As a former student of Dan C-S all I say the man is a relgious genius. There is nothing else to say.

Educated persons will know at least something about such Jewish philosophers as Philo, Maimonides, Spinoza, Martin Buber, and Elie Wiesel. All of them have found their way into most major Western encyclopedias. This book offers much more. Cohn-Sherbok, a well-known writer of things Jewish, is an ordained Reform rabbi, and he naturally, and properly, concentrates on the religious aspects of his subject. Cohn-Sherbook devotes a two-page essay to each of the fifty thinkers included in this mini-encyclopedia. There are no footnotes, but numerous crossreferences. The author's deep involvement in his subject helps the reader apprehend the book as a unified whole. This becomes all the more evident if the essays are read in chronological order, which is easy to do, since the author includes a neat 2000-year chronological table of the names included. We thus get a fascinating view of how the Jewish religious landscape changed under the impact of several catastrophic events, from the Babylonian exile, over the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, to the Nazi Holocaust. The endurance of the Jewish people under such calamities is striking. So is the ability of the thinkers presented here to steer their philosophical and religious reflection into fruitful channels. This implies neither an easy optimism, nor a resigned submission to fate. Rather, we witness here a deep rethinking of the foundations of religion, obviously relevant to Jews and non-Jews alike.

Dan Cohn-Sherbok's JUDIASM: RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD offers the student of comparative religion and/or Judaism a brief overview of crucial themes in Judaic belief and practice. The work consists of approximately 100 pages of text, followed by a glossary and pronunciation guide (both of which should be enormously helpful to novices). The book's strengths include the following: a) readers are given a strong introduction to Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Humanistic Judaism; and b) a chapter on contemporary observance takes the reader through religious practices. I would submit that the book would be even more helpful had it offered a more extensive discussion of historical Judaism and textual exegesis. However, the author did not seek to write a comprehensive history; that which is presented is solid, well-written, and student-friendly.

Reading this book gives one the delightful sense of seeing a kaleidoscope in action or of seeing fractals unfold. In describing how truth is sought in letters, words, and texts, and how symbolism is applied and sought and re-applied, one starts to sense the joy and sheer intensity with which scholars probe the Torah for divine direction as well as hints about the nature of reality. These are material and insights I just would not have seen otherwise.

This book is filled with a lot of good information, but the problem I have is after carefully showing how messianic Judaism is really the brainchild and outgrowth of evangelical Christian attempts to convert Jews he throws up his hands and says that we should accept it as if it were a natural development of Judaism. It is not surprising that his views are soundly repudiated from all the branches in Judaism, including the Reform which he claims to be a member of.

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There are several good points to this book. First, it has an excellent (if obtusely written) historical overview of Hebrew Christianity and Messianic Judaism. Second, it does go into great detail as to the why and what of Messianic Jewish belief, as well as ritual practice and observance. He also has a chapter specifically concerning dissenting opinions about Messianic Judaism.
Never the less, there are a few very serious problems. First, it is unclear who his intended audience is from his discussion of Messianic Liturgical practices. Is he writing for Christians or for Jews? Obviously, a Jew with any common knowledge of how a service was structured would find the information he presents in several places rudimentary. I am lead to believe that he cannot possibly be expecting to find Jewish audiences in this book because some Jews that I know (some, not all, and only the ones I know, not everybody) would rather spit on anything "Messianic" that look at it, let alone read or understand it, so he can't be writing for Jews, but for Christians. If that's the case, then he needs to make a better argument as to why Christians should accept Jewish expressions of Christianity, not why Messianics should be included in the Jewish community. He continually confuses the audience as to whom he is speaking. Secondly, his defense of Messianic Judaism as a legitimate expression of Jewishness is, at best, misplaced. It comes after his chapter on dissenting opinions from within the Jewish community. He offers no real defense of MJ except to say that they should be accepted because there are other non-Orthodox branches that aren't excluded and the plurality of Jews in the West can't put themselves into a definable box anyway. This is, of course, a silly argument. Of course MJ can be excluded form being a legitimate expression of Judaism because it, unlike any other branch, believes Jesus is the Messiah. Non-belief in the Messiahship of Jesus is a prerequisite to entrance into the Jewish community. By itself, this argument does not stand. It would have been better to cite some examples of historic opinions from Judaism that support might Trinitarian notions as well as historic and modern groups that hold Messianic convictions about an individual (read: the Lubavitcher Chassidim). That would have made his argument for inclusion much stronger. Finally, he does not allow Messianic Jews to answer their accusers, particularly the ones that "converted" back from Christianity/Messianic Judaism. I noticed that not one of those individuals remained Christians. Instead, always they went back to Judaism, and always in a pretty neat formula ("I wasn't very Jewish, I got mixed up in this horrible group (read: cult) but some kind Jewish soul showed me the light. Now I'm a real Jew, more Jewish than I was when I was one of 'those' people, and everything is just super because everything they ever told me was a lie." It sounds more than a little contrived, and it's defiantly propaganda.) Each of these is a serious omission that should have been included to lend credibility to his arguments.

