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We make religion irrelevant when we lock it up in the house of prayer - when we keep religion away from the streets. If we want Judaism to matter in today's world, we must respond - deeply - to society's call. The Torah is a living tradition that we need to bring to the most urgent social issues of our time. We must fully enter the public arena, recognizing that our common responsibilities transcend our particular paths. The essence of spiritual life shines at the core of all the crude and harsh realities we see every day - and when we ignore these realities, we are like blind fish completely unaware of the very water in which they swim. Jewish Ethics & Social Justice is a collection of sweeping meditations on how to make Judaism universally relevant again. Explore hot social issues - global hunger, prison reform, worker rights, and more - through the eyes of the Jewish ethical tradition. Learn about the core values of Jewish activism - discover a deeper connection to the timeless issu
The Book of Jonah is a unique text in the Jewish canon. Among the shortest books in the Bible, it is also one of the most mysterious and morally ambiguous. Who is this prophet running from God, hiding at the bottom of the ocean? Why does he struggle with God's mission to save and forgive Israel's enemies? In this volume, Rabbi Dr. Yanklowitz shows that the Book of Jonah delivers a message of human responsibility in a shared world. Illuminating such contemporary ethical issues as animal welfare, incarceration, climate change, weapons of mass destruction, and Jewish-Muslim relations, this social justice commentary urges us to join in repairing a broken world--a call that we, unlike Jonah, must hasten to answer.
A multidisciplinary approach to the study of veganism, vegetarianism, and meat avoidance among Jews, both historical and contemporary. In recent decades, as more Jews have adopted plant-based lifestyles, Jewish vegan and vegetarian movements have become increasingly prominent. This book explores the intellectual, religious, and historical roots of veganism and vegetarianism among Jews and presents compelling new directions in Jewish thought, ethics, and foodways. The contributors, including scholars, rabbis, and activists, explore how Judaism has inspired Jews to eschew animal products and how such choices, even when not directly inspired by Judaism, have enriched and helped define Jewishnes...
When, if ever, should lying be permitted? If you've damaged a person's reputation unfairly, can the damage be undone? Is a person who sells weapons responsible for how those weapons are used? if the fetus is not a life, what is it? How, as an adult, can one carry out the command to honor one's parents when they make unreasonable demands? What are the nine biblical challenges a good person must meet? What do the great Jewish writings of the last 3,500 years tell us about these and all other vital questions about our lives? Rabbi Joseph Telushkin has devoted his life to the search for answers within the teachings of Judaism. In Jewish Wisdom, Rabbi Telushkin, the author of the highly acclaimed...
"The Book of Proverbs is a collection of Jewish wisdom, song, and inspiration. Using a blend of social justice practice and Jewish thought from throughout history, the books shows how Proverbs are pertinent to issues we face today. Using a wide range of sources, the books explores topics such as income inequality, feminism, animal rights, environmentalism, and more"--
When non-Orthodox Jews become frum (religious), they encounter much more than dietary laws and Sabbath prohibitions. They find themselves in the midst of a whole new culture, involving matchmakers, homemade gefilte fish, and Yiddish-influenced grammar. Becoming Frum explains how these newcomers learn Orthodox language and culture through their interactions with community veterans and other newcomers. Some take on as much as they can as quickly as they can, going beyond the norms of those raised in the community. Others maintain aspects of their pre-Orthodox selves, yielding unique combinations, like Matisyahu’s reggae music or Hebrew words and sing-song intonation used with American slang, as in “mamish (really) keepin’ it real.” Sarah Bunin Benor brings insight into the phenomenon of adopting a new identity based on ethnographic and sociolinguistic research among men and women in an American Orthodox community. Her analysis is applicable to other situations of adult language socialization, such as students learning medical jargon or Canadians moving to Australia. Becoming Frum offers a scholarly and accessible look at the linguistic and cultural process of “becoming.”
If you had the power to save a life, would you do it? If you knew you could save the life of someone who would surely die without a kidney transplant, would you give them one of yours? These are the questions that burned in Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz. He had that power, that knowledge. Could he go through with the surgery to donate a kidney to someone who desperately needed it? The more he considered it, the less he could imagine not donating. The Five-Ounce Gift charts Rabbi Yanklowitz's journey of research, reflection, and commitment to honoring the call to action in Pirke Avot - Ethics of our Fathers: "It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it."...
The Soul of Jewish Social Justice offers a novel intellectual and spiritual approach for how Jewish wisdom must be relevant and transformational in its application to the most pressing moral problems of our time. The book explores how spirituality, ritual, narratives, holidays, and tradition can enhance one’s commitment to creating a more just society. Readers will discover how the Jewish social justice ethos can help address issues of education reform, ethical consumption, the future of Israel, immigration, prison reform, violence, and business ethics.
WINNER OF THE 2016 JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL AWARD FOR CONTEMPORARY JEWISH LIFE AND PRACTICE An inspiring and accessible guide, drawn from Jewish wisdom, for building the inner qualities necessary to work effectively for social justice. The world needs changing—and you’re just the person to do it! It’s a matter of cultivating the inner resources you already have. If you are serious about working for social justice and change, this book will help you bring your most compassionate, wise, and courageous self to the job. Bringing positive social change to any system takes deep self-awareness, caring, determination, and long-term commitment. But polarization, the slow pace of change, and internal...
"Discover the breadth of wisdom provided by this generation's giant of Torah: Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg. His legacy is discussed at length by those who have been impacted by his inclusive model of contemporary Judaism, erudition, and commitment to fostering meaningful interfaith dialogue"--