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JPS B'nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary The Many Faces of JPS Top row: Gittel Hilibrand, Esq., board president; David Smith, Esq., board chair; Carol Hupping, former managing editor; and David Lerman, board past president Middle row: Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz, director; Dr. Ruth Calderon, author; and Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson, Temple Emanu-El of New York | Dr. Lawrence H. Schiffman, co-editor Bottom row: Rabbi Arthur Green and Rabbi David Ellenson, authors | Joy Weinberg, managing editor; Dr. Malka Simkovich, author To make a tax-deductible donation to JPS or to inquire about supporting a program or a book publication, please contact director Rabbi Barry Schwartz at 215-832-0607 or [email protected] or visit jps.org. Are you building a Jewish home library? Look for the yad symbol for JPS recommendations New JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary RABBI JEFFREY K. SALKIN A pivotal book for teens For too many Jewish young people, bar/bat mitz- vah has been the beginning of the end of their Jewish journeys. When students perceive the Torah as incomprehensible or irrelevant, many form the false impression that Judaism has noth- ing to say to them. Enter the game-changer: The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary shows teens in their own language how Torah addresses the issues in their world. The conversational tone is inviting and dignified, concise and substantial, direct and informative. The narrative summaries, “big” ideas, model divrei Torah, haftarot commentaries, and discussion questions will engage teens in studying the Torah and haftarot, in writing divrei Torah, and continuing to learn Torah throughout their lives—making it the book every rabbi, can- tor, parent, and tutor will also want to have. Jewish learning—for young people and adults— will never be the same. “Rabbi Jeff Salkin has enabled b’nai mitzvah Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin serves as the senior to learn and teach Torah with a commen- rabbi of Temple Solel in Hollywood, Florida. tary that is wise, helpful, and brilliantly He is the author of Putting God on the Guest List: clear.”—Rabbi David Wolpe, senior rabbi How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child’s at Sinai Temple, Los Angeles, and author of Bar or Bat Mitzvah, winner of the 1993 Benja- David, the Divided Heart min Franklin Award for the best religion book published in the United States, and The Gods Are “A game-changer for b’nai mitzvah, their Broken: The Hidden Legacy of Abraham (JPS, 2013). parents and teachers. Salkin’s fresh in- “This is a fantastic resource . clear, coherent, sights remind us how transformative this and easy to understand. It encourages readers experience can be.”—Rabbi Aaron Miller, to grapple with real issues in the Bible that are Washington Hebrew Congregation relevant to them. It will be incredibly valuable not only to teens preparing to become bar/ April • 440 pp. bat mitzvah but also to adults in navigating, $29.95 paperback • 978-0-8276-1252-5 challenging, and connecting to the biblical For middle-grade readers text.”—Rabbi Danielle G. Eskow, co-founder of onlinejewishlearning.com ALSO OF INTEREST Bar Mitzvah, History RABBI MICHAEL HILTON $30.00 • paperback • 978-0-8276-0947-1 Order at jps.org or 800-848-6224 1 New Saving One’s Own Jewish Rescuers during the Holocaust MORDECAI PALDIEL Righting the wrongs of Holocaust history In this remarkable, historically significant book, Mordecai Paldiel recounts in vivid detail the many ways in which, at great risk to their own lives, Jews rescued other Jews during the Holocaust. In so doing he puts to rest the widely held belief that all Jews in Nazi-dominated Europe wore blinders and allowed themselves to be led like “lambs to the slaughter.” Paldiel documents how brave Jewish men and women saved thousands of their fellow Jews through efforts unprecedented in Jewish history. Encyclopedic in scope and organized by country, Saving One’s Own tells the stories of hundreds of Jew- ish activists who created rescue networks, escape routes, safe havens, and partisan fighting groups to save beleaguered Jewish men, women, and children from the Nazis. The rescuers’ dramatic stories are “The first of its kind . Saving One’s Own is very often shared in their own words, and Paldiel provides important because it illustrates the resilience extensive historical background and documentation. of people in Nazi-occupied Europe and dis- The untold story of these Jewish heroes, who dis- pels the myth of Jewish passivity during the played inventiveness and courage in outwitting the Holocaust. Thoroughly researched, exciting, enemy—and in saving literally thousands of Jews—is and engaging.”—Samuel P. Oliner, author finally revealed. of Who Shall Live: The Wilhelm Bachner Story Mordecai Paldiel is a professor of history at Yeshiva “Mordecai Paldiel has encyclopedic University–Stern College and Touro College and is knowledge of the subject. Country by a consultant to the International Raoul Wallenberg country, virtually institution by institution, Foundation. He is the former longtime director of he looks at ways in which Jews rescued the Righteous Among the Nations Department at Yad Jews. Strongly recommended.”