This one-volume work resembles the Encyclopedia of Judaica in format and approach: it has double-columned heavy stock pages, color illustrations, and an informed traditionalist outlook. It does raise issues that the Encyclopedia of Judaica, written nearly 20 years ago, could not address (for example, the ordination of women as rabbis).

A nice feature of this new work is the highlighted sidebars of rabbinic and folkloric sayings, such as "Small children can disturb your sleep, big ones your life." Libraries strapped for funds should probably purchase a different sort of reference work first -- The Blackwell Companion to Jewish Culture ( LJ 11/1/90) -- which might have a wider general interest. Still, this book is recommended for eventual purchase (even for those libraries that have the Encyclopedia of Judaica ), as it is an excellent, up-to-date, one-volume source on the Jewish religion.

- Paul Kaplan, Highland Park P.L., Ill.