Routledge - The People of the Book: Drama, Fellowship and Religion

Explore the deep connection between Jewish identity and sacred texts in The People of the Book by Samuel C. Heilman. This study focuses on how the book and the scroll serve as the primary emblems of Jewish faith and tradition, standing in place of images or idols. Through extensive fieldwork, the author examines a group of Orthodox Jews living in the modern world who maintain the tradition of lernen. This practice involves the ritualized study and repeated review of sacred texts. By observing five different study circles across New York and Jerusalem over a period of two years, Heilman provides a detailed look at how these communities preserve their way of life. This book offers a unique perspective on how religious study functions as a social and spiritual cornerstone. It provides readers with an understanding of how the act of learning helps define a community and maintains its historical continuity in a contemporary setting.