Rabbi Samuel’s book “Gentle Judaic Wisdom” is a brilliant work, very wise, easy to read, and deceptively simple. The book is filled with information. It is a rich cornucopia of wisdom quoted from sources such as the Torah, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, ancient rabbis, philosophers, and many more sources, even the New Testament. For, as Maimonides wrote when he quoted the pagan Aristotle in his Guide of the Perplexed, “The truth is the truth no matter what its source.” As I read Rabbi Samuel’s notes, I felt impressed by both the extent of his knowledge and how well he understood the many subjects he addressed. It is a perfect book to read either from the first page until the end; the reader may wish to select subjects of interest from the many provided and meditate about that section. It is also the perfect reference book to keep at home to peruse from time to time. We can read the book to enjoy the ideas they express. I enjoyed them this way, but I also found the quotes thought-provoking. They made me think, and they can and should do the same for other readers. What do you think of the quote you read? How can you apply the idea in it to your life? Does the quote cover all situations? Can we extend the idea further and go beyond what the sage said? If so, how? I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did. I think you will. ~Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin, Foreword Should a man nourish anger against his fellow and expect healing from the LORD? Should a man refuse mercy to his fellows, and yet seek pardon for his own sins? If he who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Remember your last days; set your enmity aside; remember death and decay; and cease from sin. ~Ben Sira 28:3-6
Rabbi Samuel’s book “Gentle Judaic Wisdom” is a brilliant work, very wise, easy to read, and deceptively simple. The book is filled with information. It is a rich cornucopia of wisdom quoted from sources such as the Torah, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, ancient rabbis, philosophers, and many more sources, even the New Testament. For, as Maimonides wrote when he quoted the pagan Aristotle in his Guide of the Perplexed, “The truth is the truth no matter what its source.” As I read Rabbi Samuel’s notes, I felt impressed by both the extent of his knowledge and how well he understood the many subjects he addressed. It is a perfect book to read either from the first page until the end; the reader may wish to select subjects of interest from the many provided and meditate about that section. It is also the perfect reference book to keep at home to peruse from time to time. We can read the book to enjoy the ideas they express. I enjoyed them this way, but I also found the quotes thought-provoking. They made me think, and they can and should do the same for other readers. What do you think of the quote you read? How can you apply the idea in it to your life? Does the quote cover all situations? Can we extend the idea further and go beyond what the sage said? If so, how? I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did. I think you will. ~Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin, Foreword Should a man nourish anger against his fellow and expect healing from the LORD? Should a man refuse mercy to his fellows, and yet seek pardon for his own sins? If he who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Remember your last days; set your enmity aside; remember death and decay; and cease from sin. ~Ben Sira 28:3-6
Pirkei Avot is the urtext of Jewish practical wisdom. In many ways, the words of Pirkei Avot were the first recorded manifesto of social justice in Western civilization. This commentary explores text through a lens of contemporary social justice and moral philosophy, engaging both classical commentators and modern thinkers.
Breaking new ground in Christian – Jewish dialogue Deep Calls to Deep uses a new paradigm, one which is marked by “experiential theology”: a theology that addresses and emerges out of day to day lived experience of practising Christians and Jews. The product of a unique four year dialogue process - designed, orchestrated and led by Rabbi Tony Bayfield - the book brings together a diverse array of important Christian and Jewish scholars to engage in conversation. Themes discussed include Modern Western culture; how Christians and Jews should live in a modern Western democracy; how Christians and Jews cope with their past; the legacy of our shared Scriptures; the question of religious absolutism; the meaning of respect; Christian particularism; and the land of Israel. A Dialogical Roadmap Tony Bayfield 1 The Third Dialogue Partner: How Do We Experience Modern Western Culture? 19 Liberating Individuals and Challenging Communities 21 Elli Tikvah Sarah Time, Space and the Possibility of God 36 Stephen Roberts Further Reflections 51 Tony Bayfield 2 How Should Christians and Jews Live in a Modern Western Democracy? 