The Encyclopaedia of Judaism provides a full and reliable account of Judaism, beginning in ancient Israelite times and extending to our own day. About Judaism, the religion, its diverse history, literature, beliefs past and present, observances and practices, and place in the context of society and culture, this is what we know. All principal topics required for the systematic description of Judaism as a religion the world view, way of life, theory of the social entity constituted by the faithful are addressed here.

The Encyclopedia of Judaism provides a definitive account of contemporary Judaism and a reliable picture of a tradition of nearly four thousand years. A full and detailed index provides ready-reference for facts, and the systematic articles set forth highly readable accounts of the entire range of Judaic systems of belief and behavior put forth over time and in our own time. It is written for people from all backgrounds, scholars and general readers alike.

When the editors completed the initial three volumes of The Encyclopedia of Judaism, they found satisfaction in having covered the more than one hundred topics. But they also realized that many other important topics remained to be set forth in a systematic way. This led to new inquiries into the history, practices, and theology of the religion, Judaism. Specialists in all these fields were found and the result is more than ninety new studies, of which the first thirty-two are in the present volume. Supplement Two is anticipated for 2003, and Supplement Three, for 2004.

Jacob Neusner, Research Professor of Religion and Theology at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. He is a Life Member of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, and a Member of the Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ.

Alan J. Avery-Peck is Kraft-Hiatt Professor in Judaic Studies in the Religious Studies Department of the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts. Alongside his many publications on Rabbinic Judaism, he is editor of Review of Rabbinic Judaism: Ancient, Medieval and Modern (Brill).

William Scott Green is Professor of Religion, Philip S. Bernstein Professor of Judaic Studies, and Dean of the College at the University of Rochester. He is author or editor of several books on ancient Judaism and also has written broadly on religion and higher education. He served two terms as editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Religion and is editor of Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism.