Carta Jerusalem - Forthcoming

HAGGADAH OF THE SAGES

Shmuel Safrai & Zeev Safrai

16.5×23.5 cm (61⁄2×91⁄4 in.); c.400 pp.; b&w; cloth

The Passover Haggadah is a concise expression of the entire world of Judaism, containing all its principal elements. It reflects the faith, hopes and longing for redemption of the Jewish people, and it identifies with the historical experience: “In every generation, each person must regard himself as if he himself had come out of Egypt.”

This Haggadah is presented in the spirit that the Sages wrote it. It is divided into two parts: the authors (father and son) begin with a long commentary, divided into sections. This is followed by a short commentary that accompanies the Haggadah itself. The reader of the short commentary who wants to learn about the origin and early history of the text will find them in the long commentary on the same passage.

Shmuel Safrai (1919–2003) was ordained as a rabbi at the age of 20 and later received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in the fields of Jewish History, Talmud and Bible. Safrai was recipient of the Jerusalem Prize (1986) and the Israel Prize (2002), Israel’s most prestigious honor. He wrote over 80 articles and 12 books including Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef: His Life and Teachings.

Ze’ev Safrai, an alumni of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is Professor of Land of Israel Studies at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. He has written and edited more than ten books and dozens of articles on the Land of Israel and Jewish history and culture in the time of the Second Temple, Mishnah and Talmud.

FROM QUMRAN TO MASADA

Hanan Eshel

19×24.5 cm (71⁄2×93⁄4 in.); c.360 pp.; full color; maps, illustrations; cloth

Four hundred meters (1200 ft.) below sea level, the lowest place on earth, embedded between the Mountains of Judah and Moab, lies the Dead Sea, a jewel of everchanging color. From Qumran in the north to Masada in the south, the area is studded with biblical and historical memories.
Here Lot’s wife turned into a Pillar of Salt, David fled from Saul, the mysterious Essenes wrote their pages in history and the 960 defenders of Masada, men, women, and children, chose death over surrender to the superior Roman forces. The Dead Sea Caves that grudgingly gave up some few of their secrets were also the last refuge of the Bar Kokhba fighters as witnessed by numerous finds.
No one is better qualified than Hanan Eshel to tell the story. His vast experience in the field, wide historical knowledge and superb scholarship cover the whole gamut of this beguiling expanse. Profusely illustrated with maps, plans, reconstructions and pictures, the fascinating saga of the area comes to life.

Hanan Eshel is associate professor and former head (2002–2004) of the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. He received his Ph.D. in Jewish History from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Among his many honors, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship and a Harry Starr Fellowship at Harvard University, and was visiting lecturer in Late Second Temple Judaism at Harvard Divinity School.

Dr. Eshel has directed and/or participated in numerous excavations in Israel, including Qumran and En-gedi. His publications include The Bar-Kokhba Refuge Caves and The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Hasmonean State (both in Hebrew), and over 150 articles.

THE WORD IN THE WORLD

David Noel Freedman
with Susan E. Jacobi
23×30 cm (9×12 in.); c. 400 pp.; full color; maps, illustrations, tables; hardcover

THE WORD IN THE WORLD helps readers explore the religious, historical, and literary context of each biblical book, as well as how the many books became The Good Book that has inspired believers and skeptics alike.
Presenting findings from Freed-man’s careful reading of these sacred texts, the book offers insight into the process by which, after reflecting upon an intense experience of the Divine in their lives, peoples of long ago were inspired to write, edit, and eventually unify these cherished books.
In turn, THE WORD IN THE WORLD helps readers of the Bible to reflect upon and experience the Divine in their own lives.

To preview, click on picture

IN HIS IMAGE

Paul H. Wright

23×30 cm (9×12 in.); 256 pp.; full color; maps, illustrations and photographs;bibliography; index; cloth

This volume represents a new and necessary genre in the field of biblical studies. In His Image is perhaps best described as a volume on applied or practical biblical historical geography. That is, it offers a readable and engaging presentation of biblical historical geography through the familiar grid of story. A growing mass of archaeological, historical and geographical data is available for the interested Bible reader, but the data is vast and (often) disparate, and (usually) presented in such a way that is either beyond the grasp of the general reader. In His Image provides an integrated historical-geographical context of the biblical story.
The entry point for introducing readers to the interface of text and land (i.e., Bible and the Holy Land) is a look at some of the great people of the Bible. It tells the stories of 23 individuals or groups of individuals (44 people in all) who appear on the pages of Scripture. The atlas presents the story of each character, focusing on the importance for place and cultural context in understanding the story. Numerous maps and pictures, with explanatory captions, are included for every chapter to let the reader visualize the grounded reality behind each person’s story.

Paul H. Wright is the Executive Director of Jerusalem University College/Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem. He was awarded his Ph.D. degree in Bible and Ancient Near East at Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati.
He is the author of Understanding the New Testament and (with M. Har-El) Understanding the Geography of the Bible, both published by Carta,Jerusalem.

GREAT PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE

An Illustrated Handbook
Paul H. Wright
16.5×23.5 cm (6½×9½ in.); c. 320 pp.; full color; maps, illustrations and photographs; hardcover

Everyone loves a good Bible story. Some stories, like Noah and the Ark, David and Goliath, and Jonah and the Whale, have entered the mainstream of popular culture. Others, such as Sisera’s Encounter with Yael, Ahab’s Battle at Ramoth-gilead, or Nehemiah’s Nighttime Ride, though not as well known, are still a good read. Conflict, intrigue, resolution, local color, character, points of relevance—these and other aspects of storytelling energize the biblical narrative in ways that for centuries have prompted the hearts and minds of Bible readers to hear and respond to the touch of God in their lives.

GOD’S BATTLEFIELDS Blood, Faith and History in the Holy Land

Dr. Shmuel Berkovitz
16.5×23.5 cm (6½×9¼ in.); b&w; c. 500 pp.; hardcover

“An in-depth analysis and innovative proposal for an equitable solution for the problems posed by the Holy Places”

God’s Battlefields: Blood Faith and History in the Holy Land is the most thoroughly researched project ever to probe the struggle for control of the holy sites in Israel, mainly Jerusalem, from the fourth century ce to the present day.