Heavenly sex : sexuality in the Jewish tradition /

Arousing. Sexy. Seductive. You're talking about Judaism? Yup, or so says world-renowned sex educator Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Though many might find the statement above hard to believe, Westheimer contends that the religion celebrates human sexuality. Even the holiest of men are required to marry and, as Dr. Ruth so skillfully reminds us, "Celibacy is not a virtue. Orgasms are." The authors interpret various stories and help readers understand the significance of each. The book concludes with a handy biblical glossary and an annotated listing of legal codifications in Jewish law. Mark is associate editor of Jewish Week. Rotenberg's offering, which reads partly like a scholarly lecture and partly like a doctoral thesis, covers many of the subjects discussed in Heavenly Sex), only in greater depth. This shouldn't come as a surprise because Rotenberg has spent many years researching the impact of religion on the psychology of everyday life. The Dr. Ruth book is an enjoyable read that is essential for all libraries or certainly those serving a Jewish readership. Rotenberg should be considered only if a more scholarly work is required on the subject.-Marty Dean Evensvold, Magnolia Branch Lib., Tex. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.