Rabbi Blech has gathered together hundreds of excerpts from diaries, journals, letters, newspaper reports, public testimonies, official communications, and ancient and medieval documents to provide snapshots of daily life and major events from biblical times to the end of the 20th century. These enlightening essays and quotations are arranged in chronological order.
REVIEWS:
"It's been a long and glorious - and sometimes tragic - 4,000-year run for
the Jewish people. That magnificent panorama is on display in Eyewitness to
Jewish History. This, however, is no ordinary history book. Instead of a
historian telling the story, Rabbi Benjamin Blech... allows the actors
in this long-running play to speak for themselves." - Washington Jewish
Week
BOOK I: The Biblical Period: 2000-538 B.C.E.
1. In the Beginning
2. Welcome to the Promised Land
3. In the Days of the Kings
4. A Kingdom Divided, a Temple Destroyed
BOOK II: The Second Temple Period: 515 B.C.E.-70
C.E.
5. "These Bones Shall Rise Again"
6. The Hebrews and the Hellenists
7. Religious Ferment: Different Visions of Service to God
8. "Veni, Vidi, Vici": Rome and Jerusalem
BOOK III: The First Millennium: 70 C.E.-1000 C.E.
9. Struggling to Survive
10. The Age of the Talmud
11. The Challenge of Islam: Mohammed and the Caliphs
12. Different Kinds of Jews: The Karaites and the Khazars
BOOK IV: Late Medieval Times: 1000-1700s
13. "It Was the Best of Times": The Golden Age of Spain
14. "It Was the Worst of Times": The Church and the Jews
15. "Get Out and Stay Out": The Decrees of Expulsion
16. The Renaissance: New Beginnings
17. The Three Spiritual Revolutions
BOOK V: The Age of Emancipation: 1700s-1800s
18. America the Beautiful
19. "Libert?, Egalit?, Fraternit?": The Winds of Change Buffet Western
Europe
20. The Lingering Curse of Anti-Semitism
21. Zionism: "To Dream the Impossible Dream"
BOOK VI: Modern Times: The Twentieth Century to the
Present
22. "Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor...": The American Melting Pot
23. The Horrors of the Holocaust
24. Welcome Home: Israel Reborn
25. War -- and Peace? Hopes for the Future
Further Reading -- Permissions -- Acknowledgments -- Index
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rabbi Benjamin Blech, born in Switzerland, is a tenth-generation rabbi who
currently lives in the United States. He frequently lectures on Jewish
themes. He is also the author of "Understanding Judaism: The Basics of
Deed and Creed", "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning Yiddish",
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jewish History and Culture",
and other acclaimed books.
| FORMAT | BOOKSTORE | SHIPS FROM |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback | Amazon.com | United States of America |
| Paperback | Barnes and Noble | United States of America |
| Paperback | Powells.com | United States of America |
| Hardcover | Amazon.com | United States of America |
| Hardcover | Powells.com | United States of America |
| Kindle E-Book | Amazon.com | - |
| Paperback | Amazon.ca | Canada |
| Hardcover | Amazon.ca | Canada |
| Kindle E-Book | Amazon.ca | - |
| Paperback | Amazon.co.uk | United Kingdom |
| Paperback | WHSmith.co.uk | United Kingdom |
| Hardcover | Amazon.co.uk | United Kingdom |
| Hardcover | WHSmith.co.uk | United Kingdom |
| Kindle E-Book | Amazon.co.uk | - |
| Paperback | Amazon.fr | France |
| Kindle E-Book | Amazon.fr | - |
| Paperback | Booktopia | Australia |
| Hardcover | Booktopia | Australia |
Books of related interest:
Critical
Documents of Jewish History: A Sourcebook
The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Jewish History and Culture
Understanding
Judaism: The Basics of Deed and Creed