Rating: 
Summary: Another Modern Translation Ignoring How God Said It
Review: This book is simply another attempt to make the Bible easier to read at the expense of making it less accurate to what God said in the Hebrew. It is a common approach in translation today to attempt to make the Bible read more like an easy-to-read newspaper. As a result, all translations that have been formed on the easier-to-read idea have literally added what isn't in the Hebrew and taken away what is in the Hebrew---what God actually said, the way He said it, and the way He wanted it said.The Bible is not a novel, or a textbook, or something you must read once a year. It was never meant to be something we can fly through with little thought. The premise that the Bible was originally written in a way that the ancients understood easily is simply not true. It may have been their language, but Biblical truths are spiritual truths that cannot be discerned by a quick read. But this edition of the Tanach, as with most translations of the Bible, has made the Bible less understandable by making it possible to read it too fast. I have no doubt that anyone who knows Hebrew will agree that the translation is not very close to the Hebrew. They may not mind that it doesn't match what God says, but then it is not our right to decide if God's words should be changed or replaced. The Bible is for meditation day and night (see Psalm 1). The Bible is for slow and deliberate thought, not for the typical American get-it-over-with approach. God teaches from His Word if we wait with patience. Get as literal a translation as you can find, or learn the Hebrew for yourself (which is always better than even the best translation), but make sure what you get is as close as possible to how God said it. This book is not the one for accurately translating the Hebrew, as Hebrew students are aware. If you want a JPS translation, then purchase the 1917 edition. Bottom Line: The Hebrew used may have been the traditional Hebrew text, but that means nothing if it is not followed.
Rating: 
Summary: First Jewish Translation in a long time.
Review: This is one of the only translations of the Old Testament that gets the '70 weeks' spoken about in the Book of Daniel correctly translated. There are also many parts of this Old Testament Bible that clarifies things.
However, this version of the Old Testament has no sub-headings, no detailed explanatory notes, and no punctuation where the text is incomplete. This is not a Bible to replace a version of the Old Testament that you already have, but it should be looked at as a compliment to the Bible's you do have.
However, I did give it 5 stars because it's such a good and lovely translation and it does give a lot of clarifications to the sacred texts. Jewish or Christian or of other faiths, I think everyone should own a copy.
Rating:
Summary: The Modern Effort of A Sacred Task
Review: This is the current Jewish Publication Society version of the complete text of the Hebrew Bible, translated into English, completed in 1985. Tanakh is an acronym for the Bible consisting of three hebrew letters: tav, standing for Torah; the first five books of the Bible, the five books of Moses; nun, standing for Nevi'im, the Prophets, such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea and Micah; and koph, standing for Kethuvim, the Writings, such as Psalms, Proverbs, the book of Job and the Book of Esther. It is beautifully printed and laid out with great dignity and reverence. It makes an excellent gift, and that, in fact is the use to which many of these books are put. I myself received my copy from my son, and treasure it on that account alone.
Rating: 
Summary: A readable, but bad translation
Review: This translation is in a class by itself. It is written in very clear, modern language, but it is not faithful to the Hebrew text! I know Hebrew, and sometimes I compare a part of the Bible that I know in Hebrew to the JPS translation, and it's like I'm reading a whole new text! Also, often, JPS takes the liberty of shuffling words from one verse to another "for greater clarity". These instances are pointed out in the footnotes (which are the best part of the book). My personal favorite is the ArtScroll translation of the Bible as it appears in their Stone edition of the Bible. The ArtScroll translation is extremely faithful, and in readable, clear, modern English.
Rating:
Summary: A great, readable translation
Review: This translation of the Bible is the first I've read that creates paragraphs out of the chapter & verse format of typical Bible translations. Instead of creating a separate paragraph for each verse, each verse is typically translated as either a single sentence or even as just a part of a multi-verse sentence. The text is easy to read, yet conveys clearly the original intent. Some passages that span multiple verses are difficult to read in other translations. The formatting in this translation makes these areas MUCH easier to read. In particular, when I read other translations of Genesis 2:4-7, it makes little sense. This translation used simple English formatting (long dashes) to convey that there is a parenthetical idea in the middle of a very long sentence, and made clear in moments a section of text I would have had to struggle with for probably an hour with other translations to get the same meaning. This is a truly wonderful translation of the Bible, and I STRONGLY recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A great, readable translation
Review: This translation of the Bible is the first I've read that creates paragraphs out of the chapter & verse format of typical Bible translations. Instead of creating a separate paragraph for each verse, each verse is typically translated as either a single sentence or even as just a part of a multi-verse sentence. The text is easy to read, yet conveys clearly the original intent. Some passages that span multiple verses are difficult to read in other translations. The formatting in this translation makes these areas MUCH easier to read. In particular, when I read other translations of Genesis 2:4-7, it makes little sense. This translation used simple English formatting (long dashes) to convey that there is a parenthetical idea in the middle of a very long sentence, and made clear in moments a section of text I would have had to struggle with for probably an hour with other translations to get the same meaning. This is a truly wonderful translation of the Bible, and I STRONGLY recommend it.
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