In Brooklyn in the late 1940s, adolescent Michael Devlin is a dutiful son to his widowed mother and a conscientious altar boy at the parish church. One day, he meets Rabbi Judah Hirsch, a chance encounter that inaugurates a friendship with vast consequences, good and bad, for both of them. Michael lost his father in the war, and the rabbi, a recent immigrant to this country, lost his wife. The threads of their connection widen and strengthen as the...

Despite her grandmother's wise words about how moving to a new place can be both bitter and sweet, Hannah feels only bitterness as she tries to get used to her new house. But when she sees the new home in the soft light of the Shabbat candles and a new friend reaches out with a special gift, Hannah begins to realize that sweetness can come from unexpected places. Includes author's note about Jewish traditions. "When Hannah's family has to move, her...

The Jews have one of the longest continuously recorded histories of any people in the world, but what do we actually know about their origins? While many think the answer to this question can be found in the Bible, others look to archaeology or genetics. Some skeptics have even sought to debunk the very idea that the Jews have a common origin. In this book, Steven Weitzman takes a learned and lively look at what we know--or think we know--about where...

A grandfather introduces his grandson to the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam, a centuries-old concept which proposes that everyone must do their part in order to improve the world.

One of the oldest monotheistic religions known to humankind, Judaism has withstood the tests of time. So what exactly are the tenets of this ancient faith that have been passed down over the millennia, and how do they apply to our lives in the 21st century? The Basic Beliefs of Judaism gives an updated overview of the belief system on which the Jewish faith is based. Epstein takes a contemporary point of view, looking at how the basic beliefs of Judaism...

Collects four graphically illustrated stories from Will Eisner that explore strange occurrences in daily life, including "The Miracle of Dignity," "Street Magic," "A New Kid on the Block," and "A Special Wedding Ring."