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Why are words so important to so many Jews? Novelist Amos Oz and historian Fania Oz-Salzberger roam the gamut of Jewish history to explain the integral relationship of Jews and words. Through a blend of storytelling and scholarship, conversation and argument, father and daughter tell the tales behind Judaism's most enduring names, adages, disputes, texts, and quips. These words, they argue, compose the chain connecting Abraham with the Jews of every subsequent generation. Framing the discussion within such topics as continuity, women, timelessness, and individualism, Oz and Oz-Salzberger deftly engage Jewish personalities across the ages, from the unnamed, possibly female author of the Song of Songs through obscure Talmudists to contemporary writers. They suggest that Jewish continuity, even Jewish uniqueness, depends not on central places, monuments, heroic personalities, or rituals but rather on written words and an ongoing debate between the generations. Full of learning, lyricism, and humor, Jews and Words offers an extraordinary tour of the words at the heart of Jewish culture and extends a hand to the reader, any reader, to join the conversation.… (more)
User reviews
Blended storytelling, scholarship, conversation and a superficial argument (take our word for it) leads the reader to the importance of continuity, woman, time and timelessness, individualism and name giving. From the unnamed female author of the Song of Songs, thousands of Talmudists that are called by name to the contemporary literature of Isaac Bashevis Singer and David Grossman.
Jewish continuity itself according to the authors doesn’t rely on monetheism, monuments, palaces or a distinct peace of land. The fear of being called one nation, one people, or other definitions of the Jewish identity they’re still at the core of it: a continuum. Pity to see the Eternal God who promises his children that He’ll never forsake them and always love them. In my humble opinion the ultimate continuum. History’s lessons from assimilation and secularization are given to us as well. Despite these shortcomings Jews and Words is full of lyricism (translated Hebrew poems), learning and humor (another Jewish cultural heritance). Both authors invite their readers to join the dialogue and make history.