Torah Through the Ages: A Short History of Judaism

Jacob Neusner selects the central Jewish symbol of Torah and describes its role through the ages. Neusner defines the Torah and relates it to Jewish identity, then describes the formation of the written Torah and the development of the Mishnah after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. This leads into an explanation of Midrash and the composition of the Talmud. After a discussion of Torah as a symbol, Neusner overviews Maimonides, the Zohar, Reform Judaism and Zionism.