"A Ugandan village. An island in the Amazon. A Peruvian mountain town. Throughout the world, in the unlikeliest places, isolated communities are embracing Judaism despite enormous obstacles. In this tour of six far-flung Jewish communities, James Ross creates a portrait of people who are currently risking their lives and livelihoods to exist as Jews, though in some cases they have no historical links to Judaism. ". "As Ross describes communities in India, Peru, Brazil, Israel, and Uganda, a variegated picture of contemporary Jewish life emerges, offering us new perspectives on ancient precepts, thoughts, and rituals, and inspiring us to reexamine our own relationship with tradition. In reminding us of the diversity and richness of Jewish life, which has always borrowed from surrounding cultures, Fragile Branches begs the ever-perplexing question of who is a Jew, a question that has troubled Jews and non-Jews alike for centuries. "--BOOK JACKET.