Jewish Biographies for Children: Collections |
If you wish to purchase any of these books, click on either the title or the book cover to be directed to Amazon.com. As a warning, I have put up pictures of the book covers to give you somewhat an idea of the style of each book (I know, I know. "Don't judge a book by its cover") so the pages may load slowly, depending on the speed of your internet connection.
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 Extraordinary Jewish Americans |
Brief biographical sketches of 60 prominent Jewish Americans
from the fields of science, business, sports, politics and
law, and arts and entertainment. The arrangement is
chronological by birth date from Haym Solomon (1740) to Jerry
Seinfeld (1954) with insertions of three topical sections:
"The Jews Who Created Hollywood," "Jewish Gangsters," and
"Jewish Americans and the Civil Rights Movement."
Excellent-quality black-and-white photographs appear
throughout. An annotated appendix cites "124 Other
Extraordinary Jewish Americans." There is an extensive
name and word index and a very good listing for further
information arranged by age level that includes online
sites, organizations, and films and videos.
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 Jewish Sports Stars: Athletic Heroes Past and Present By David J. Goldman |
Discover the achievements of Jewish athletes from "Hammerin' Hank" Greenberg, one of the greatest homerun hitters in history, to the professional wrestling phenomenon, Goldberg. Teeming with facts, statistics, and historical anecdotes, athletes from the entire spectrum of popular sports are featured.
This book features a collection of mini-biographies about Jewish professional athletes from Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax to Sasha Cohen and Mark Spitz. Each biography emphasizes the athletic accomplishments. Whenever possible, David Goldman tried to include information on the impact of Judaism on the subject's life (such as Shawn Green's participation in a Jewish Big Brother program and Kerri Strug's role as the US team captain in the Maccabiah Games in Israel). | |
 Women of Valor : Stories of Great Jewish Women Who Helped Shape the Twentieth Century |
Women Of Valor is a compendium of stories of eight great Jewish women, each
of whom, with their individual courage and accomplishment, helped to shape the world of
the 20th Century. Here readers will find the courage of a young seamstress who built
Jewish trade unions on the Lower East Side; the determination of a 70 year old Zionist
pioneer who played a crucial role in the resettlement of Palestine and the birth of the
State of Israel; the bravery of a ghetto fighter who defied Nazi oppression and genocide;
the tenacity of an actress who revived Yiddish theater from the ruins of war; the forbearance
of a Soviet "refusenik" who cared for prisoners of the Communist regime; the candor of a
community leader who persuaded the American and Soviet presidents to change their
public policies toward world Jewry; the wisdom of a teacher who taught Torah to the
whole world; and the confidence of an athlete who revived Israel's pride by winning
Israel's first Olympic medal. Each chapter is the life story of an otherwise ordinary
woman set against the backdrop of the most important moments in Jewish history,
culture, and achievement of the modern world. Women Of Valor is highly recommended
for Judaic studies, women's studies, and contemporary history reading lists.
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 Remarkable Jewish Women: Rebels, Rabbis, and Other Women from Biblical Times to the Present |
This updated, expanded, and more user-friendly version of the
authors' Written Out of History (Bloch, 1978; o.p.) contains
over 80 brief biographies, chronologically arranged.
Introductory and background material is provided for each
period. Coverage is impressively wide-ranging. Although some
figures do not receive full entries, they are mentioned in other
entries and listed in the index. Some of the subjects will be
well known to readers familiar with Jewish history: Gluckel
of Hameln, Dona Gracia Nasi, Rebecca Gratz, Hannah
Szenes, Golda Meir, and Betty Friedan. Other entries
introduce important but neglected personalities. Several
heroines of the Holocaust are profiled. A major theme is
women's role in religion. The handsome illustrations include
numerous black-and-white photos from various archives
and private collections, making this edition more accessible
and visually appealing. This update highlights more
current figures, placing particular emphasis on female
rabbis and Talmudic scholars.
