout nearly four thousand years of history.' Practices here refers both to religious rituals (worship, Sabbath, high holy days, etc.) as well as life-cycle & community practices that are incorporated into the way of life for Jews around the world.
This is a great one-volume survey of Judaism. It is comprehensive, accessible, interesting, well-illustrated with maps & pictures, & organisedin a good way. Perhaps the most helpful feature is the inclusion at the end of each chapter excerpts from original texts, letters & documents from the history, liturgical works, literary creations, & more. This gives a great sense of the flavour of Judaism apart from the words of a single author, & provides a more direct connection with the ideas & peoples discussed.
Another great benefit of the book is the accompanying free companion website, which provides more material, guides, maps, & other helpful pieces for students & general readers. This is a great text, & one I will continue to use for my courses.