Nevertheless, Rabbi Cohn-Sherbok should be commended for this book. It is bold, displays a high level of commitment to a level of objectivity. This is a touchy subject for all sides of the debate, and while it's not apparent which side of the debate the Rabbi is on, he is at least willing to look with fairness towards MJ, especially since it is often ignored/discredited without even cursory consideration of the shell game of an argument being used against them. If there is ever to be reasonable dialogue, then such attacks must cease and desist. Unfortunately, however, I don't think that any side is willing to put aside its agenda and reason together, but perhaps this book will at least change some of that.

My dear friend, "a reader from New England" is wrong. I seriously doubt he or she even read the book. Dan Cohen-Sherbok's opus is one done of courage and tenacity and of not being afraid to see things that one necessarily doesn't want to see. When the "reader from New England" piously states, "Jesus DID say that he came to release his followers from the 'curse of the law', did he not?", he or she not only casts a glaring spotlight on their own ignorance, but the foundational problem within mainline Christianity. The apostle Paul, in his letter to Galatians, stated in Galatians 3:13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." He was referring to (if one takes the time to read the entire context and not just the portion that supports his or her own theological agenda) the fact that through Christ, no one has to try to "work" their way to heaven anymore. Indeed, Yeshua HaMashiach stated, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." (Matthew 5:17) Why would He fulfill something that would be cursed? Dan Cohen-Sherbok's book is one that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, and ESPECIALLY Christians should read and study and take to heart. I highly recommend it. Messianic Judaism is a much of part of Judaism as is Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform. Dan Cohen-Sherbok obviously agrees.

Took literally hours to find a reasonable introduction to Judaism for my non-Jewish girlfriend. Most overviews were either written for people with a considerable amount of background or were polemical, defending a particular form of Judaism. One of the great things about this book is that it attempts to give a fair explanation of a wide variety of Jewish thought and practice, representing the diversity of a wide variety of consumers. My only complaint is that relatively little discussion is made of non-European Jewish practice.

As a beginner in Middle Eastern studies, I bought this book for a balanced overview of the conflict. I was disappointed that the book seemed to "start in the middle" with only a passing mention of the diaspora, etc. Certain facts, figures and dates were glossed over w/out further explanation. I didn't even make it through the first section...

The Palestine-Israeli Conflict
By: Dan Cohn-Sherbok and Dawoud el-Alami

The Palestine-Israeli Conflict is an insightful, original, and well-researched work.
Although it is labeled a "beginner's guide" one must already have at least a basic knowledge of Middle East modern history to fully understand it. From the roots of Zionism in the 1800's to the Intifada of the early 2000's, both writers do a masterful job of tying every cause and effect into an understandable history of the troubled region.

A refreshing characteristic of the book is it's dual point of view format. In an age where nearly every history book is distorted by the writer's viewpoint, it is hard to find a clear perspective. Although Cohn-Sherbok (Professor of Judaism) and el-Alami (a Palestinian native) are no different in their own individual writings. However, since both points of view are presented in the same work, the reader can read both, mix and match different points, and form his or her opinions.

The only aspect of the book is that it tends to become repetitive and never repeats information. The reader must stay attentive to every event in order to understand the next.

This book is a great tool for forming your own opinions about the conflict and learning the details from both points of view. I would recommend it to just about anybody looking to learn more.

This is a fantastic book and is laid out giving a balanced account from both sides of the conflict. I detest hearing one-sided arguments as I always wonder what "the other sides" response would be.
In this book I don't have to wonder. One chapter is devoted to the Israeli cause and the following chapter is devoted to the Palestinian cause. One writer makes a point and the other makes a counter-point. More books should be written in this format.

Sherbok has written many books on Judaism. The Crucified Jew is written with emotion and bias, but not scholarship. It surpises me that it was published in its present form. The author cites references and quotes throughout the book but uses no footnotes or endnotes so nothing can be verified or reviewed. He exhibits a poor understanding of Christianity and the Bible. For example he says that according to the Church Fathers the Jews have been an apostate people. Yet, it is not the Church Fathers who determined that, the entire Old Testament (God himself) testifies to their apostasy. Sherbok views the New Testament as anti-Judaism and never considers the fact that criticism of the Jewish leaders may have been valid. He accuses the Christians of calling Jews demons when it was the Jewish leaders who first called Jesus himself a demon (something never mentioned in the book). He says elements of the New Testament were added later for "polemic" purposes, implying they are not true. However, he offers no support for this charge.

Sherbok advocates "Open Judaism" (See the book "Future of Judaism") in which Jews do not have to believe in God, or anything, to be Jewish. This explains his distrust of Scripture because the Word of God does not have to believed, either. This book has some good information, facts, etc. But it is very opinionated and devoid of scholarly support. Accusations are made as if they are truth when in fact they are his interpretation and opinion. Unfortunately the author does not convey this to the reader.

The book explains the history and differences of the various branches of Judaism (Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Humanistic and Polydox Judaism) and defines Open Judaism, which allows humanistic liberties within Judaic faith (a sort of customized Judaism). Its extreme liberalism is justified by acknowledging the state of religious diversity within contemporary Jewish society ("modern Jews are ultimately guided by their own consciences"). The writing is repetitious, and the part about Open Judaism lack the strength to convince the reader.