Jews of Kurdistan, The
Book Description
This remarkable ethnological study preserves the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of a Jewish community that vanished from history in the mid-twentieth century. Anthropologist Erich Brauer conducted extensive interviews with Kurdish Jews who had resettled in Palestine following World War II, documenting their ancient traditions before they were absorbed into modern Israeli society.
The work offers readers a rare window into the religious practices, customs, and daily spiritual life of Jews who had inhabited Kurdistan from antiquity until their mass exodus in 1950-51. Brauer's comprehensive examination reveals how this community maintained their faith and identity while living among Muslim neighbors, creating a unique synthesis of Jewish tradition and regional culture.
Through detailed accounts of life cycles, material culture, and religious observances, the book illuminates how spiritual communities adapt and preserve their essence across generations. The study captures not merely historical facts, but the living breath of a people whose world disappeared almost overnight with their departure from their ancestral homeland.
Completed posthumously by scholar Raphael Patai, who added supplementary research and contemporary perspectives, this work stands as both scholarly monument and spiritual testament. For readers interested in understanding how faith communities maintain their identity through centuries of change, this ethnological portrait offers profound insights into resilience, tradition, and the enduring power of spiritual practice to define a people's essence.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~12 hours)
📄 Length: 429 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Jews
- ✓ Explore Customs and practices
- ✓ Explore Social life and customs
- ✓ Explore Folklore
- ✓ Explore Judaism
- ✓ Explore Jews, folklore
- ✓ Explore Kurdistan, social conditions
- ✓ Explore Judaism, customs and practices
