What Does Being Jewish Mean? Read-Aloud Responses to Questions Jewish Children Ask About History, Culture, and Religion

Is everything in the Bible true?Why are there bad people in the world? Can't God stop them?Why do I need to learn to read, write, and speak Hebrew?Why do we fast on Yom Kippur?Where do we go after we die?This classic reference -- updated for the 21st century -- provides answers to more than 180 questions that Jewish children most frequently ask about their faith. The authors cover not only the basics of Jewish belief, custom, and practice but also the kinds of questions that arise from the unique way that children view the world, such as "Will the Messiah have superpowers like Batman or Superman?" And perhaps most important for our time,What Does Being Jewish Mean?tackles the knotty philosophical questions that often leave parents stumped for quick and appropriate responses.

Rabbi E. B. Freedman is the director of the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network in southeastern Michigan.