The Encyclopaedia of Judaism provides a full and reliable account of Judaism, beginning in ancient Israelite times and extending to our own day. These five volumes encompass much of what we know about Judaism, the religion, its diverse history, literature, beliefs past and present, observances and practices, and place in the context of society and culture. All principal topics required for the systematic description of Judaism as a religion—its world view, way of life, theory of the social entity constituted by the faithful—are addressed here.

The Encyclopaedia of Judaism provides a definitive account of contemporary Judaism and a reliable picture of a tradition of nearly four thousand years. A full and detailed index provides ready-reference for facts, and the systematic articles set forth highly readable accounts of the entire range of Judaic systems of belief and behavior put forth over time and in our own time. It is written for people from all backgrounds, scholars and general readers alike. The work offers neither a defense nor a critique of Judaism, or religion in general.

For its distinguished international board of contributors, the editors have sought a broad and representative variety of viewpoint so that objectivity and academic authority characterize the presentations. The encyclopedia is the work of many experts from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, continental Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, and has more than 150 signed, self-contained, and cross-referenced essays and articles.

The history of Judaism is laid out both by chronological periods and geographical regions. The holy books from ancient Israelite Scripture to the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jewish mysticism, ethics, law, synagogue design, relation to other religions, politics, natural sciences, sociology, and anthropology—all are expounded in detail. Topics of acute contemporary interest—medical ethics, women and Judaism, Zionism, and others—are also treated in a comprehensive manner. In short, The Encyclopaedia of Judaism is a definitive work on what is a living religion, and not merely an ethnic culture or a historical tradition.

When the editors completed the initial three volumes of The Encyclopaedia of Judaism, they found satisfaction in having covered the more than one hundred topics. But they also realized that many other important topics remained to be set forth in a systematic way. This led to Supplements One and Two (Volumes 4 and 5), offering new inquiries into the history, practices, and theology of Judaism.

The Logos edition of Encyclopaedia of Judaism includes all five published volumes of this award-winning overview of Judaism—comprising nearly 2,500 pages and more than 150 entries!