The Mystery of the Kaddish
A comprehensive, scholarly discussion of the roots, evolution, and meaning of the kaddish presented in language easily understood by the layperson. Very useful to those interested in the study of the
Jewish religion, culture, and history.

An Outside Review
Although many readers of European history may be familiar with the centuries of persecution described in this book, I found this presentation - focused on the rite of mourning and the prayer in memory of the dead especially powerful and evocative. Not being a Jew, it's possible to think of the holocaust as a horrific anomaly arising out of the singularly evil Nazi regime and, as a result, not understand the reality of 2000 years of persecution. This book brought me closer to understanding.

In 1944 my father walked off Omaha Beach in Normandy with a Jewish friend who grew up near him in Brooklyn. I grew up knowing they had participated, together, in the destruction of an evil that seemed unimaginable. Later, the Eichmann trial reinforced the specificity of that that evil and it was easy to assume that the war my father and his friend had fought and won eliminated the threat. This book by Messrs. Charney and Mayzlish reminds us, however, that the evil was neither new nor anomalous.

The development of the Kaddish as a response to the overwhelming sorrow brought about by the recurring destruction of one Jewish community after another and the links that the prayer itself has to both early Judaism and Christianity is a fascinating history. The historical memory of these events, and the reaction that the memory evokes, undoubtedly helped shape circumstances in our world today. This book, and its description of the life affirming nature of the Kaddish, made me think about both these larger events and the more personal implications of the prayer itself. It forced me to reconsider some of my earlier notions on human relationships and the mystery of our mortality.

The Mystery Of the Kaddish; a great book
As an Israeli born secular Jew who has been involved with cultural Jewish life in America for the last 40 years, I was naturally curious about a book titled The Mystery of the Kaddish. I found it thrilling, impeccably researched, original and altogether life reaffirming. I have read it thoroughly and was amazed to find out that alot of its content appears in print for the first time. In fact I was so taken by this book that it occurred to me to some day say a belated Kaddish for my own Father. I highly recommend Leon Charney's The Mystery Of the Kaddish for religous and non-religous alike.

Dissenting opinion
I purchased this book on the strength of "Customers who bought..." " also bought..." recommendation from Amazon.
Without doubt this book is one of the most misleading books on the subject of the Kaddish I have read so far. The title and the contents hardly match. Several chapters in the book are devoted to the holocaust, to the history of persecution of jews over the centuries, and to the meaning of death, peripheral issues which should have been dealt with in references or few paragraphs, not chapters, they are not core issues for such a title. This was done in order to support the central theory that the mourners' Kaddish originated to provide an outlet for grief during times of persecution, a slender theory which is never substantiated with research or evidence.
Furthemore the exposition lacks cohesion and is peppered with untranslated Hebrew jargon which may appeal to the knowledgeable orthodox Jew, but not to the general public, Jewish or otherwise.
Finally even the core theory is left unproven and seems to have been just a pet theory that the authors thought might justify the writing of a book.

Readers wanting to learn about the development of the Kaddish over the centuries and its transformation into the mourners' Kaddish will be greatly disappointed by this book.

The Mystery of the Kaddish
An excellently written and researched book about the Kaddish prayer, its history and historical significance to Jewish history is placed before the reader in very understandable terms. Unfortunately, what makes this book such a good read for Jewish people, may make it difficult for non-Jews to understand. Nevertheless, non-Jews should read this book for, I think, it will remove some of the "mystery" of Judaism for them. For if ever there was a thread that ran through the last one-thousand years of Jewish history, it would be the thread of violence against Jewish people where ever they have lived. Hopefully, by removing the "mystery" of Judaism and replacing it with knowledge and understanding, we can all live in peace.