The Way Into. series offers an accessible and highly usable "guided tour" of the Jewish faith, people, history and beliefs-in total, an introduction to Judaism that will enable you to understand and interact with the sacred texts of the Jewish tradition. Each volume is written by a leading contemporary scholar and teacher, and explores one key aspect of Judaism. The Way Into. enables all readers to achieve a real sense of Jewish cultural literacy through guided study. For everyone who wants to understand the varieties of Jewish identity, its boundaries and inclusions, this book explores the religious and historical understanding of what it has meant to be Jewish from ancient times to the present controversy over "Who is a Jew?" Beginning with the biblical period, it takes readers era by era through Jewish history to reveal who the Jewish community included and excluded and discusses the fascinating range of historical conflicts that Jews have dealt with internally. It provides an understanding of how the Jewish people and faith developed and of what the major religious differences are among Jewish movements today.