{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/1541674022?tag=bookfrontier-20","asin":"1541674022","authors":["Hayim H. Donin","Hayim Halevy Donin","Haskel Lookstein"],"book_id":"9781541674028","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/to-be-a-jew-1541674022","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781541674028.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","description":"The inimitable, classic guide to the ageless heritage of Judaism, from Rabbi Hayim H. Donin, an incomparable teacher and interpreter of Jewish laws and practice. Embraced over many decades by hundreds of thousands of readers, To Be a Jew offers a clear and comprehensive introduction to traditional Jewish laws and customs as they apply to daily life in the contemporary world. In simple and powerful language, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin presents the fundamentals of Judaism, including the laws and observances for the Sabbath, the dietary laws, family life, prayer at home and in the synagogue, the major and minor holidays, and the guiding principles and observances of life, such as birth, naming, circumcision, adoption and conversion, Bar-mitzvah, marriage, divorce, death, and mourning. Ideal for reference, reflection, and inspiration, To Be a Jew will by greatly valued by anyone who feels that knowing, understanding, and observing the laws and traditions of Judaism in daily life is the essence of what it means to be a Jew.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9781541674028","publication_date":"20190813","publisher":"Basic Books","slug":"to-be-a-jew","subtitle":"A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life","title":"To Be a Jew"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"REL040010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Jewish Rituals & Practice","score":0.8666,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL040070","confidence_band":"high","label":"Orthodox Judaism","score":0.8653,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL040090","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Jewish Theology","score":0.8314,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"REL040010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Jewish Rituals & Practice","score":0.8666,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL040070","confidence_band":"high","label":"Orthodox Judaism","score":0.8653,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL040090","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Jewish Theology","score":0.8314,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"REL017000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Comparative Religion","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"REL040010","confidence_band":"high","label":"Jewish Rituals & Practice","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"REL040070","confidence_band":"high","label":"Orthodox Judaism","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"REL075000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Psychology of Religion","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"REL084000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Religion & Politics","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"SOC039000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Religion & Society","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Jewish Rituals & Practice","score":0.8666,"slug":"jewish-rituals-practice"},{"label":"Orthodox Judaism","score":0.8653,"slug":"orthodox-judaism"},{"label":"Jewish Theology","score":0.8314,"slug":"jewish-theology"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers who enjoy Jewish Rituals & Practice","Good for readers interested in religion","Good for fans of Judaism"],"related_lists":[{"intro":"","slug":"shelf-rel040090-judaism-theology","title":"Judaism Theology Books","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/lists/shelf-rel040090-judaism-theology"},{"intro":"","slug":"shelf-rel040070-orthodox","title":"Orthodox Books","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/lists/shelf-rel040070-orthodox"}],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Hayim H. Donin","Hayim Halevy Donin","Haskel Lookstein"],"book_id":"9781541674035","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781541674035.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":23.6536,"title":"To Pray As a Jew","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781541674035"},{"authors":["David J. Wolpe"],"book_id":"9780805039276","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780805039276.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":19.8257,"title":"Why Be Jewish?","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780805039276"},{"authors":["Anita Diamant","Howard Cooper"],"book_id":"9780063255791","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780063255791.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":17.8672,"title":"Living a Jewish Life, Revised and Updated","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780063255791"},{"authors":["Shmuley Boteach"],"book_id":"9781510779914","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781510779914.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":17.753,"title":"Judaism for Everyone","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781510779914"},{"authors":["Joseph Telushkin"],"book_id":"9780061374982","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780061374982.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":17.4742,"title":"Jewish Literacy Revised Ed","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780061374982"},{"authors":["Dennis Prager","Joseph Telushkin"],"book_id":"9780671622619","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780671622619.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":17.0557,"title":"Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780671622619"},{"authors":["Alan Morinis"],"book_id":"9781590306093","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781590306093.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":14.8942,"title":"Everyday Holiness","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781590306093"},{"authors":["George Robinson","David J. Wolpe"],"book_id":"9781501117756","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781501117756.jpg?v=20260417T204117Z-pairingsrefresh%3A2026-04-17T20%3A41%3A17Z","score":14.7523,"title":"Essential Judaism: Updated Edition","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781501117756"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:jewish way of life"],"label":"Life","score":0.1448,"slug":"life"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:religion"],"label":"Religion","score":0.084,"slug":"religion"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:jewish culture"],"label":"Culture","score":0.0808,"slug":"culture"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:jewish living"],"label":"Living","score":0.0519,"slug":"living"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:jewish way of life"],"label":"Jewish","score":0.0484,"slug":"jewish"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Life, Religion, Culture.","Reading lane: Jewish Rituals & Practice and Orthodox Judaism.","Publisher: Basic Books."]},"llm_signals":null,"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":false,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":0,"goodreads_ratings_count":991,"goodreads_reviews_count":48,"quality_score":0.8957}}