Review (PDF) The Jew In The Modern World: A Documentary History
The last two centuries have witnessed a radical transformation of Jewish life. Marked by such profound events as the emancipation from the ghettoes of Europe, the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel, Judaism's long journey through the modern age has been a complex and tumultuous one, leading many Jews to ask themselves not only where they have been and where they are going, but what it means to be a Jew in today's world.Tracing the dramatic changes in Jewish religion, culture, and identity from the seventeenth century to 1948, The Jew in the Modern World, Third Edition, remains the most complete sourcebook on modern Jewish history available. Now thoroughly expanded and updated, this critically acclaimed volume of primary materials features previously unpublished and inaccessible sources concerning the Jewish experience in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa; women in Jewish history; American Jewish life; the Holocaust; and Zionism and the nascent Jewish community in Palestine on the eve of the establishment of the State of Israel. The documents are arranged chronologically in each chapter and are meticulously and extensively annotated and cross-referenced. Providing useful tables detailing Jewish demographic trends, this unique text is ideal for courses in modern Jewish history, Zionism and Israel, the Holocaust, or modern European history.
Paperback: 944 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 3 edition (December 21, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0195389069
ISBN-13: 978-0195389067
Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 1.3 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #317,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #330 in Books > History > World > Religious > Judaism #1125 in Books > History > World > Jewish #5634 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > History
As a Jewish history professor, I assign this book every semester I teach the modern era. It is undoubtedly the best collection of documents available.I was thrilled when I noticed that an electronic edition had finally been published, and I immediately purchased it.Unfortunately, the Kindle version is the second edition of the book, originally published in 1995, not the third edition, which was published in 2010. does not mention this anywhere on the product page. The editors made substantial revisions and additions for the third edition. Why would publish an outdated edition?So do not buy the Kindle edition because you will not be getting what you think you're getting. I believe this technically constitutes false advertising. And if expects their customers to go digital than they need to rethink their approach.And if you assign this book in class warn your students not to buy the Kindle edition.
You needn't read this book cover to cover. The book is a series of articles starting in the 1600's and progressing to recent times. Gives perspectives of people "dealing" with the Jews and perspectives of Jewish people. An article by the commandant of Auschwitz is followed by an article from a prisoner. Both will stay with me forever.
The third edition of this excellent anthology of sources includes many useful additions. (Less useful are the cross-references to texts in the second edition that were cut out from the third.) However, CAVEAT EMPTOR: the Kindle Edition advertised here is the SECOND EDITION, and hence not the same book as the third edition. should make this fact clear, and should offer free replacement of the outdated edition once the Kindle version of the 3rd edition is available. For the rest, the book has rightly taken its place as a staple on the reading list of undergraduate courses on modern Judaism.
This is an excellent supplementary reader for a Jewish studies course at the undergraduate upper division or graduate level. It contains a wealth of translated documents from the European Jewish experience in the modern period. It covers both the Western and Eastern European experience, and is an excellent source for studying the encounter of Judaism with modernity, particularly the haskalah and Hasidism.
This book is a collection of articles and excerpts from many of the main sources of Jewish History from the 1700's until present. The articles are grouped by topic. The topics start with emancipation and end off with Zionism and the Holocaust. Each article has a nice mini-biography at the end telling who the author of the article was ( or is ), and includes explanatory notes for those who aren't familiar with that era of Jewish History. The editors were quite even handed and give all sides space in their book, the only group over represented is converted Jews. After all less than .25% of all Jews converted in the 1800's. My only complaint is that they neglected two subjects. One, the Tshuva movement of the 70's to present and also the Shas phenamana of the 80's and 90's.
I enjoyed this book. It was used for a university course. The primary sources are very relevant and interesting. My only complaint is that the source selection is very partial toward non-observant Judaism. To fairly treat the topic, the editor really, really ought to include writings by Jonathan Sacks and make some reference to Chabad/the rebbe, Rav Solovetchik, Rav Kook, and some of the other great modern rabbis. I read this before even considering being a baal teshuva, and I had no idea after the class about how modern and relevant Orthodox Judaism is.
With little knowledge about Jewish modern history, from the late 1700's, I've learned about the thinking of the Jews of this period. Through letters and documents, both from Jews and non-Jews, this book gives us an interesting insight into the minds of the people across Europe during these turbulent times. I used this book in a class I took and it is both informative and interesting.
I purchased this book as part of a Bar Mitzvah gift for a relative. I had an opportunity to leaf through it before wrapping and was impressed with the lovely illustrations and the overall manner that the history was presented. In reading snipets of chapters, I felt that it was not only a reference book but a piece of literature that would encourage continued reading of the volume as well as additional research. It is my understanding that the young man who was the recipient was very pleased with this book, as were his parents.
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