17 Books That Will Completely Change the Way You See the Jewish World
17 Books That Will Completely Change the Way You See the Jewish World
"Every now and again, I read something so profound that it transforms how I perceive and envision the Jewish world."
Please note: This essay is for our premium subscribers. To read the full piece, and to get access to our growing library of other subscriber-only essays and videos, become a premium subscriber!
“I do not recall a Jewish home without a book on the table.” — Elie Wiesel
I read a lot.
Last year, I read more than 25 books, and I’m hoping to read at least 25 again this year.
If you love learning about Judaism, Jewish history, Jewish Peoplehood, Israel, and Zionism, books are the best way to go — because they offer an extraordinary variety of elaborate, nuanced perspectives. You know, the opposite of the increasingly abundant short-form content (i.e. social media, headlines, soundbites) to which our world has become accustomed.
But books can be pretty hit-or-miss. Some of the books I read are basically useless. Many books I read, I learn a thing or two from. Every now and again, I read a book so profound that it transforms how I perceive and envision the Jewish world.
Specifically, there are 17 books which have completely shaken up my Jewish world views — in a good way, of course. Some of these books drove me to fundamentally rethink certain paradigms, and others exposed me to new ideas which shape the way I contemplate Judaism, Jewish history, Jewish Peoplehood, Israel, and Zionism.
Here they are, in no particular order: