Aspects Of Liberal Judaism

Rabbi Dr John D Rayner CBE, Hon. Life Pres of Liberal Judaism, is one of the most distinguished Progressive rabbis in the world. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, he has written, lectured, taught and expounded a contemporary version of Judaism that has won him respect and admiration from all branches of Anglo-Jewry and beyond. These essays, to mark his 80th birthday, reflect the wide variety of his interests and the admiration of his friends and colleagues. The collection includes contributions from some of the most well known figures in modern Jewish thought including Rabbi Dr Louis Jacobs, Professor Eric Friedland, Rabbi Dr Albert Friedlander and Dame Julia Neuberger. The editors believe this is a fitting tribute to a man whose pastoral care, and love of Judaism stretches far beyond the confines of his community and reaches out to followers of all religious traditions.

Comparing the liberal Jewish ethics of the German-Jewish philosophers Ernst Cassirer and Hannah Arendt, this book argues that both espoused a diasporic, worldly conception of Jewish identity that was anchored in a pluralist and politically engaged interpretation of Jewish history and an abiding interest in the complex lived reality of modern Jews. Arendt's indebtedness to liberal Jewish thinkers such as Moses Mendelssohn, Abraham Geiger, Hermann Cohen, and Ernst Cassirer has been obscured by her modernist posture and caustic critique of the assimilationism of her German-Jewish forebears. By reorienting our conception of Arendt as a profoundly secular thinker anchored in twentieth century political debates, we are led to rethink the philosophical, political, and ethical legacy of liberal Jewish discourse.

Written in a lively style, the guidebook explores every aspect of Jewish living - the complete life cycle from birth through burial and mourning.

First published in 1947 The Essentials of Liberal Judaism explores the fundamental ideas of liberal Judaism. Rabbi Israel Mattuck explains that liberal Judaism is concerned not only with the question, where shall we find the teachings of Judaism, but also with the question, how shall we find them? He discusses important themes like conception of God in Judaism; grounds for the belief in God; problem of evil; guidance of God in human history; sin, repentance and atonement; Judaism and the social order; liberal Judaism and orthodox Judaism; differences between Judaism and Christianity and what it means to be a Jew, to argue that it is the fundamental principle of liberal Judaism that Judaism is a developing religion. This book is a must read for scholars of Judaism, history of Judaism, and religion.

This book probes the varieties of Jewish thought and ritual practice from the perspective of liberal Judaism.

U'vamakom she'ein anashim, hishtadel l'hiyot ish... "In the place where no one stands up to do what is right, be the one who steps up to the plate." Stepping Up to the Plate is the autobiography of Rabbi Robert L. Samuels, a visionary who fused Zionism and Progressive Judaism and who had a tremendous impact on Israel. Bob's vision of the Leo Baeck School was for a comprehensive educational center that would bring together children of all ethnic and economic backgrounds, educating them to be informed citizens committed to the finest progressive values of Judaism and humanity. He was not only a visionary, but he knew how to transform vision into reality. - Rabbi Charles Kroloff I can still hear him now: What did you do today to fix the world? Countless men and women, captains of industry and army generals, rebels and reactionaries were witness to the force of nature known as "HaRav Samuels."... Bob always wanted to counter darkness with light--the light of learning, of understanding, of equality, of community. He believed that Zion will be redeemed by education... Bob was a builder. The Hebrew word for builder, banai, is an anagram of the word for prophet, navi. He developed an approach that all his students should learn from--applied prophecy. Rabbi Samuels sought a blend of the best of Liberal Judaism with the best inherent in Israel... As a person, a patriarch, a professional role model, a planner, a pioneer, a child of prophets, Bob was a builder. This book tells his story. - Rabbi Michael Marmur