Short History of the Jewish People: From Legendary Times to Modern Statehood

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"Jewish history is often told not as a narrative of real people with human problems and interests but as an idealized national myth," writes Raymond Scheinlin, in the introduction to his excellent A Short History of the Jewish People. Scheinlin is an observant Jew, but his book is not a history of the Jewish religion. It is a history of Jewish tribes around the world and the ways "they have interacted with the nations and cultures among whom they have lived, adapting to their environment while retaining a variety of continuities." The book's brevity precludes exhaustiveness, but its focus on particular Jewish communities and its disciplined analysis of their political successes and foibles give readers a firm grasp on the movements in Jewish history that have shaped the Middle East, Europe, and America. Amply illustrated with maps and photographs, the fluid prose of Scheinlin's History make this book a useful starting point for anyone seeking a secular history of Judaism that is neither skeptical nor hostile to religion. --Michael Joseph Gross


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Where did the Jews come from? Why did they leave their homeland? How did they retain their strong sense of community through centuries of dispersion? How have the Jews of the present, with their proud ethnic identity and thriving national home, emerged out of the downtrodden Jews of the past? Such questions are echoed by countless Jews eager to rediscover their roots, by converts to Judaism - 200,000 a year in the United States alone, by students of cultural and religious history, and the simply curious among the public. In one concise, authoritative volume, A Short History of the Jewish People provides insights and answers.


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Beginning in 1200 B.C., Scheindlin tracks the Jews through all the major historical events. The Canaanites are the first people we encounter. We see the rise of Islam, the Inquisition, the turmoil in Western and Eastern Europe as well as the events of modern Israel. In each chapter, the author inserts additional information on specific topics, such as Yiddish, a poem, or the development of Hebrew as a language. Using both maps and timelines, it is easy to follow what is happening in general history as well as Jewish history. Although this is a brief book, it can be dry and even a bit boring at times. If used with other resources it would be helpful. Some pictures are included. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 1998, Oxford University Press, 274p, illus, bibliog, index, 21cm, 00-39206, $13.95. Ages 16 to adult. Reviewer: White Plains, NY; Robin S. Holab-Abelman January 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 1)


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