Devora Publishing Circa 2003 -20011
For a number of years this was Devora Publishing website. Devora Publishing was a "co-publishing" outfit.
Content is from the site's 2003 -2011 archived pages.
Devora Publishing books are now sold on the Urim Publications website at www.urimpublications.com/. Urim Publications is a publisher and distributor of classic and contemporary Jewish books.
Devora Publishing hopes to broaden the scope of Jewish publishing by bringing varied and eclectic topics of interest to the Jewish market. This includes original work with Jewish themes in the fields of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Art, Middle East Conflict, Cooking, Inspirational Stories, Reference Material, Bible, Religion, Holocaust, Philosophy, Holidays, Biography and Autobiography, and more.
The appeal of Devora books is wide-ranging, and is not confined to any one religious category or preference. Our writers are men and women who have achieved more than a modicum of respect and stature within their field and whose pen (computer keyboard) creates worthwhile, readable works.
Our ultimate goal is to publish titles that will be enjoyed by adults who wish to be inspired, amused, informed, and entertained, although not necessarily in that order...or all together. We are fortunate that there is an abundance of talented authors eager to have Devora Publishing serve as a vehicle to display their hidden thoughts and dreams, their accomplishments and aspirations, all of which makes our work so much easier and more rewarding.
DNA & Tradition
The Genetic Link to The Ancient Hebrews
by Rabbi Yaakov Kleiman Did the Twelve Tribes of Israel really exist? Are the scattered groups of modern Jews really the direct descendants of the ancient Hebrews of the Bible? This extraordinary book chronicles the latest discoveries in the cutting-edge field of Molecular Population Genetics that add empirical evidence and scientific confirmation to Biblical tradition. The areas that are analyzed include:
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Rabbi Yaakov Kleiman is director of The Center for Kohanim (Jews of Priestly origin), which is dedicated to raising awareness and preparedness among today’s Kohanim. The Center, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, maintains the website: www.Cohen-Levi.org . Sparked by the discovery of the “Cohen Gene”, Rabbi Kleiman began researching the new science of molecular population genetics – the tracking of peoples’ history through DNA. This book presents a summary of the fascinating findings and their possible implications.
“Recent work from genetics labs has validated the Biblical record of a Semitic people who chose a Jewish way of life several thousand years ago. These observations are the biological equivalent to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.” Dr. Harry Ostrer, Chairman of the Human Genetics Program at the NYU School of Medicine.
“A remarkable example of the synthesis of a large body of complex scientific work, formulated within the framework of scholarship in Jewish history and Biblical tradition.” Professor Karl Skorecki, Director of the Rappaport Research Institute, and Director of Nephrology at Rambam Medical Center, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology .
Torah With A Twist of Humor
by Joe Bobker A lively retelling of the stories in the bible as read each week in the synagogue. Interspersed are jokes and anecdotes that highlight the author’s points. The author uses highly original analysis and interpretation of the major events of the bible, adding Rabbinic and Midrashic sources to bolster his contentions. The reader encounters a humorous moment on every page of this enlightening volume. The chapters themselves hint at the anecdotal nature of this work, and its in-depth study of every story found in the Bible. Here’s a sample of the chapter headings in Genesis:
The rise of Eve is the grande finale of the creation process. God takes from the male (ish) his rib/side to create the female (isha). Thus, writes Dosetai ben Yannai, a 2nd century Sage, it is natural “for a man to woo a woman.” Why? Because “he seeks what he lost.” To this, he adds the anecdote: |
REVIEWS
Jonathan Groner
VINE VOICE
1.0 out of 5 stars
A lame attempt at combining humor and the Jewish tradition
June 21, 2005
Joe Bobker, an Australian who is the former publisher and editor of the Los Angeles Jewish Times, seems to have felt that one could produce a good book by combining the close study of the weekly Torah portion with the telling of hundreds of old, musty jokes. Then Bobker went ahead and wrote that book. He should have resisted the impulse.
This is an odd volume indeed. It contains roughly 50 chapters, each corresponding to one or two of the weekly Torah sections read in synagogue services, and it is evidently intended to acquaint the reader lacking a profound Jewish education with the subtleties of the biblical texts. But in this book, brilliant comments by Hasidic rebbes, kabbalists, and Talmudic scholars vie for space on the page with some of the world's worst howlers.
If the jokes were funnier or newer, or if there were fewer of them, this concept might have had a slight chance to work. After all, Jews know how to laugh. The festival of Purim is dedicated to laughter, merriment, and learned parodies known as "Purim Torah." But instead, Bobker treats us to tired jokes about intrusive mothers-in-law, worn tales about greenhorns who just arrived in America, and bromides about kids in old-fashioned cheders and condemned spies facing the firing squad and henpecked husbands facing their spouses. The reader is not likely to be entertained but rather to feel beaten into submission.
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A. Perez
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the funniest, most delightful books I have read in a long time.
