Abraham: The World's First (But Certainly Not Last) Jewish Lawyer (Jewish Encounters Series)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.55 (514 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0805242937 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 208 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-02-14 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Law as practiced by Old Testament characters and more recent lawyers of the Jewish faith.with good Jewish humor throughout Neal Reynolds I give this amusing and instructive little book five stars because it makes its point so well and with a good deal of humor. Alan M. Dershowitz, himself a Jewish lawyer, in the first part of the book makes his case citing the Biblical Abraham as not only the first Jew, but also the first Jewish lawyer, whose most famous case was when God told him that he was going to destroy the sinful city of Sodom. Abraham begins by asking if he'll do such a sweeping destruction of innocents along with the guil. LUCINDA MORGENTHAU said A Book Not Just Legal, But Personal. Readers talk about how the author explores different aspects of the law and lawyers in this fascinating book, but I gleaned something much more personal and inspiring from the portraits of these great Jewish leaders. For example, Dershowitz's interpretation of the life of Abraham affected me deeply not as a lawyer but as a spiritual human being. I have always considered God's command to Abraham to sacrifice his son as counterintuitive behavior There are several different interpretations among Jew. New Twist on Old Stories Professor Dershowitz manages to bring a fresh perspective to the ancient stories of the biblical patriarch Abraham: that of Abraham as the first Jewish Lawyer. In the first half of the book, Professor Dershowitz uses the well-known stories of Sodom & Gomorrah, the sacrifice of Isaac, the smashing of the idols, etc., to teach principles of contracts, ethics, and zealous advocacy as Abraham makes deals with and challenges God. In the second half, Dershowitz draws parallels between Abraham and famou
Honors he has received include the Anti-Defamation League’s William O. He is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus, at Harvard Law School, and has worked for more than fifty years in the areas of civil liberties, human rights, and criminal law. . Douglas First Amendment Freedom Award. DERSHOWITZis the New York Times best-selling author of more than thirty books. His articles have appeared in hundreds of publications, including The New
The Hebrew Bible’s two great examples of advocacy on behalf of problematic defendants—Abraham trying to convince God not to destroy the people of Sodom, and Moses trying to convince God not to destroy the golden-calf-worshipping Children of Israel—established the template for Jewish lawyers for the next 4,500 years. Part of the Jewish Encounter seriesOne of the world’s best-known attorneys gives us a no-holds-barred history of Jewish lawyers: from the biblical Abraham through modern-day advocates who have changed the world by challenging the status quo, defending the unpopular, contributing to the rule of law, and following the biblical command to pursue justice. Dershowitz’s thoughts on the future of the Jewish lawyer are presented with the same insight, shrewdness, and candor that are the hallmarks of his more than four decades of writings on the law and how it is (and should be!) practiced.. Louis Brandeis, Theodor Herzl, Judah Benjamin, Max Hirschberg, René Cassin, Bruno Kreisky, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Irwin Cotler are just a few of the “idol smashers, advocates, collaborators, rescuers, and deal makers” who helped to change history. Dershowitz profiles Jewish lawyers well-known and unheralded, admired and excoriated, victorious and defeated—and, of course, gives us some glimpses into the gung-ho practice of law, Dershowitz-style. Whether because throughout history Jews
In this corrosive atmosphere, as Jews, Christians, and Muslims try to sort out the intricate relationships among their traditions so that a mutually respectful atmosphere can be created, no single figure is more significant than Abraham. Here is a story told with wit, verve, and penetrating insight by one of the great Jewish lawyers of our time—the fearless, peerless Alan Dershowitz. A brilliant, entertaining, and wonderfully stimulating book.” —Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, author of Not in God’s Name “We live in a period of dangerously escalating tensions among religious communities, with old hatreds and stereotypes making ominous comebacks. The ancient patriarch is respected as the ‘Father of Faith’ by all three communities, but how well is he understood? Alan Dershowitz deftly reveals him in a fresh light, as the Jewish lawyer par