Title: Covenant & Conversation: Genesis: The Book of Beginnings
Author: Jonathan Sacks
Pages: 366
Year: 2009
Publisher: Koren Publishers Jerusalem
My rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
The writing style is easy for the lay person to comprehend. He gives gems of wisdom to ponder and questions that make me think long after I’ve put the book down. I thoroughly enjoy learning about the history of the Jewish people, their land and their faith. I’ve been shown that there is so much I don’t know about my own faith roots and will be forever grateful to Rabbi Sacks for enlightening the path. While I am a Christian, learning/reading from a Jewish perspective has given me new insight into my faith as well as Judaism. This book is interesting and will hold the reader’s attention without a problem. The chapters are 4-6 pages in length and not written for an academician (thank goodness!), so I was able to grasp concepts without a problem.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has written a wonderful book for Jews as well as non-Jews who want to learn more about the beginning of creation along with relevant, applicable truths for life today. I am not Jewish, but I am interested in learning about the roots of my Christian faith, which are founded and grounded in Judaism. Rabbi Sacks writes in a way that is engaging, understandable and current. He espouses many life truths that apply to everyone, as well as some for Jews alone. I have the entire Covenant & Conversation series and am currently reading the second book in the series, Exodus. I’m learning a lot from the rich truths of this learned man to whom God has gifted such a talent for writing.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )

Another in the Chief Rabbi's series on the Pentateuch. Relating Biblical teaching to Western philosophical ideas and pushing for the dignity and life enhancing results of monotheism, freedom and forgiveness. This is not a commentary, lots of textual puzzles are left unsolved, but he likes to look at the broad sweep of the story and derive its lessons. Good on the significance of being given a story, does not worry about their relationship to "history", and certainly spends no time trying to prove its authenticity, but every story is treated as though it happened. You will get very little here about the relevance of eternity and nothing is said about resurrection, at one point he suggests that such talk is a sort of Gnosticism. ( )