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"Judaism, or that which has united the successive generations of Jews into one people, is not only a religion; it is a dynamic religious civilization."--Mordecai Menachem Kaplan, from Questions Jews Ask (1956) In assessing what their Jewish identities mean to them, Jews today sometimes describe themselves as links in a chain of tradition that stretches back to biblical times. In this collection of biographies of Jewish thinkers from ancient times to the present, the links in that chain come to life through the dramatic stories of 41 shapers of Jewish tradition. From Hillel, whose teaching more than twenty centuries ago set Judaism on its post-biblical course, to Yitzhak Rabin, the Noble Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister of Israel who helped to broker a peace settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, these men and women all left an indelible mark on Jewish practice, scholarship, or nationalism. In individual biographical essays, Naomi Pasachoff explores the contributions of philosophers, poets, and philanthropists; of mystics, statesmen, and scholars; of religious organizers and Zionist leaders. In so doing she uncovers surprising facts about well-known figures. For example, Theodor Herzl is widely honored as the father of the modern state of Israel, but did you know that he once dreamed of leading all the Jews of Vienna to St. Stephan Cathedral to undergo mass baptism? Readers who recognize Rashi as the most famous of all biblical commentators may be startled to learn that his concise style was a function of his tight budget. The book includes suggestions for further reading, an appendix, a glossary, and an index. Illustrations and photographs accompany the text, and a biographical fact box for each profile provides for easy reference. All these features make Links in the Chain an ideal introduction to Jewish role models for younger readers and a vital reference for all interested in Jewish history. Moreover, the book is a reminder that Jewish tradition