The High Holy Days -- Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur -- are for many Jews the highlight of the Jewish year. The liturgy for the Days of Awe are the longest and most complex of the year, leaving a large number of attendees without a complete understanding of the occasion's significance.
Entering The High Holy Days provides historical background and interpretation of the ideas, practices, and liturgy and lends them contemporary relevance to today's Jews.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Terrific Book:
I brought this book with me to High Holyday services this year and used it as a reference. I really enjoyed it. It is particularly interesting when it explains the origins of the various prayers
Don't go to shul without it!:
Whether you are a Jew-from-birth who wants to deepen your experience of the High Holy Days or a convert going through the Days of Awe for the first time, or a interested bystander who wants to know more of what the holiest days of the year are all about, Reuven Hammer's Entering the High Holy Days is an excellent resource. The author covers the history and development of the rituals and services of Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur and the days between (known as the Days of Awe) as well as customs such as the... more info
A useful guide written with a contemporary audience firmly in mind:
Now in a new paperback edition, Entering The High Holy Days: A Complete Guide To The History, Prayers, And Themes is a classic guide to Jewish religious holidays. Written by Reuven Hammer, head of the Rabbinical Court of the Masorti Movement, Entering The High Holy Days has earned the National Jewish Book Award for its scholarly yet straightforward presentation of the liturgy, necessary preparations, ceremonies, historical background and more as connected to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur especially. A useful... more info
Understanding Prayer:
This is an excellent book explaining the context of the High Holidays. The thinking worshiper will certainly benefit from reading and studying this small volume. It should be read with machzor in hand and deserves serious contemplation.
