Renewing Your Life Through the Vibrant Lessons of the Jewish Faith
April 29, 2002
The next thousand years will usher in a "Jewish millennium" in which both Jews and non-Jews will adopt core Jewish spiritual practices, predicts Boteach (Kosher Sex; etc.). He offers this book as a "beachhead where all can land safely" during the coming Jewish wave. Judaism is not a better religion than the world's other great faiths, he claims, but it is more suited to our times because it melds the spiritual and material in order to create heaven on earth. Boteach covers everything from gender to anti-Semitism in five rather arbitrary divisions: the elements of Judaism, the Jewish faith, festivals and holy days, the world at large and the future of Judaism. His creative viewpoints are often refreshing; he argues, for instance, that to experience the reality of God, men need to "harness their inner feminine energy," reducing their aggressiveness in order to focus the divine. But the book's uneven tone veers between bold sound-bytes ("The essence of Judaism is this: Take God very seriously and never take yourself seriously") and off-putting lectures ("modern-day men and women... end up squandering their free time on insubstantial pursuits like watching television, sunbathing, reading trashy novels and obsessively discussing their local sports teams"). Boteach quotes both Orthodox and non-Orthodox thinkers, but offers little proof for his pronouncements, presenting them simply as "Judaism." While Boteach's great faith in Judaism as a source of inspiration shines through, his ability to translate that passion is less evident. (May)Forecast:Although this is a less, well,
sexy title than his earlier bestseller
Kosher Sex, Boteach has a strong sales base and reputation.
June 1, 2002
Orthodox rabbi Boteach (Kosher Sex) attempts to bring Judaism into the everyday lives of Jews and non-Jews alike an unusual approach for a representative of a decidedly nonmissionary religion to take. He does not focus on the kabbalah, as many other authors have done of late, but rather examines a broad sweep of Jewish teachings on subjects such as prayer, suffering, God, idolatry, sex and gender, the Sabbath, and so forth. Boteach does not shy away from making direct, forthright, and respectful comparisons with Christianity on several issues of orientation and theology. Although he claims that he is not writing primarily for a Jewish audience, bringing the teachings and depth of Judaism to nonobservant Jews does seem to be one of the book's values. Boteach writes passionately, providing much for the thoughtful reader to consider in matters of spiritual and mundane conduct. This is neither a simplification of Judaism nor a historical introduction to the faith but instead a presentation of one rabbi's views of the ideas and values central to his faith and practice. Recommended for public libraries. Stephen Joseph, Butler Cty. Community Coll., PA
Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
June 1, 2002
Rabbi Boteach is the author of 13 books, including the best-seller " Kosher Sex" (1998). It is his belief that many non-Jewish men and women will want to study Judaism and use this knowledge to further their spiritual growth and ethical development because this faith is "more suited to our times." In part 1, Boteach examines such topics as the attainment of feminine over masculine values, the Hebrew Bible and the patriarchs, faith, God, idolatry, and prayer. In part 2, he discusses the Sabbath, gender in Judaism, responses to suffering, the messianic era, the history of a "chosen people," and dietary and divine laws. Part 3 deals with the festivals and holy days. Part 4 discusses anti-Semitism and Judaism's relationship with Christianity. A final section examines the future of the Jewish people after the Holocaust. One of the tenets of the religion is to discourage conversion. Boteach's provocative and timely message is that it is not necessary to convert in order to understand and--at least in part--to adopt the faith.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)