This comprehensive, richly-documented book explores the development of Jewish communities outside the mainstream Ashkenazic and Sephardic regions. The book shows how Jews are a worldwide people who have lived in numerous parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

REVIEWS:
"Blady... presents the histories, economies, and religious life of 17 Jewish communities in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. After describing the community's arrival in its host country, he focuses on the relationship between Jewish life and the country's culture.... This useful, informative introduction to Jewish life outside of Europe and North America will appeal to readers interested in Jewish history and sociology." - Naomi E. Hafter, Broward County Public Library (Fort Lauderdale, FL), in Library Journal

"A history buff, Blady could probably explain all of civilization in half an hour... Jews in exotic lands have long held a fascination for him, ever since he can remember... Beyond Ashkenazim and Sephardim, there are many more distinctions among Jews, Blady said. While the Ashkenazim are those who came from Roman lands after the destruction of the Second Temple, settling in Western and Central Europe, Jews of Eastern origin can be divided into several ethnographic groupings. Among them are the Romaniote Jews. Originally Greek-speaking, the Romaniotes were Jews driven into Roman lands after the destruction of the Second Temple and Bar Kochba revolt, and lived under Byzantine rule. And the group known as Mizrachi, or Eastern, Jews can be further broken down into two groups, Blady said..." - Alexandra J. Wall, in Jewish Bulletin of Northern California (June 23, 2000)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ken Blady is an educator, writer, and translator who was born in Paris, France, and grew up in Hasidic Crown Heights, New York, where he attended yeshivas and a rabbinical seminary. He has a Bachelor's degree in History and a Master's degree in Counseling. He is also the author of "The Jewish Boxers' Hall of Fame." He lectures extensively on a variety of Jewish themes.

Books of related interest:
The Jews of Khazaria
Jews In Places You Never Thought Of
The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti and Beyond
North African Jewry in the Twentieth Century
The Jewish Cultural Tapestry: International Jewish Folk Traditions
The Jews of Kaifeng, China: History, Culture, and Religion
Who Are the Jews of India?
The Other Zions: The Lost Histories of Jewish Nations