Abstract This collection of book reviews examines three significant scholarly works in Jewish studies. The first review evaluates Reuven Hammer's translation of Sifre: A Tannaitic Commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy, praising it as a lucid and well-written translation with valuable notes that reflects wide reading and careful study. The Tannaitic midrashim are identified as among the most enticing books in rabbinic literature, serving as introductions to Oral Law study. The second review analyzes Gil Graff's Separation of Church and State: Dina de-Malkhuta Dina in Jewish Law, 1750-1848, which examines how Jewish legal thought adapted the principle that "the law of the kingdom is law" during the transition from corporate to modern state structures. Graff chronicles four periods of change spanning the French Revolution through religious reform movements, demonstrating how Jewish thinkers gradually expanded state competence while redefining religious authority. The final review discusses Alice K. Lanckton's The Bar Mitzvah Mother's Manual, which provides practical advice for organizing Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations while emphasizing ways to make these occasions more Jewishly meaningful. All three works contribute to understanding different aspects of Jewish religious and legal development, from ancient commentary to modern ritual practice.