Sources for a Judaica Reference Collection

Abstract

The compilation of a core collection for Jewish reference sources raises a number of questions which must be confronted and answered. Should a Jewish reference collection be a listing of sources for the study of Judaism primarily as a religion, or primarily as a cultural group? Should the sources be leaning toward Biblical and Rabbinic studies or towards history, art, and music? For the purposes of this bibliography, I have chosen to concentrate on the cultural aspects of Judaism and Jews as a group to be studied. As such I have elected, somewhat arbitrarily, to exclude the primary sources of the study of Judaism as a religion, these sources being a Jewish version of an English translation of the Bible, an English copy of the Talmud, liturgies, and all of the supplementary primary sources which would be necessary. It is hoped, instead, that those items would be found in the religion section of the reference collection. Nevertheless, this core collection will provide the tools for any interested person seeking to include such sources in their Judaic reference collection.