Jewish life-cycle events, holidays and ritual practices improve character and focus attention on the spiritual aspects of mundane activities. In this fascinating book, noted author Rabbi Berel Wein discusses the origins and values behind Jewish traditions, dispels myths and succinctly explains contemporary Judaism with forthright candor. You can use this book as a reliable, fact-filled reference, or read it in sequence to catch a glimpse into the vibrant mind of a highly knowledgeable Jew. Drawing upon traditional sources and Jewish history, Rabbi Wein answers practical questions meaningful to today's Jew. For example: Why is Kaddish said after the death of a loved one? What is the family Passover Seder meant to accomplish? What anti-Semitic myth has been at the root of centuries of persecution and is still alive today? What does the Torah say about ecology, animal rights and being Jewish in a non-Jewish world?