Since People of the Word hit the bookshelves exactly one month ago, retailers (both online and brick-and-mortar) have been struggling to keep up with the demand. And now, with inventories almost entirely cleared out, the book is heading into a second printing.
Written by former Chabad.org editor Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson, author of Seeds of Wisdom, A Time to Heal and Positivity Bias, together with Rabbi Zalman Abraham of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, the book shares 50 transformative ideas from Judaism and how it interfaces with the world by examining 50 key Hebrew words that have been mistranslated and misunderstood for centuries. Each chapter takes the reader on an etymological journey into the big ideas that continue to shape Jewish thought, values, and culture to this day.
Even before it was released, accolades for the work poured in from thought leaders, scholars, academics, and spiritual guides.
Referring to the book as “filled with information and mind-expanding insights that will deepen your knowledge of Hebrew and your understanding of life,” Rabbi Joseph Telushkin asserts that it is what “the Jewish community really needs both for its erudition and its compelling readability.”
Commenting on the book’s “highly addictive” appeal, author and lecturer Rivka Slonim compares it to “a box of assorted, rich, delicious truffles [as] each entry is filled with surprises.”
The accolades have been coming from readers all across the world, including from Nobel Prize winning economist Robert Aumann, who “found it very interesting and well-written.”
More than just a book of words, the work provides windows of insight into Jewish history, thought, culture, meaning, and practice. Through focusing on 50 words, it captures the unique spirit of Judaic thought that sets it apart from its counterparts and popular society and uncovers each word’s deeper meaning, significance, and insights into life.
Click here to learn more about the book and purchase a copy or to find it at the retailer of your choice.
