Martin Goodman is professor of Jewish studies at the University of Oxford, where he is president of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies and a fellow of Wolfson College. His books include Rome and Jerusalem: TheClash of Ancient Civilizations and The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Studies.
A sweeping history of Judaism over more than three millennia
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and it has preserved its distinctive identity despite the extraordinarily diverse forms and beliefs it has embodied over the course of more than three millennia. A History of Judaism provides the first truly comprehensive look in one volume at how this great religion came to be, how it has evolved from one age to the next, and how its various strains, sects, and traditions have related to each other.
In this magisterial and elegantly written book, Martin Goodman takes readers from Judaism's origins in the polytheistic world of the second and first millennia BCE to the temple cult at the time of Jesus. He tells the stories of the rabbis, mystics, and messiahs of the medieval and early modern periods and guides us through the many varieties of Judaism today. Goodman's compelling narrative spans the globe, from the Middle East, Europe, and America to North Africa, China, and India. He explains the institutions and ideas on which all forms of Judaism are based, and masterfully weaves together the different threads of doctrinal and philosophical debate that run throughout its history.
A History of Judaism is a spellbinding chronicle of a vibrant and multifaceted religious tradition that has shaped the spiritual heritage of humankind like no other. "Goodman . . . integrates up-to-date scholarship into an accessible narrative look at more than 2,000 years of Judaism. . . . Despite the volume's ambitious scope, Goodman leaves no significant topic unaddressed. This is the rare scholarly volume that offers new insights and details for the lay and academic reader alike." "A hugely welcome addition to the library of Jewish studies for the general reader and an absolute godsend for rabbis always perplexed by what book they should recommend to people about how Jewish beliefs and practices have evolved. . . . Goodman has done both Jews and non-Jews a great service with this book, encapsulating most of Jewish thought over four millennia in one extraordinarily readable volume."---Julia Neuberger, Literary Review "An expansive and fascinating history. . . . Goodman . . . has crafted a worthy addition to the wide-ranging genre of Jewish studies, offering a hefty yet accessible historical overview of the Jewish religion. . . . Well-written and exhaustively researched, Goodman's work is a masterpiece of pedagogy crafted as a tool for teaching and learning about one of civilization's oldest religions." "Taking in three millennia of religious thought and practice, Goodman's scholarship is formidable."---Daniel Beer, The Guardian "It was a particularly inspired example of lateral thinking to ask Professor Martin Goodman, a renowned Jewish historian and specialist in Graeco-Roman Jewish history, to write a history of Judaism. Bringing a huge amount of historical knowledge to an analysis of the development of dogma and doctrine inevitably leads to a finely pitched study of great objectivity and worth. . . . A History of Judaism is beautifully written and meticulously annotated, and includes maps and illustrations. Goodman holds the book with authority and impeccable even-handedness, engaging the reader with his erudition, but also seasoning the narrative with some of the great and most influential Jewish lives. I could hardly recommend it more."---Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh, Church Times "Imagine a scholarly history of Judaism, told from the points of view of the time, rather than treating so many events as lead-ups to later anti-Semitism. . . . I found the book to be a useful mood affiliation jiu jitsu, plus it has plenty of inform
