Welcome to the Five Books recommendations on Judaism and Jewish culture.

Founded over 3500 years ago, and perhaps the oldest monotheistic religion, Judaism has a poignant and often distressing history. Antisemitism has been a plague of both the eastern and western worlds.

From a literary perspective, our book recommendations examine the rich cultural and literary world of Jewish writing. These include the best Jewish fiction, chosen by novelist Allegra Goodman, but also the best contemporary Israeli fiction. Harvard Professor Ruth Wisse discusses the distinctive nature of Jewish humour, picking her favourite works.

As regards politics, our book recommendations also cover the nature of Zionism and the establishment of Israel.