Jacob’s Younger Brother

An extraordinarily sophisticated, insightful and provocative examination of how Roman Catholics and Orthodox Jews addressed the prospect of reconciliation in the second half of the twentieth century. -- Glenn C. Altschuler * Jerusalem Post * A volume from which both Jewish and Catholic scholars may learn...This is an excellent book. -- Eugene J. Fisher * Catholic News Service * A sobering book...Ben-Johanan tells a full story of the evolution of an uneasy relationship between these siblings, Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism...The message of this book is important to everyone involved in interfaith work, because the language of interfaith work is too often a gesture without teeth. -- Jon M. Sweeney * Christian Century * An illuminating and important new book...An intellectual, cultural, and political challenge...[F]or anyone for whom the Jewish-Christian story is an important element in defining his or her identity. -- Israel Jacob Yuval * Haaretz * An astute and evenhanded study of how both faiths view themselves and each other. * Publishers Weekly * Karma Ben-Johanan is the first scholar to ask how Catholics and Jews found a language to speak to each other after the Holocaust. As a theologian and a historian, she knows well the difficulty they faced: building bridges to one another while carefully guarding the boundaries of their own traditions. In this fascinating and sobering book, she uncovers why-despite the best of intentions-church and synagogue continue to perplex one another. -- John Connelly, author of <i>From Enemy to Brother</i> Hard-hitting and groundbreaking, Jacob's Younger Brother will have a long-lasting impact on Jewish-Catholic relations. -- Gavin D'Costa, author of <i>Catholic Doctrines on Jews after the Second Vatican Council</i> A new and bold contribution to an often stereotyped and petrified discourse. Indispensable for anybody engaged in the Jewish-Christian dialogue. -- Peter Schafer, author of <i>Two Gods in Heaven</i> A refreshingly honest and deeply thought-provoking book on the mutual perception of Jews and Christians in the late twentieth century. Ben-Johanan provides new interpretations of John Paul II and Ratzinger/Benedict XVI's writings. She also guides her readers through the ongoing heated debates among Orthodox Jewish thinkers confronted with a newly friendly Christian community. Jacob's Younger Brother is required reading for anyone interested in Jewish-Christian relations today. -- Etienne Vetoe, Director of the Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies, Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome) This is a groundbreaking book and a must-read for all interested in contemporary Jewish-Christian dialogue. The Jewish Orthodox perspective is thoughtfully explained and brilliantly integrated, for the first time, alongside its Catholic counterpart. -- Christoph Markschies, author of <i>God's Body</i> An excellent book. -- Eugene J. Fisher * Detroit Catholic *