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 Blessed Is the Daughter By Carolyn Starman Hessel |
The inspiring story of Jewish women in all lands, from Biblical days
to our own time. Their courage, their devotion, their deeds of service
and dedication, in heroic action and in the practice of everyday Jewish
life. This book offers guidance and insights out of the entire span of
Jewish history and tradition, from our Mother Sarah to the great Jewish
women of the twentieth century. In simple yet moving words, and in
beautiful images, this beloved book, now in its eighth revised edition,
continues to inform and delight new generations of Bat Mitzvah and
Confirmation-age young women and their families.
From the Matriarchs to Glueckel of Hameln, from Henrietta Szold to Hannah Szenes, from Golda Meir to Bella Abzug and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, [Blessed Is the Daughter] is a survey of Jewish women "in all lands, from biblical times to our own." The book is organized into 20 themed chapters, featuring editorial commentary, along with vignettes of dozens of Jewish women who made important contributions to their people and to the world at large. There are black and white photos or illustrations to accompany most of the entries. The book is appropriate for middle schoolers and up. With its broad survey of Jewish history, focusing on the contributions of Jewish women, it will make an excellent Chanukah or Bat Mitzvah gift for young Jewish women who may someday be inspired by these women to make important contributions of their own to Jewish life. | |
 Jewish Heroes, Jewish Values: Living Mitzvot in Today's World By Barry L. Schwartz |
What makes a Jewish hero?
Spanning the worlds of sports, science, film, and politics, Jewish Heroes, Jewish Values introduces the Jewish heroes of yesterday and today to those of tomorrow. Students discover how to live Jewish values by reliving some of the most dramatic moments of the twentieth century: Eyewitness accounts capture the immediacy of each climactic event, and the "Jewish Heroes Hall of Fame" shows students how they can fulfill core Jewish values in their own lives. Over 70 photographs illustrate these inspiring portraits of men and women whose commitment to Jewish ideals have made them legends--and heroes. | |
 Links in the Chain : Shapers of the Jewish Tradition (Oxford Profiles) |
The Jews have a long, interesting history that has been shaped by
many fascinating people. These people have been scholars, judges,
soldiers, and politicians who have shaped Jewish values and
philosophy, kept the religion and culture alive during perilous
times, and created the modern state of Israel. This book, part
of the publisher's Oxford Profiles series, presents biographies
of 41 leaders from different historical periods and explains their
contributions to Jewish tradition.
The book is divided into three sections. "Laying the Foundations" covers postbiblical ancient times through the Middle Ages; "Shapers of Modern Judaism" includes the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries; and "Shapers of the Jewish State" deals with the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The last section covers only people instrumental in forming the state of Israel. The first two parts include leaders from all over the world. The Baal Shem Tov, Martin Buber, Theodore Herzl, Hillel, Isaac Luria, Maimonides, Moses Mendelssohn, Yitzchak Rabin, and Chaim Weitzman are among those found in this volume. Although men predominate, Beruriah, Rebecca Gratz, Golda Meir, Lily Montagu, Gracia Mendes Nasi, and Henrietta Szold are included. Each section begins with a historical overview. The individual biographies, around five pages long, appear in chronological order. They are illustrated with portraits and artifacts. Sidebars summarize the key points such as birth and death dates, education, and accomplishments. A bibliography, generally listing three or four titles, appears at the end of each article. A glossary, a chronology, and a general bibliography complete this work. Although written for middle-school students, this book can be used and appreciated by older students and adults. It is easier to read than the Encyclopedia Judaica (Keter, 1972) and provides more information on the individuals it covers than The Encyclopedia of Judaism (Macmillan, 1989). Links in the Chain places the biographies within a historical context so that readers understand the importance of the subjects' contributions to Jewish cultural development. This source is useful for school, public, and synagogue libraries. | |
 Great Jews in Sports |
Intriguing portraits of the greatest Jewish sports figures of the past two
centuries. Among the outstanding Jewish athletes featured are Olympic
swimmer Mark Spitz, Brooklyn Dodger ace Sandy Koufax, and football
star quarterback Sid Luckman. Features special sections on the Maccabiah
Games and Israeli sports figures plus a complete listing of the members of
the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in Israel. With black-and-white photographs.
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 Jewish Heroes & Heroines of America: 150 True Stories of American Jewish Heroism |
There are 150 action stories and illustrations in this book
depicting the contributions and sacrifices of Jews to defend
and build a better America, from colonial times to the
present, in peace and in war.
