Exploring Jewish Tradition: A  Transliterated Guide to Everyday Practice and Observance
Exploring Jewish Tradition, by Rabbi Abraham B. Witty and Rachel   J. Witty, is not a particularly original project. There are already dozens of   general and specialized guidebooks covering the territory that the Wittys   explore here. What sets this one apart, however, is its emphasis on thelanguageof Judaism--the vocabulary and idioms of Jewish traditions. Each   of 10 chapters (covering Torah, synagogue ritual, prayer, the Jewish calendar,   the Sabbath, the High Holidays, the Pilgrimage Festivals, the minor festivals,   the Jewish life cycle, and "special words and phrases used in the day-to-day   Jewish experience") is strictly organized into numbered sections exploring the   meaning of various terms, with frequent and often lengthy allusions to the   Torah, the Talmud, and other central Jewish texts. Each chapter ends with a   cross-referenced listing of new words that have appeared in the chapter; and the   back of the book provides a complete vocabulary and subject index. With these   features,Exploring Jewish Traditionis structured as an exploration of   the meaning of Jewish language. It's an ingenious and apt device for introducing   the major elements of modern Judaism. For readers who seek a more historical,   theological, or philosophical orientation to Jewish tradition, this may not be   the best choice. But for those whose understanding is best structured by the   meanings of words, it's a perfect fit.--Michael Joseph Gross