Psalms have been part of Jewish ritual and liturgy for centuries, expressing praise to God, feelings of sorrow and longing, and much more. Rabbi Jade Sank Ross's To You I Call is an invitation to make the ancient words of psalms part of our daily lives. The book pairs seventy-two psalms with a range of life moments, from giving birth to retirement to experiencing antisemitism-times of grief and gratitude, anticipation and despair, pain and relief. Rabbi Sank Ross's original, authentic framing and Rabbi Richard N. Levy's beautiful, contemporary translations let readers forge a deep and personal connection with the words of the Psalmist. With sensitivity and vulnerability, To You I Call brings the psalms to life for our lives, today.
Enter These Gates is a High Holy Day companion for our times, with more than one hundred new poems, prayers, and meditations for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
Poet-liturgist Alden Solovy draws from his unique spirit to blend today's struggles and joys with classic themes, layering a contemporary voice into beloved motifs. Enter These Gates
is a vital resource for individual prayer, study, and communal worship. Themes include confession, repentance, forgiveness, and memory, as well as frailty, seeking holiness, and
what Solovy calls the ancient journey. A companion to the machzor, Enter These Gates offers a fresh yet deeply rooted approach to heightening our experience of the Days of Awe.
Rabbi Alexander Schindler (1925-2000) was an extraordinarily influential leader in the history of Reform Judaism. From 1973 to 1996, he served as president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (today's Union for Reform Judaism), where his charisma and vision raised the Reform Movement to unprecedented influence. Never afraid to be controversial, he argued for recognizing patrilineal descent, institutionalized outreach to interfaith families and non-Jews, and championed LGBTQ rights and racial equality. He was a tireless advocate for Israel while maintaining diaspora Jews' right to speak out independently on the Jewish state. In this nuanced biography, historian Michael A. Meyer draws on extensive archival research and interviews to paint a definitive portrait of Schindler's life.
Alex Schindler was daring and visionary, radical and optimistic. In this honest and compelling book, Michael Meyer reminds us why Schindler was a truly great Jewish leader, the last one to galvanize the entire Jewish community and win support from across the religious and political spectrum.
---Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President Emeritus, Union for Reform Judaism
In addition to a fascinating biography of Alexander Schindler, one of American Judaism's most important political and religious leaders, Michael Meyer has given us a brilliant study of post-World War II Jewish religious thought and politics.
---Susannah Heschel, Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor, Dartmouth College
How and why Alexander Schindler emerged among the twentieth century's most influential rabbis is captured vividly in this insightful biography by one of American Jewry's most respected historians, Michael Meyer. Professor Meyer analyzes Schindler's visionary leadership and compelling eloquence, assessing candidly the transformative impact that his focus on radical inclusiveness, social justice, and loving criticism of Israel continues to have on every non-Orthodox stream.
---Rabbi David Saperstein, Director Emeritus, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
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The responsa literature, in which rabbis answer questions about halachah (Jewish law), is a vast treasury reaching back nearly fifteen centuries; Reform rabbis have been writing responsa since the 1800s. In Reading Reform Responsa, Rabbi Mark Washofsky, PhD, presents a deep dive into this literature, boldly arguing that Reform Judaism is indeed a movement fundamentally based on halachah. By inviting and guiding readers to understand Reform responsa with a critical eye, he shows that our movement has always been informed by Jewish law, as well as Reform history. A teacher and mentor of generations of students at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Washofsky gives us a peek inside his classroom, making Reform responsa-and their history, framing, and context-engaging and accessible for all.
Every day of the year, Jewish liturgy includes the Shir Shel Yom, a psalm recited to mark the day of the week. New Each Day by Rabbi Debra J. Robbins breathes new life into this ancient practice, inviting us to engage with psalms in a fresh, inspiring way. Daily Reflections for Focus offer unique insights on each psalm, with a structure for meditation and writing that encourages the reader to develop their own personal routine. Reflections for each month, based on the psalm for Rosh Chodesh, provide a full year of spiritual practice. Just as Rabbi Robbins did for the High Holy Day season in Opening Your Heart with Psalm 27, New Each Day guides us along the journey of the year with intention and meaning.
Throughout Jewish history, revolutionary events and subversive ideas have burst forth, repeatedly transforming Jewish experience. Re-forming Judaism seeks to explore these ideas-and the individuals behind them-by delving into historical disruptions that led to lasting change in Jewish thought. A distinguished array of scholars take us on a journey from the disruptive prophets of ancient times, through rational, mystical, and extremist medievalists, to the impact of Haskalah and early Reform thought in modernity. Contemporary innovations such as changes in liturgy and music, feminism, and post-Holocaust theology are included, as are insights into Sephardic and North African experiences. By showing how Judaism forms-then re-forms, and re-forms again-the contributors demonstrate that tensions between continuity and change have always been part of Jewish life, helping us to both understand the past and contemplate the future.