November 24, 2005
The Torah with a Twist is one of the funniest, most delightful books I have read in a long time. Author Joe Bobker makes learning the Torah a fresh new experience with an edge of excitement.
The jokes are very witty and well thought out. Each one relates to a particular message bringing them to life in a special way. A friend of mine gave me the book as a gift for my birthday, and I am glad he did.
I have never been that religious, but the author makes learning about the 10 Commandments, God Almighty, Creation, and the exploits of people like Lot, Abraham, Noah, and the "Rebel with out a Cause" (Moses) an interesting and fun experience throughout. It's accessible and yet still presents the Torah in full vibrancy, grandeur, and color. The message of the Torah is relayed simply and entertainingly, so everyone can understand it, not just the super elite studied group. I really enjoyed it.
I can't wait to see what this author writes next!
Note: So what do you do when you read two diametrically opposing reviews? I always wonder why this occurs, but it often seems to come down to "taste." For instance, the other day I was searching online to buy some paper products- toilet paper, tissues and paper towels. I wanted a site that offered the toilet paper, tissues and paper towels with free shipping of course. But I also wanted good prices and good reviews for the brands& products that I chose. I have to admit I always look at the low rated reviews because you often get more insights into the product than you would from a review that just said the customer loved it. If the comments of the negative review resonates with me, I won't buy the product. On the other hand if the reviewer rated the product low for a trivial reason I discount that review. In regards to Torah With A Twist Of Humor , I disregarded that one star review and bought the book. You can add my name to the 5 star reviewers. I enjoyed this book because it brings the Torah to life. And honestly, many of the jokes were good. If you really want to learn the 5 books of Moses, without being overwhelmed, I recommend this book.
Spirituality and Intimacy
Creating the Marriage You Want
by Raphael Aron Many couples are caught up in the numerous myths that abound regarding marriage. The prevailing view is that if an observant Jew talks about romance or passion in marriage, he is out of line. He is trying to make a Jewish marriage more attractive than it should be. He is certainly crossing a line and venturing into, what many couples would regard as, shaky ground. The brave couple that is prepared to explore their intimate relationship do so with a sense of trepidation, thankful for the fact that nobody knows and nobody can see. They pray that God will understand them and not judge them too harshly. Ultimately, the gift of marriage remains in its wrapper. The secrets that the mystics and the Rabbis have taught remain just that: secrets. Torah's powerful message and lesson regarding intimacy is closeted away. Spirituality and Intimacy touches on the halachic and therapeutic issues of a satisfying marriage, but ultimately this book is about passion, romance, intimacy and spirituality. Its task is to destroy the myths that in turn destroy relationships. The book sets up a genuine challenge for couples of all ages encouraging them to breathe new life into their relationships by taking a deeper look into how relationships can be guided by a Torah perspective. Raphael Aron studied at the Rabbinical College of Australia and New Zealand, Yeshivat Kol Torah in Jerusalem and University of Melbourne. |
The Streets Of Jerusalem
Who, What, Why
by Ronald L. Eisenberg
Ronald Eisenberg has written over 20 books including The Jewish World of Stamps and Jewish Traditions. |
Love in a World of Sorrow
A Teenage Girl's Holocaust Memoirs
by Fanya Gottesfeld Heller
Fanya Gottesfeld Heller was born into a traditional middle-class Jewish family in a small Ukrainian village in 1924. Defenseless against the German occupation, beset by hunger, marked for death by their neighbors and faced with the constant threat of discover and execution, the family hid from the Nazi death squads and survived the Holocaust thanks to the courage of two Christian rescuers. Mrs. Heller has made it her life's work to teach the lessons she learned about the victory of life over death and to share her message of hope with others around the world. |
The Art Of Kavana
How to Ignite Your Judaism and Your Life
by Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld Contrary to most people's understanding of Judaism, the Torah's philosophy includes physical pleasures: that is, any experience that a person enjoys with one of the five senses. Either you smell it, touch it, taste it, see it, or hear it. Judaism views physical pleasure as central to living a good life. Hashem made a physical world not to frustrate us, but for us to enjoy. In fact, the tradition considers it a moral obligation to enjoy life's physical pleasures. For instance, consider the very first mitzvah of the Torah. What is the Torah's first mitzvah? It is not "Be fruitful and multiply." Nor is it "Do not eat from the tree of knowledge." Upon a close reading, the text plainly states that the very first mitzvah is "From every tree of the garden you must eat." However, the foundation of pleasure and the basis of Jewish spirituality is the discipline of mental control, of focusing the mind at will. To develop such a discipline requires a systematic development of mental focus, also known as meditation. It is the Art of Kavanah. Alexander Seinfeld received semicha from Harav Zalman Nehemia Goldberg, shlita, and two degrees from Stanford University. He founded Jewish Spiritual Literacy, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the ideas in this book. His audio recordings are available at jsli.org and other sites. |
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Schools and libraries are eligible for discounts. |