The World of Orthodox Judaism

In only ninety pages, Schlossberg was able to explain the basics of Orthodox Judaism. The first half of the book explains things like customs, holidays, Sabbath observances, lifestyle and dress, as well as the differences between groups who practice different types of Orthodoxy. The second half addresses the issue of Kosher foods - what makes food Kosher, how to entertain Jews who only eat Kosher, and the like. It was a very down to earth explanation from a practicing Orthodox Jew himself. I felt as if he were sitting across the dinner table explaining all this to me. (In a Kosher restaurant, of course!) I must admit, I was embarrassed how uninformed I was about Orthodox Judaism, their customs and culture, and certainly about what Kosher meant. Though reading this book certainly didn't make me an expert, it was an excellent beginning of understanding this subculture which exists both in the United States and around the world.

Being curious about the requirements inherent in Orthodox Judaism, this slim volume looked like a good starting point for my research. It didn't let me down. Mr. Schlossberg has done a great job covering so much ground in such a short book. I especially appreciated the humanity and humor the author brings to the various discussions, especially the explanation of what makes food kosher. While I'd hoped that this book might have provided a little more coverage of the differences of observance among the Orthodox, this book is both a good quick reference and a good read.