The Fall of Jerusalem and Beitar'' recreates the painful period in Jewish history in a journalistic style that brings the reader right into the middle of the furious battles. As the tragic saga unfolds, the noose of the Roman siege tightens around the starving and beleaguered city. We watch in horrified fascination as massive Roman siege machines breach the seemingly impregnable walls and vicious hand-to-hand combat engulfs the city. And as the awful tragedy reaches its climax, we see vivid images of the Holy Temple in flames and the Temple Courtyard strewn with fallen bodies. After the destruction of Jerusalem, we witness the heartbreaking executions of the Ten Martyrs, the rise and fall of Bar Kochba and the final catastrophe at the fortress of Beitar. Rabbi Leibel Resnick has drawn on numerous Talmudic and Midrashic sources and the writings of Josephus, as well as his own intimate knowledge of the archaeology of the Old City, to create a living panorama of the downfall of the Jewish homeland and the beginnings of the Diaspora. In the words of our Sages (Tannis 30a), ''Those who mourn for Jerusalem will merit to participate in her eventual rejoicing.'' Yet in order to mourn, we must truly feel the pain and despair of those who suffered through the destruction of the Jerusalem. With the help of this warm and passionate book, the reader can share the tragic experience and weep from the depths of his heart.