Judaism

Israel AbrahamsProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 129K words
Chapters: 13

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Judaism by Israel AbrahamsAuthor: Abrahams, Israel, 1858-1925,Language: English, Class: BM: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Judaism, Release Date: Nov 1, 2004

Editor's review

Israel Abrahams's Judaism is a free public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg and a classic English introduction to Judaism for general readers. Rather than focusing on legal codes or abstruse theology, it offers a broad sketch of beliefs, festivals and customs, ethical life, and historical context in relatively plain language, making it suitable as an introductory reader on religion in the English-speaking world. Its value lies in helping readers build a basic framework for understanding Judaism and appreciate its close ties to everyday life and community tradition. Note that the book was written long ago and some of its formulations bear the marks of its time; it cannot replace a contemporary academic introduction. Readers may treat it as a starting point and then deepen their study with modern scholarship. It suits thematic reading, supplementary reading for comparative religion courses, or independent general education.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who want an English-language overview of Judaism's basic framework
Supplementary reading for courses in comparative religion or cultural studies
General readers interested in festivals, customs, and ethical traditions
Independent learners who need a public-domain eBook for thematic reading

Not a good fit for

Specialist readers who need a contemporary academic introduction or the latest research review
Beginners seeking a systematic textbook in Chinese
Readers looking for strict legal codes or practical guides

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents, read in blocks by theme (belief, custom, ethics), and take brief notes.
Read alongside the Jewish festival calendar to ground abstract concepts in concrete life settings.
Flag period-specific formulations and check them against modern introductions.
Write a hundred-word summary after each chapter to test whether you have grasped the core concepts.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for beginners?

On the whole it is an introductory work for general readers, written in relatively plain language and suitable for building a basic framework. But it was written long ago, and some formulations need to be read against modern academic introductions; it should not be your only primer.

Does the book cover details of Jewish legal codes?

Judging by its aim, it offers an overall introduction to beliefs, customs and traditions, and ethical life rather than a clause-by-clause explanation of the codes. If you need practical rules, look for a dedicated legal or practical guide.

Can I read it if my English is only average?

You can try, but you need basic English reading ability. Start with the table of contents and short chapters, and break up long sentences. If it proves difficult, first read a general introduction in Chinese to establish the concepts, then return to the English text.

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About the author

Israel Abrahams Author · British · 1858–1925

Israel Abrahams (1858–1925) was a British Jewish scholar, born in London on 26 November 1858 and died in Cambridge on 6 October 1925. He taught at the London Jewish College and served as lecturer in Talmud and Rabbinic literature at the University of Cambridge, and he helped found the British Jewish Historical Society and edited the Jewish Quarterly Review. Through accessible English works such as Jewish Life in the Middle Ages, Chapters on Jewish Literature, and The Book of Delight and Other Papers, he introduced Jewish knowledge to a broad public; three of his works are held in this collection. Public information is limited, but these writings show a scholar who combined sound learning with clear, readable prose to present Jewish literature, religion, and medieval life to English-speaking readers.