Zachor

Menachem Mendel alerts me to this notice about the death of Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi. Yerushalmi was an important historian of the Jews, but he will be remembered by most people as the author of Zakhor: Jewish History and Jewish Memory (The Samuel and Althea Stroum Lectures in Jewish Studies). This short and readable book is easily the single most important book about how Jews remember, and how modernity has changed things; since remembering is one of the most important elements of being Jewish, it's a very important book. I'd rank it well up in the top ten books you'll want to read to understand the Jews; it's that good.

Available also in Hebrew, German, and perhaps other languages as well.

May he rest in peace.