Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish | Abigail Pogrebin

Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish | Abigail Pogrebin | Lite and famous Jewish

books:

Stars of David: Pr...

	Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish Abigail Pogrebin Broadway, 2007 - 400 pages average customer review:based on 34 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

'Stars' made my holiday reading bright!

This book really is sacred. As opposed to preaching at readers it makes us think about the critical distinction between Judaism: the religion and Judaism: the culture.

The approach enabled a substantial book which is accessible to a wide swath of readers. Even without being particularly religious myself, I was unable to put the book down because it is very well-written. It becomes immediately obvious to readers that time was put into crafting all the very personal essays.

Editor Abigail Pogrebin has written for New York magazine. Her mother Letty Cottin Pogrebin was a founding editor of Ms. Magazine. Pogrebin clearly undertook this book project with the intent to produce something substantial.

A 'fluff piece' approach theoretically could have been undertaken considering her general thesis of exploring the dimensions of a religion-culture. Therefore, I am roundly impressed that Pogrebin instead selected contributors ranging from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Laura Schlessinger and Leonard Nimoy. It undoubtedly produced more work, but also produced the awesome book I have read.

The best anthologies have essays reflecting the book theme---rather than echo the editor's own particular perspective of approaching a theme. This gives anthologies the critical depth needed to avoid being a personal indulgence and instead impact society. While it is easier for the editor to publish their 'friends', readers get bored by an anthology whose essays are clones.

I highly recommend this book for all audiences.

for more information click here

Lite and famous Jewish

I very much like the approach of the interviewer Avigail Pogrebin. She has a modesty, a real curiosity about people, a willingness to listen and to learn. I found her conclusion about her understanding the importance of deepening her Jewish learning as in a sense, justifying the whole exploration. She was much impressed in her interview with Leon Wieselter( One of the few intellectual heavyweights of the book) who spoke about 'slacker Jews' about those who are so ignorant of their tradition, and will make no effort to learn.
One of the major distinctions which goes through this work is between being Jewish culturally and being Jewish religiously. Most of these people have small connection with Jewish religious practice yet have various cultural and identity connections with Jewishness. Each one has a story of their own in this way.
I found the book a mirror of what is going on with the great share of the American Jewish community, many of whom are proud and confused about their Jewishness, and who have no real Jewish knowledge.

for more information click here

some stars shine more brightly

First off I love this book. Anyone who is Jewish or those that want a look into our lives, thoughts and the various troubles we go through will love this book. Some of our brethren we can be proud of, and there are those that are so lapsed or forgetfull of the past, that they feed into the thought process of those that hate us. But, these are their words and thoughts, and its delightful to read the inner most ideas and workings . I highly recommend this highly digestible, entertaining book, you will hate to put it down!

not the usual fare

I enjoy reading books on religion as I seek common denominators for the way people act and react. This book is different in so far as the interviews are without a common theme unless that theme is the un-otherdox and their perception of religion as a " do as I please concept " (not that there is anything wrong with that). This book is great insight into individual ideas...most pretty acceptable as a way of life...one in particular was irritating in his constant running from who he is...a fraud in many respects....great reading overall and the interviews are brief and on target.

for more information click here

A Page Turner

A great book to read before turning off the light at bedtime.
Each interview/chapter is thought provoking. A great mixture of different celebrated Jews. and their idea of what it means to be a Jew

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, page 5, 6, 7

products you might be interested in