One Congregation/One Book 5782

This year there will be two tracks and a total of three books.  (And yes, we are still calling it One Congregation/ One Book.)  You can join either track, but it is best to do both.

Track 1: Food for the Body

We will explore the world of Jewish food by reading two books.  First, we will read The 100 Most Jewish Foods: A Highly Debatable List.  This book is anthology of essays on all things edible and Jewish.  Consider it an appetizer for our main course, Jewish Eating and Identity Through the Ages, by David C. Kraemer.  This book explores the tie between food and identity, examining not just what Jews eat, but also “how, when, and with whom they eat it.”

The 100 Most Jewish Foods is readily available in print or as an ebook (click here).  Jewish Eating and Identity Through the Ages, is less easy to come by.  Apologies for the high price of the ebook.  Like a nice kugel or plate of hummus, we may want to share around some copies.  It is the best book of its kind, so we will make do.  Click here for information from Amazon.  Let us know if you find other sources for the main course of Track 1.

Track 2: Food for the Soul

Our food for the soul will be Robert Alter’s The Book of Psalms: A Translation and Commentary.  The Psalms have been our people’s constant companion in times of joy and sorrow.  Join us as we spend a year in the world of the Psalms, seeing them in a new light through Alter’s beautiful translation and insightful commentary.

The book is available in print or as an ebook (click here).

 

Prof. David Kraemer will be joining us as a scholar-in-residence (via Zoom) March 11th and 12th.  Click here for details. (This program is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Salata Family.)

 

See below for the schedule of check-ins and suggested reading schedules.

 

Professor Kraemer is both the Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian and a professor of Talmud at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. His scholarly work is focused on the literary analysis of rabbinic literature, rabbinic ritual, and the social and religious history of Jews in late antiquity. Professor Kraemer is a prolific author and commentator. In addition to his books, he has written influential articles on the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, the Mishnah, and many other subjects. His latest book is A History of the Talmud, which was published by Cambridge University Press in 2019.