The Koren Birkon with introduction and translation by Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks שליט"א, 2010. 189 pages.

Our home is filled with so many benchers that we have received from weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, and after a while, they all seem to blend together. However, the new Koren Hebrew-English Birkon, published by Koren Publishers Jerusalem, truly stands out from the crowd.

This extraordinary bencher includes an introduction and translation by Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks שליט"א. Rabbi Sacks’ writing is always clear and concise, and his contributions to this bencher are no exception. The bencher starts with his descriptions and explanations of the customs and prayers for Friday night, Saturday lunch, Seudat Shelishit, and Havdala. Of course, this bencher includes the special prayers said at a wedding meal, at a Brit Mila, and for holidays. In addition, this bencher is full of pages and pages of songs, which Rabbi Sacks has annotated so that you know the sources for these wonderful Zemirot.

On the English side of this translated bencher, at the beginning of each paragraph and before the translation begins, a word or two in Hebrew is added so that the English reader can follow along. In fact, the entire bencher includes directions in English. To help the reader, in addition to page numbers, there is a color-coded banner at the top of each page, which differentiates the various sections.

Everyone will feel comfortable using this all-inclusive bencher. At the introduction to benching, the instructions explain that when three or more women say Birkat HaMazon, “Friends” should be substituted for “Gentlemen”. All in all, this bencher is a welcome addition to every home.

This book is available at:
Gur Arieh Bookstore, Yoel Solomon St 8, Jerusalem
Tel: 02-625-7486. Fax: 02-625-4265

Books can be ordered from eLuna.co, for delivery in Israel only.