Aphrodite And The Rabbis

Description

Hard to believe but true: The Passover Seder is a Greco-Roman symposium banquet The Talmud rabbis presented themselves as Stoic philosophers Synagogue buildings were Roman basilicas Hellenistic rhetoric professors educated sons of well-to-do Jews Zeus-Helios is depicted in synagogue mosaics across ancient Israel In Israel there were synagogues where the prayers were recited in Greek. Historians have long debated the (re)birth of Judaism in the wake of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple cult by the Romans in 70 CE. What replaced that sacrificial cult was at once something new, even as it also sought to preserve what little it could of the old Israelite religion. Arguing that its transformation from a Jerusalem centred cult to a world religion was made possible by the Roman Empire, Rabbi Burton Visotzky presents Judaism as a distinctly Roman religion. Full of fascinating detail from the daily life and culture of Jewish communities across the Hellenistic world, Aphrodite and the Rabbis will appeal to anyone interested in the development of Judaism, religion, history, art and architecture.

Promotion info

An engaging tour through Jewish life in the Roman Empire which argues that the Judaism we know today emerged as a direct product of that place and time.

Reviews

"Witty and insightful." "Publishers Weekly""An erudite, pertinently illustrated, and accessible work of religious history." "Booklist"""""APHRODITE AND THE RABBIS" is a masterpiece of Jewish thought. Rabbi Burt Visotzky shows us how Roman culture flows through Judaism in ways most of us never imagined. Your Passover Seder will never be the same! This stunning work will bless you and inspire you." Rabbi Naomi Levy, author of "To Begin Again" and "Hope Will Find You""Understanding how Rome shaped the Rabbis, with Burt Visozky as tour guide, is a fascinating, funny and enlightening journey. Here is a history that teaches not only about who we were, but has deep lessons about who we are and who we might become." Rabbi David Wolpe, Max Webb Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple and author, "David: The Divided Heart""An intriguing [...] look at two worlds colliding and coexisiting." "Kirkus Reviews" From the opening pages of "Aphrodite and the Rabbis," you know you re in the hands of the rarest kind of guide charming, self-effacing, and deeply knowledgeable. Burt Visotzky brings to life one of the least known eras of Jewish life and make the compelling case that it continues to shape our lives today. A must-read for any student of Judaism. Bruce Feiler, bestselling author of "Walking the Bible" and "Abraham""""""A super-smart, comprehensive, wittily-written admixture of history, legend, archaeology, art, stories, and text analysis. In graceful, colloquial prose, Visotzky leads modern readers through the ancient world to illuminate the debt that rabbinic Judaism owes to Greco-Roman culture. Rarely has a book by a towering Jewish scholar been this much fun to read." Letty Cottin Pogrebin, author of "Deborah, Golda, and Me: Being Female and Jewish in America""Burt Visotzky has written a marvelous new book full of insight and humor, yet resting on a lifetime of scholarship and faithfulness. Don't miss it." Thomas Cahill, author of "The Gifts of the Jews""

Author description

BURTON L. VISOTZKY is Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He worked with Bill Moyers and more recently with Christiane Amanpour on Back to the Beginning, aired annually at Christmas time. The author of many books, including "Sage Tales: Wisdom and Wonder from the Rabbis of the Talmud," he has been named to The Forward 50 and repeatedly to the "Newsweek/Daily Beast" list of the The 50 Most Influential Jews in America. He lives in Manhattan."