The gifts of the Jews

The Gifts of the Jews reveals the critical

change that made western civilization possible. Within the

matrix of ancient religions and philosophies, life was seen

as part of an endless cycle of birth and death; time was like

a wheel, spinning ceaselessly. Yet somehow the ancient

Jews began to see time differently. For them, time had a

beginning and an end, it was a narrative, whose triumphant

conclusion would come in the future. From this insight

came a new conception of men and women as individuals

with unique destinies-a conception that would inform the

Declaration of Independence-and our hopeful belief in

progress and the sense that tomorrow can be better than

today. As Thomas Cahill narrates this momentous shift, he

also explains the real significance of such Biblical figures

as Abraharm and Sarah, Moses and the Pharaoh, Joshua,

Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

Full of compelling stories, insights and humor, The Gifts of

the Jews is an irresistible exploration of history as

fascinating and fun as How the Irish Saved Civilization.