KOSHER LIVING: It's More Than Just the Food

Food is just one of the 44 topics in this broad-based approach to what's kosher and what's not for Jews. "The word kosher has come to mean... the correct way to do something according to Jewish law and tradition," explains Isaacs. The book not only covers the expected Jewish topics—circumcision, marriage, prayer, Shabbat, synagogue behavior and more—but also intriguing items of general interest, such as employer-employee relations, shopping and even war. The alphabetical q&a format makes the book easy to navigate and explore. Each section is divided into two parts: "What's kosher" and "What's not kosher," followed by "expert" and primary sources. Isaacs acknowledges that his guide in no way constitutes a definitive code of Jewish law, but his succinct answers clarify thorny issues from abortion to stem cell research, presenting views from differing branches of Judaism and concluding with his own "modern traditional view." Thought-provoking sections on subjects with far-reaching ethical ramifications should fascinate both Jewish and non-Jewish readers: Is there a kosher way to argue? Is it kosher for a Jew to be a conscientious objector? Is it kosher to own a gun store, or for a liquor store owner to sell beer to a person who he knows is an alcoholic? Is it kosher to donate one's organs? This resource offers timeless wisdom through a contemporary lens. (Apr.)