Jewish History - The Big Picture

I used this as a textbook for seventh and eighth graders at a non-affiliated community Jewish day school. I found this to be an excellent book -- detailed enough to be genuinely useful without becoming overwhelming. It presented the material in a Jewish context without value judgements as to which movement or approach would be best, which was particularly helpful in a classroom that represented a spectrum of affiliations. The pacing of the chapters and the units was particularly well-done, allowing for a manageable amount of information to be included in the almost-weekly tests and unit tests. We were able to cover about half of the book devoting roughly three hours a week. The vocabulary and syntax was understandable for seventh/eighth graders, yet I do not think that it would be received as overly elementary or simplistic if presented to adults. Many of the parents, in fact, expressed a desire to read the book.

I was looking for a book to provide a concise history of the Jews and Gila Gevirtz hit the mark precisely.

Based upon Jonathan Sarna and Jonathan Krasner's exhaustive two-volume compendium "The History of the Jewish People", Gila Gevirtz and the Behrman House publishing company have produced "Jewish History: The Big Picture", a 288-page compendium of succinctly presented Jewish history replete with anecdotal facts and stories showcasing the diversity of events and elements of Judaism ranging from the resurrection of Hebrew as a living language, to the celebration of Passover on an American civil war battlefield, to the Jewish roots of Christianity, to Jewish communities around the world and down through the millennia. Of special note are the chapters focusing on the Holocaust, the rise of the modern state of Israel, and contemporary American Jewry. Enhanced with graphics, maps, charts, time-lines, photographs, and a comprehensive index, "Jewish History: The Big Picture" is highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to personal, family, school, and community library Judaic Studies and Jewish History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.