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 Jews in Sports |
In the tradition of the humorous Uh! Oh! series, where
finding the hidden objects and the Uh! Oh! character in
trouble creates a world of enjoyment for kids of all ages, Janet
Zwebner has designed a whole new set of riotous illustrations
featurning every major sport event including the Olympics. Joe
Hoffman the International Sports Editor for the Jerusalem Post
records the historical and practical contributions Jews have made
in the field of sports, including 7-time Olympic Gold winner Mark
Spitz, baseball great, Sany Koufax and others.
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 Great Jewish Thinkers: Their Lives and Work By Naomi E. Pasachoff |
An introduction to Jewish thinking anyone can read. This unique volume mixes biography, history, and philosophy, to present the lives and work of 16 seminal Jewish thinkers including Maimonides, Isaac Luria, the Baal Shem Tov, Theodor Herzl, Leo Baeck, Abraham Isaac Kook, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Mordecai Kaplan.
A concluding chapter presents current trends in Jewish thought, with contributions from contemporary figures including Eugene Borowitz, Cynthia Ozick, Rachel Adler, Judith Plaskow, Elie Wiesel, and many others. | |
 Na'ar Hayisi: I Was a Child By Aidel Wajngort |
This collection of 42 short stories is a treasure-trove of anecdotes
about our Sages when they were young. These unique tales show that
our Sages were already distinguished even before they became great
leaders.
Includes stories about the Maggid of Mehzrich, the Vilna Gaon, Rav Simcha Bunem of Peshischa, Rav Elchanan Wasserman, and many others. | |
 Jews Who Rock By Guy Oseary and Ben Stiller (Introduction) |
Jewish achievement in the sciences? Celebrated. Jews in literature? Lionized. But until now,
there's been no record of the massive contributions of Jews in Rock n' Roll. Jews Who
Rock features 100 top Jewish rockers, from Bob Dylan to Adam Horowitz, Courtney Love
(yes, she's half Jewish) to John Zorn, with a concise page of essential data and a biography of
each one.
"People who are into our music have mentioned to me that knowing we are Jewish has helped them feel more comfortable in their love of hip hop and sometimes even more comfortable and reassured in their own identity. If someone reads Jews Who Rock and feels empowered to make music or be creative because they identify with our being Jewish, that to me is a very positive thing." —Beastie Boy Mike D. Author Biography: Guy Oseary is one of the hottest executives in the music business. He started working with Madonna when he was just seventeen, and is now her partner at Maverick Records. He lives in Los Angeles, and is definitely a Jew who rocks. Includes biographies of Barry Manilow, Gene Simmons, Randy Newman, Mark Knopfler, Paul Simon, Lisa Loeb, Billy Joel, Dylan, Carole King, Kenny G (Gorelick), The Beastie Boys, and Phranc | |
 Stories for Shauli By Rabbi Aaron Zakkai |
We think of our great Torah scholars as elderly, wise, and learned men, but tend to forget
that they were once children too. In this collection of stories, the author taskes us into the
early years of the lives of some of our greatest Sages, showing us their childhood, their trials
and tribulations, and the seeds of greatness. This is an inspiring book that will remind us that
it is possible to reach great heights from humble beginnings.
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 The Mystery of Being Jewish By Molly Cone |
This book depicts how Judaism has influenced the lives of many famous Jews such as Theodor Herzl, Golda Meir, Norman Lear, and Yaacov Agam. Molly Cone explores the attributes of living as a Jew in the modern world.
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 Great Jewish Thinkers: Their Lives and Work By Naomi E. Pasachoff |
An introduction to Jewish thinking anyone can read. This unique volume mixes biography, history, and philosophy, to present the lives and work of 16 seminal Jewish thinkers including Maimonides, Isaac Luria, the Baal Shem Tov, Theodor Herzl, Leo Baeck, Abraham Isaac Kook, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Mordecai Kaplan.
A concluding chapter presents current trends in Jewish thought, with contributions from contemporary figures including Eugene Borowitz, Cynthia Ozick, Rachel Adler, Judith Plaskow, Elie Wiesel, and many others. |