57 Inside Out or Outside In 59 Steve Williams Democracy and Its (My) Jewish Discontents 72 Jeremy Gordon Further Reflections 85 Tony Bayfield 3 How Do We Cope with Our Past? 91 Coming to Terms with the Past: Introduction 93 David Gillett and Michael Hilton ‘The Jews’ in John’s Gospel 95 Michael Hilton William of Norwich and Echoes through the Ages 103 David Gillett Holocaust Memorial Day 119 Michael Hilton and David Gillett Coming to Terms with the Past: Conclusion 128 David Gillett and Michael Hilton Further Reflections 129 Tony Bayfield 4 The Legacy of Our Scriptures 135 Beyond the Wilderness: Transforming Our Readings of Jewish and Christian Scriptures 137 Alexandra Wright Reading Together: Receiving the Legacies of Our Scriptures Today 153 David F. Ford Further Reflections 167 Tony Bayfield 5 Religious Absolutism 173 Rethinking Revelation, Exclusivity, Dialogue and Mission 175 Alan Race A Jewish Theology Embracing Difference 189 Debbie Young-Somers Further Reflections 202 Tony Bayfield 6 What Does Respect between People of Faith Mean? 207 The Heart of How Things Ought to Be 209 Wendy Fidler Negotiating the Complexities of You and Me 222 Joy Barrow Further Reflections 237 Tony Bayfield 7 Christian Particularity 241 Incarnation and Trinity 243 Patrick Morrow Friendship and Respect in the Face of Impenetrable Doctrine 264 Vivian Silverman Morrow, Maimonides and Torah in Translation 270 Natan Levy Response to Patrick Morrow: We Are the Louse in Your Fur 276 Michael Hilton and Victor Seedman Further Reflections 286 Tony Bayfield 8 Jewish Particularism 291 Spying on Israel: Morality of a Promised Land 293 Natan Levy Christians, Jews and the Land 308 Teresa Brittain Further Reflections 320 Tony Bayfield Concluding Thoughts David F. Ford
In September 1930, the New York Times published a list of the clergy whom Rabbi Stephen Wise considered "the ten foremost religious leaders in this country." The list included nine Christians and Rabbi Henry Cohen of Galveston, Texas. Little-known today, Henry Cohen was a rabbi to be reckoned with, a man Woodrow Wilson called "the foremost citizen of Texas" who also impressed the likes of William Howard Taft and Clarence Darrow. Cohen's fleeting fame, however, was built not on powerful friendships but on a lifetime of service to needy Jews—as well as gentiles—in London, South Africa, Jamaica, and, for the last sixty-four years of his life, Galveston, Texas. More than 10,000 Jews, mostly from Eastern Europe, arrived in Galveston in the early twentieth century. Rabbi Cohen greeted many of the new arrivals in Yiddish, then helped them find jobs through a network that extended throughout the Southwest and Midwest United States. The "Galveston Movement," along with Cohen's pioneering work reforming Texas prisons and fighting the Ku Klux Klan, made the rabbi a legend in his time. As this portrait shows, however, he was also a lovable mensch to his grandson. Rabbi Henry Cohen II reminisces about his grandfather's jokes while placing the legendary rabbi in historical context, creating the best picture yet of this important Texan, a man perhaps best summarized by Rabbi Wise in the New York Times as "a soul who touches and kindles souls.
A Code of Jewish Ethics, Volume 1: You Shall Be Holy is the initial volume of the first major code of Jewish ethics to be written in the English language. It is a monumental work on the vital topic of personal character and integrity by one of the premier Jewish scholars and thinkers of our time. With the stated purpose of restoring ethics to its central role in Judaism, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin offers hundreds of examples from the Torah, the Talmud, rabbinic commentaries, and contemporary stories to illustrate how ethical teachings can affect our daily behavior. The subjects dealt with are ones we all encounter. They include judging other people fairly; knowing when forgiveness is obligatory, optional, or forbidden; balancing humility and self-esteem; avoiding speech that shames others; restraining our impulses of envy, hatred, and revenge; valuing truth but knowing when lying is permitted; understanding why God is the ultimate basis of morality; and appreciating the great benefits of Torah study. Telushkin has arranged the book in the traditional style of Jewish codes, with topical chapters and numbered paragraphs. Statements of law are almost invariably followed by anecdotes illustrating how these principles have been, or can be, practiced in daily life. The book can be read straight through to provide a solid grounding in Jewish values, consulted as a reference when facing ethical dilemmas, or studied in a group. Vast in scope, this volume distills more than three thousand years of Jewish laws and suggestions on how to improve one’s character and become more honest, decent, and just. It is a landmark work of scholarship that is sure to influence the lives of Jews for generations to come, rich with questions to ponder and discuss, but primarily a book to live by.
After centuries of persecution, oppression, forced migrations, and exclusion in the name of Christ, the development of a Jewish “Quest for the Historical Jesus” might seem unexpected. This book gives an overview and analysis of the various Jewish perspectives on the Nazarene throughout the centuries, emphasizing the variety of German voices in Anglo-American contexts. It explores the reasons for a steady increase in Jewish interest in Jesus since the end of the eighteenth century, arguing that this growth had a strategic goal: the justification of Judaism as a living faith alongside Christianity.
Popular Washington, D.C. rabbi and psychotherapist Arthur Blecher believes that the American Jewish community is actually flourishing amidst fears of dying out. He shows us that intermarriage strengthens Judaism--a concept that many Jews continue to debate. In straightforward and engaging chapters, he provides a progressive and positive outline of how this religion has changed over the years, and why American Jewish culture must be embraced and discussed in depth in Jewish families. This is a fascinating exploration of the ways in which social and psychological forces created a new and quite different form of Judaism in America more than one hundred years ago.
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