Press Room

“The completion of a second edition of the Encyclopaedia Judaica is a singular event, not just in the history of Jewish Studies, but in the history of reference publishing,” said Thomson Gale’s Jay Flynn, publisher for History, Religion and Social Sciences. “We congratulate our editors, authors and our partners at Keter Publishing in Jerusalem on this achievement, and we are delighted to release the Encyclopaedia to the public today.”

The Next Generation Encyclopaedia Judaica

Providing an exhaustive and organized overview of Jewish life and knowledge from the time of Abraham to the contemporary State of Israel, from Rabbinic commentaries to modern Yiddish literature, and from Kabbalah to Kugel, the Encyclopaedia Judaica, Second Edition features 2,600 completely new articles by top scholars, representing all major universities and centers of research in Jewish studies throughout the world.

The second edition incorporates more than three decades of changes and the latest scholarship – in areas such as archaeology, for example – expanding the scope and relevance of the original work. The editors of the second edition also sought to expand dramatically the coverage of the following areas:

• The role and contributions of women to Jewish life, history and culture
• The Bible, Biblical studies and Judaism of the classical era
• Jewish law, especially as applied in a modern Jewish state and with regard to current issues of faith and morals
• Holocaust studies
• Contributions of Jews to popular culture

Keeping true to its heritage, the Encyclopaedia is completely updated for today’s students and researchers, including m any features that make its 22 volumes of scholarship extremely accessible, such as:

• A fully-searchable Internet version for libraries, synagogues and other institutions
• More than 600 maps, charts and tables
• 168 pages of full-color photographs and other images, detailing the many aspects of Jewish life and culture

The Encyclopaedia Judaica also is available as a personalized set suitable for gift-giving. This deluxe, leather-bound edition features a foil-embossed cover and custom inscription pages.

An Editorial Legacy

The Encyclopaedia’s history begins in 1928, when Nahum Goldman’s Eshkol Publishing Society in Berlin began publication of a comprehensive reference work on the history and culture of the Jewish people. The German-language Encyclopaedia Judaica was never finished. The ten volumes (Aach to Lyra) of the first Encyclopaedia Judaica stand today as an evocative and tragic reminder of the barbarism of Hitler’s Germany, enduring as a testament to the intellect and spirit of European Jewry.

Goldman was the last surviving member of the editorial board of the German-language Encyclopaedia Judaica. Using funds he received as reparations, Goldman helped revive the Encyclopaedia Judaica, this time in Israel. Work began on the project in 1966 at Keter Publishing House in Jerusalem. In 1972, more than 45 years after it was begun, the job was finally complete: Keter Publishing House and its American partner, Macmillan Reference, released the English-language Encyclopaedia Judaica. Like its predecessor, this work provides a thorough overview of Jewish life and knowledge.

A New Edition to Carry the Tradition Forward

Under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Fred Skolnik, who served as co-editor on the 1972 edition of Encyclopaedia Judaica, and Executive Editor Michael Berenbaum, an American scholar, professor, author and filmmaker who specializes in the study of the memorialization of the Holocaust, an editorial board of more than 50 divisional editors undertook the task of bringing the encyclopedia’s editorial content up to date for the second edition. They supervised the contributions of nearly 1,200 scholars and editors, five of whom are recipients of the Israel Prize, the most highly regarded award in Israel.

Said Flynn, “We cannot overstate the importance of this work to both Jews and non-Jews alike. Anyone with an interest in Western civilization, the history of the modern Middle East or contemporary culture will be well served by this magnificent book.”

To read sample entries from the Encyclopaedia Judaica and to obtain ordering information, visit www.encyclopaediajudaica.com. For more information, contact Vanessa Birch at vanessa.birch@cengage.com.

About The Thomson Corporation and Thomson Gale

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