Encyclopedia Of Jewish Folklore And Traditions

This multicultural reference work on Jewish folklore, legends, customs, and other elements of folklife is the first of its kind.

Covering customs, rituals, legends, words and images in Jewish traditions as they were kept and transmitted in different historical and cultural setting over centuries, this book presents a window into Jewish civilization as well as an original and important work of folklore scholarship. The 750 alphabetically organized entries cover Jewish folk traditions concerning the Bible, Kabbalah, astrology and mysticism; traditions from China to the Americas; folk appreciation of Jewish history; folk proverbs; folk music; traditions about sanctuary in the Holy land; the great scholars who worked to preserve traditions; folk arts; customs and practices; beliefs about afterlife, the Messiah, angles, ghosts and demons; folk medicine; and much more. Featuring illuminating sidebars and illustrations, this historical and multicultural resource on Jewish folklore should prove valuable to students and researchers, as well as general readers.

Jewish esotericism is the oldest and most influential continuous occult tradition in the West. Presenting lore that can spiritually enrich your life, this one-of-a-kind encyclopedia is devoted to the esoteric in Judaism—the miraculous and the mysterious. In this second edition, Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis has added over thirty new entries and significantly expanded over one hundred other entries, incorporating more knowledge and passages from primary sources. This comprehensive treasury of Jewish teachings, drawn from sources spanning Jewish scripture, the Talmud, the Midrash, the Kabbalah, and other esoteric branches of Judaism, is exhaustively researched yet easy to use. It includes over one thousand alphabetical entries, from Aaron to Zohar Chadesh, with extensive cross-references to related topics and new illustrations throughout. Drawn from the well of a great spiritual tradition, the secret wisdom within these pages will enlighten and empower you. Praise: "An erudite and lively compendium of Jewish magical beliefs, practices, texts, and individuals...This superb, comprehensive encyclopedia belongs in every serious library."—Richard M. Golden, Director of the Jewish Studies Program, University of North Texas, and editor of The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Western Tradition "Rabbi Dennis has performed a tremendously important service for both the scholar and the novice in composing a work of concise information about aspects of Judaism unbeknownst to most, and intriguing to all."—Rabbi Gershon Winkler, author of Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism

From Europe and America to the Middle East, North Africa and other non-European Jewish settlement areas, the 'Encyclopedia of Jewish History and Culture' covers the recent history of the Jewish people from 1750 through the 1950s. Originally published in German as the 'Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur' by J.B. Metzler Verlag (Stuttgart/Weimar) in 2011 the work includes approximately 800 entries that present the state of international research and reveal a complex portrait of Jewish life - illuminated by many maps and illustrations. Central themes convey information on topics such as autonomy, exile, emancipation, literature, liturgy, music, and science of Judaism. The encyclopedia provides knowledge in an overall context and offers academics and other interested readers new insights into Jewish history and culture. The work is an outstanding contribution to the understanding of Judaism and modernity.

... Jewish experience today. each entry traces the Symbol's history from its ancient roots to its modern expression.