None is poor save one who lacks knowledge.
~ The Talmud

Make books your companions; let your bookshelves be your gardens: bask in their
beauty, gather their fruit, pluck their roses, take their spices and myrrh. And when your
soul be weary, change from garden to garden, and from prospect to prospect.
~ Ibn Tibbon, c. 1120-1190, Spanish Jewish scholar

Lifelong learning is key to a healthy mind. Below are some book recommendations for you; these may be found in our own Blachschleger Library available for loan.
We would also like to increase this list through your own recommendations. Please remember that this is specifically for books with Jewish content. Contact the webmaster with the book name, author and category.

No bibliography of books relating to all aspects of Judaism can be all-inclusive. For “Significant Jewish Books” as suggested by URJ, click here.

BASIC AND GENERAL

What’s Special about Judaism?
By Cohen, Henry

Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs,
and Values for Today’s Families
By Diamant, Anita, and Howard Cooper

Every Person’s Guide to Judaism
By Einstein, Stephen J., and Lydia Kukoff

Jews: The Essence and Character of a People
By Hertzberg, Arthur, and Aron Hirt-Manheimer

What Is a Jew?
By Kertzer, Morris N., revised by Lawrence Hoffman

Gates of the Seasons: A Guide to the Jewish Year
By Knobel, Peter, ed.

To Life! A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking
By Kushner, Harold

Gates of Mitzvah: A Guide to the Jewish Life Cycle
By Maslin, Simeon J., ed.

The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism
By Prager, Dennis, and Joseph Telushkin

Finding God: Ten Jewish Responses
By Sonsino, Rifat and Daniel B. Syme

Basic Judaism
By Steinberg, Milton

The Jewish Home: A Guide for Jewish Living
By Syme, Daniel B.

Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things
to Know about the Jewish Religion, Its People,
and Its History
By Telushkin, Joseph

Jewish Living: A Guide to Contemporary Reform Practice
By Washofsky, Mark

Jewish Celebrations and Holidays

Jewish Holidays All Year Round (written for children)
By Cooper, Ilene

The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays
By Drucker, Malka

The Sabbath
By Heschel, Abraham Joshua

An Invitation to Shabbat: A Beginner’s Guide to
Weekly Celebration
By Perelson, Ruth

 Gates of Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat
By Shapiro, Mark Dov

Outreach

Clues About Jews For People Who Aren’t
By Jacobs, Sidney J. and Betty J. Jacobs

How to Be a Perfect Stranger: A Guide to Etiquette
in Other People’s Religious Ceremonies
By Magida, Arthur J., Vol. 2.

Irreconcilable Differences? A Learning Resource for
Jews and Christians
By Sandmel, David F., Rosann M. Catalano, and
Christopher M. Leighton, eds.
  
JEWISH COOKBOOKS

The Art of Jewish Cooking
By Grossinger, Jennie

The Sephardic Culinary Tradition
By Menasce, Elsie

Let My People Eat! Passover Seders Made Simple
By Schulman, Zell

From Generation To Generation
By Temple Beth Or (Available in our Temple Gift Shop)

Adult Fiction

Rashi’s Daughters, Book I (Joheved) and Book II (Miriam)
By Anton, Maggie

The Red Tent
By Diamant, Anita

The Chosen
By Potok, Chaim

The Book Thief
By Zusak, Markus

Children’s Fiction – Ages 5 – 12

Molly’s Pilgrim
By Cohen, Barabara and Daniel Mark Duffy

Kaddish for Grandpa in Jesus’ Name Amen
By Howe, James

My Two Grandmothers
By Older, Effin and Nancy Hayashi

Love From Your Friend, Hannah
By Skolsy, Mindy Warshaw and Laura Hamilton

There’s No Such Thing as a Chanukah Bush, Sandy Goldstein
By Sussman, Susan and Charles Robinson

The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate
(fiction based on true story)
By Whitman, Albert

Young Adult Fiction – Ages 12 & up

Rashi’s Daughter, Secret Scholar
(YA version of Rashi’s Daughter, Book I)
By Anton, Maggie

Real Time
By Kass, Pnina Moed

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life
By Reinhardt, Dana