Brief Notices

BRIEF NOTICES CHARACTER AND IDEOLOGY IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER. By Michael V. Fox. Studies on Personalities of the Old Testament. pp. xv + 317. Columbia: University of South Carolina, 1991. Cloth, $32.95. "The book of Esther is a simple tale-and a powerful one. The brief, straightforward plot and clear-cut characters speak to the reader about the world, humanity. the Jewish people. history, and God. The clarity and vividness of the characters allow them to serve as vehicles in conveying some surprisingly sophisticated viewpoints. Character and Ideology in the Book of Esther is a study of these intriguing characters and the way their portrayal conveys ideas about Jewish life in the diaspora. "The book of Esther explores the potential of human character to rise to the needs of the hour and to respond to those needs by whatever methods and devices the situation demands. It is not merely the story of a hero who happens to be a woman, for there is considerable stress placed on the role of her femininity in the course of events. The character of Esther is a model for life in the diaspora, a leader whose charisma came not in a sudden divine imposition but as the result of a difficult process of personal development and self-realization. The book speaks to the inner resources of personal strength, courage, and ingenuity. These character traits-not miracles-are necessary for survival." (from the back cover) SHOFAR: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF JEWISH STUDIES. Joseph Haberer, ed. Vol. 10:3 (1992). Pp. 212. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue. Paper. This issue of Shofar is a Special Issue entitled, Sephardi Jewry Before and After 1492: A contribution to the Quincentennial Anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. edited by Michael M. Laskier. Articles included in this issue are "Two Models ofJewish Spirituality" by Jose Faur; "Isaac Abravanel's Concept of Monarchy" by Rochelle L. Millen; "Some Lost Writings of Judah Abravanel (1465?-1535?) Found in the Works of Giordano Bruno (1548-1600)" by David Harari; "The Sephardi Heritage in Libya" by Rachel Simon; and "The Sephardim and the Yishuv in Palestine: The Role of Avraham Albert Antebi: 1897-1916" by Michael M. Laskier. ...