—Michael Vashem and was himself rescued from the Holocaust Berenbaum, scholar, author, filmmaker, by a “Righteous Gentile.” Paldiel is the author of eight and former project director of the United books, including Sheltering the Jews: Stories of Holocaust States Holocaust Memorial Museum Rescuers and Saving the Jews: Amazing Stories of Men and April Women Who Defied the “Final Solution.” 672 pp. • 30 images, index $70.00 • hardcover • 978-0-8276-1261-7 ALSO OF INTEREST Remember for Life Holocaust Survivors' Stories of Faith and Hope EDITED BY BRAD HIRSCHFIELD $14.95 • paperback • 978-0-8276-1218-1 2 The Jewish Publication Society New Justice for All How the Jewish Bible Revolutionized Ethics JEREMIAH UNTERMAN Biblical ethics vs. Ancient Near East thought Justice for All demonstrates that the Jewish Bible, by radically changing the course of ethical thought, came to exercise enormous influence on Jewish thought and law and also laid the basis for Chris- tian ethics and the broader development of modern Western civilization. Jeremiah Unterman shows us persuasively that the ethics of the Jewish Bible represent a signifi- cant moral advance over Ancient Near East cultures. Moreover, he elucidates how the Bible’s unique conception of ethical monotheism, innovative un- derstanding of covenantal law, and revolutionary messages from the prophets form the foundation of many Western civilization ideals. Justice for All connects these timeless biblical texts to the per- sistent themes of our times: immigration policy, forgiveness and reconciliation, care for the less “Take notice. Jeremiah Unterman has privileged, and attaining hope for the future de- written a major book that expertly docu- spite destruction and exile in this world. ments the supremacy of the ethical in the Jeremiah Unterman is a resident scholar at the Hebrew Bible. It will affect not only how Herzl Institute, Jerusalem. He is the author of you understand the Bible but how you From Repentance to Redemption: Jeremiah’s Thought in live your life.”—Dennis Prager, nation- Transition and numerous scholarly articles. ally syndicated radio talk-show host and best-selling author of The Ten Command- “A wonderful work—insightful and important. ments: Still the Greatest Moral Code Jeremiah Unterman never loses sight of the fact that the Bible’s goal is to create a holy, moral “[Justice for All] demonstrates that the people. He convincingly demonstrates again and Jewish Bible, by radically changing the again that this is not just a modern reading of course of ethical thought, came to exer- the Bible but a statement of its original intent.” cise enormous cultural influence.” —Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of Jewish —Publishers Weekly Literacy and Biblical Literacy March 352 pp. • Index $35.00 • hardcover • 978-0-8276-1270-9 JPS Essential Judaism Series ALSO OF INTEREST From Gods to God How the Bible Debunked, Suppressed, or Changed Ancient Myths and Legends AVIGDOR SHINAN AND YAIR ZAKOVITCH TRANSLATED BY VALERIE ZAKOVITCH $27.95 • paperback • 978-0-8276-0908-2 Order at jps.org or 800-848-6224 3 New Chanting the Hebrew Bible, Second, Expanded Edition The Art of Cantillation JOSHUA R. JACOBSON An expanded edition of the most authoritative guide on cantillation In this encyclopedic text, completely revised and updated in this second edition, Joshua R. Jacobson presents the history of the ancient Jewish tradition of chanting the Bible and a comprehensive explana- tion of cantillation practice with its grammatical rules and regional variations. His unique system of analysis shows step-by-step how chanting dra- matizes and interprets the meaning of the biblical text. Jacobson also provides complete notation for performing all six musical systems, an extensive guide to pronouncing biblical Hebrew, and peda- gogical tips for cantillation teachers. Chanting the Hebrew Bible will be invaluable to anyone interested in chanting, from beginners to advanced “Monumental in scope and richly detailed, readers—from haftarah readers who want to chant this revised edition of Chanting the Hebrew Bi- from the Torah, to Bible students seeking greater ble—enriched by a week-by-week guide to the insight into Masoretic texts, to Torah chanters who Torah, haftarah and megillot readings, and a wish to fine tune their skills, fill gaps in their knowl- comprehensive index—is an invaluable con- tribution to the study and practice of biblical edge, and understand the system they have known cantillation. Jacobson’s work of impressive only intuitively until now. scholarship is simultaneously an accessible This second edition features a week-by-week guide and engaging practical resource.”—Rabbi to Torah, haftarah, and megillot readings for Shabbat Jeffrey A. Summit, author of Singing God’s and holidays; useful new examples and exercises; Words: The Performance of Biblical Chant in a new comprehensive general subject index; a new, Contemporary Judaism easy-to-read, clear Hebrew font; and a link to a new “This encyclopedic volume is a ‘must- website with audio recordings and video lessons.
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