Publisher's Synopsis
A mourner's prayer, recited by the offspring of a deceased parent, the Kaddish is recited in Lublin and Prague, in New York and London, in Moscow and in Tripoli – in fact, wherever there is a Jewish community. Even people who ordinarily never set foot in a synagogue will recite the Kaddish when a parent passes away and on the anniversary of their parent's death.
But what is it that makes this prayer so deeply moving and relevant? In this endlessly fascinating book, the authors set out on an around-the-world journey to unravel its powerful mystery.
Their fascinating text explores changes in interpretation across communities and cultures, its part in Medieval times as a vehicle to make sense of persecution, Christian influences, the musical and tonal complexities of recitation, concepts of death, as well as the prayer's rich and complex history.
Including stories, memories, travelogue and input from scholars and rabbis, The Mystery of the Kaddish is a beautiful voyage of discovery about a prayer which does not actually speak of death, yet has been moving the hearts and spirit of communities for centuries.
Leon Charney is a graduate of Yeshiva University and of Brooklyn Law School. A former US Presidential advisor he has published three books.
Saul Mayzlish is a graduate of Yeshiva Nahlim and Bar Ilan University. A well known Israeli broadcaster and journalist, his many books include Judaism in Practice co-written with the Chief Rabbi of Israel.
