A landmark reference, here is an indispensable one-volume guide to the religious traditions, everyday practices, philosophical beliefs, and historical foundations of Judaism-everything you need to know about being Jewish. In Essential Judaism, George Robinson has created the accessible compendium that he sought when he rediscovered his Jewish roots as an adult. Robinson illuminates the Jewish life cycle at every stage, and lays out many fascinating aspects of Judaism-the Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, the evolution of Hasidism, and much more-while keeping a firm focus on the different paths to living a good Jewish life in today's world. Now in paperback, this acclaimed, single-volume reference on Judaism offers refreshingly practical, straightforward, & comprehensive information on Jewish beliefs, customs, rituals, and everything in between. Finally, readers need only one reference to learn all about: Jewish prayer and ritual; festivals throughout the Jewish calendar; the tenets of living a Jewish life; the Jewish life cycle; the Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism; post-Holocaust theology and the future of Judaism; the Talmud, sacred scholarship, and Hasidism. What are the ins and outs of Jewish dietary law? What goes on at a synagogue service? What is Midrash? With insight and clarity, George Robinson illuminates the Jewish condition at every stage-from birth and circumcision to bar/bat mitzvahs and weddings to death & mourning-and places 4,000 years of learning and belief in a practical context for living a good Jewish life in today's world. What happens at a synagogue service? What are the rules for keeping kosher? How do I light the Hanukah candles? What is in the Hebrew Bible? What do the Jewish holidays signify? What should I be teaching my children about being Jewish?