An accessible introduction to the many ways Jews understand Jewishness
and identify themselves and their communities--throughout history and
today.
For everyone who wants to understand the varieties of Jewish identity,
its boundaries and inclusions, this book explores the religious and
historical understanding of what it has meant to be Jewish from ancient
times to the present controversy over "Who is a Jew?" Beginning with the
biblical period, it takes readers era by era through Jewish history to
reveal who the Jewish community included and excluded, and discusses the
fascinating range of historical conflicts that Jews have dealt with
internally. It provides an understanding of how the Jewish people and
faith developed, and of what the major religious differences are among
Jewish movements today.