Showing titles in Judaism

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah (and Esther) cover about 100 years, closing the Old Testament historical books. The books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles closed with the Southern Kingdom (Judah)'s going into captivity. The two post-exile books of Ezra and Nehemiah record the return from Babylon after its fall to the Persians under Cyrus, the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem, and the reestablishment of the national life of Israel. This study contains eight hours of verse-by-verse teachings.

During World War II, Heinz Drossel saved Soviet prisoners of war and several Jews, including Marianne Hirschfeld. Again and again, he wasn't afraid to risk his own life when others' safety was at risk. Nearly all of Hirschfeld's family members were murdered by Nazis; she survived in hiding - and met Heinz again by coincidence after the war was over. They married in 1946. At that time, starting over was difficult. In the judicial service, Drossel witnessed Nazis continuing with their careers....

In 1943 Polish underground fighter John Wiernicki is captured and beaten by the Gestapo, then shipped to Auschwitz. In this chilling memoir, Wiernicki, a Gentile, details life in the infamous death camp, and his battle to survive, physically and morally, in the face of utter evil. The author begins by remembering his aristocratic youth, an idyllic time shattered by German invasion.

The Stoics are known for their wonderful wisdom on how a person can live a life of happiness, peace, and virtue amid an unreasonable and ever-changing world. Stoicism is not an escape from reality, but a way to overcome the harsh realities of life. Despite so many changes in our current world, the teachings of Stoicism remain true and applicable in the modern age.

“One of the greatest religious biographies ever written.” – Dennis Prager In this enlightening biography, Joseph Telushkin offers a captivating portrait of the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a towering figure who saw beyond conventional boundaries to turn his movement...

A boundless source of consolation and intellectual stimulation and one of the central texts of Judaism, the Talmud is not only a great compilation of ancient wisdom concerning law, religion, history, ethics, metaphysics, and folklore; it is also a treasure trove of aphorism, maxims, and witty sayings, including:Adversity is the true school of mind. Avoid anger and thou wilt not sin. Too many captains sink the ship. The noblest of all charities is in enabling the poor to earn a livelihood. Dignity does not consist in a silk dress.

Jewish mysticism is a powerful study within the Jewish tradition. Rooted in antiquity and veiled in mystery until quite recently, Jewish mysticism has burst into the modern world in guises both illuminating and bewildering. Throughout Jewish history, flashes of the light held within sacred texts have sparked the sages' inquisitive minds throughout the diaspora. Rising out of the ashes of the temples once standing in Jerusalem, the texts and theologies associated with Jewish mysticism have comforted and ecstatically raise those who have used their knowledge.

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt is the hit weekly podcast that illuminates the vast, beautiful, and often unexplored tapestry of Jewish identity, through deeply honest and personal conversations with notable Jews and non-Jewish allies alike. Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves. https://beingjewishpodcast.com/join

This weekend marks Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and one of the holiest times in the Jewish calendar. But what does that mean? Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Jewish faith, worship, culture, and customs in this fascinating best seller. Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch reveals the reasons behind specific laws, practices, and ceremonies, shedding light on one of the world's oldest and most influential religions.

History teaches that antisemitism is a disease which begins with the Jews but does not end with them. Once antisemitism is unleashed, it knows no bounds and can attack the very fabric of society. This deadly strain of hatred often turns against other minority groups too, not to mention foundational democratic values, beginning with equal rights and equal protection before the law. Therefore, antisemitism should be viewed as a universal human rights issue of importance to all, and not solely as a parochial Jewish or Israeli concern.

When we conjure up the idea of the devil and the demonic hordes in our mind, we are often thinking in the context of how Christianity has portrayed them. The devil and his supposed horns, the Exorcist’s battle with the demon possessed, the inverted cross, the Osculum infame (The Infamous kiss) or the Black Mass in which a young woman is sacrificed to Satan. All these are mostly influenced by Christian ideas in some way or another. The Prominence of Christianity in the study of demonology cannot be denied.

Achieving a sense of self-mastery and inner freedom demands that we gain a measure of hegemony over our thoughts. We learn to choose our thoughts so we are not at the mercy of whatever burps up to the mind, thus transforming a cluttered mind into a peaceful inner state of awareness. Through quieting the mind and conscious breathing, we can slow the onrush of anxious, scattered thinking and come to a deeper awareness of the interconnectedness of all of life.

Renowned French occultist Eliphas Levi left behind a vast legacy of fundamental esoteric writings that have influenced a century and a half of writers that followed in his footsteps. Here he examines the true science of the Holy Kabbalah, with attention paid to the Tetragrammaton, the Shemhamphorash and other symbolic parts of the overall tradition.

Because of her gender and youth, Irma Grese remains known today for her crimes against humanity in the camps of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. Executed at 22 years old, she was the youngest woman to die under British law in the 20th century. Irma Grese has gained notoriety as a villain in many diaries, journals, and creative works of Holocaust survivors. She has been studied by historians, psychologists, and psychiatrists across the world. What could cause someone to act as she did? After listening to this book, you'll be able to decide for yourself.

Three of the most popular and sought after apocryphal books are now presented in a single volume. The Book of Enoch is quoted by Jude, cited by Peter, and read by the apostles, Enoch (1 Enoch) informs our ideas of angels and demons. The book describes the fall of a group of angels called the Watchers, who took the daughters of men as wives and fathered the Nephilim (Genesis 6: 1-2). Enoch goes on to record amazing visions of heaven and the workings thereof. Enoch is an ancient Jewish religious work, traditionally ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah.

Serious students of the Bible quickly discover the diversity that stems from the human origins of Scripture, such as different authors writing in different times, places, genres, and languages. Written by an expert in biblical theology, this short, accessible book helps listeners understand the unity that springs from the divine authorship of Scripture and how the whole Bible fits together.

Stephen 'Pista' Nasser was 13 years old when the Nazis whisked him and his family away from their home in Hungary to Auschwitz. His memories of that terrifying experience are still vivid, and his love for his brother Andris still brings a husky tone to his voice when he remembers the terrible ordeal they endured together. Stephen's account of the Holocaust, told in the refreshingly direct and optimistic language of a young boy, will help every listener to understand that the Holocaust was real.

Bloomsbury presents Celebrating Life: Finding Happiness in Unexpected Places by Jonathan Sacks, read by Daniel Epstein. Following the painful loss of his father, former Chief Rabbi Sacks began to learn how to celebrate life in a new way. Based, in part, on Rabbi Sacks’s collection of columns...

A groundbreaking historical study based on documents previously locked in the Vatican’s secret archives: The Popes Against the Jews graphically shows how the Catholic Church helped make the Holocaust possible. Pope John Paul II, as part of his effort to improve Catholic-Jewish relations, has...

It's a great irony that Israel was more secure as an idea than its ever been as a nation with an army. In AD 70, when the Second Temple was destroyed, a handful of visionaries saved Judaism by reinventing it - by taking what had been a national religion, identified with a particular place, and turning it into an idea. Jews no longer needed Jerusalem to be Jews.