Jewish Folklore : An Encyclopedia

Exploring customs, rituals, legends, words and images in Jewish traditions as they were kept and transmitted in different historical and cultural setting over centuries, this book will be a unique window into Jewish civilization as well as an original and important work of folklore scholarship.

Some 750 alphabetically arranged entries trace the historical development of the myriad forms of Jewish folk tradition across cultures and around the globe.

Articles explore such topics as the Bible, Kabbalah, astrology, and mysticism; traditions from China to the Americas; folk appreciation of Jewish history; folk proverbs; folk music; traditions about sanctuary in the Holy Land; the great scholars who worked to preserve traditions; folk arts; customs and practices; beliefs about afterlife; the Messiah; angels, ghosts, and demons; folk medicine; and much more.

Entries are illuminated by informative sidebars as well as 125 illustrations, while an analytical index provides a useful tool for researchers and students. Through its focus on the dissemination of literature, arts and customs through non-written forms of communication, the study of folklore helps to chronicle the development of Jewish societies and identity around the world.

A groundbreaking reference work, Jewish Folklore: An Encyclopedia will be an invaluable resource for students and researchers of folklore and Judaica, as well as general readers.