Why did generations of people grow up thinking that Jews really had
horns? Did Eve really eat an apple, and if not, why does everyone think
she did? Did Noah’s ark really exist? Did Moses really write the Torah?
This fascinating book explores these and many other assumptions about
Jews and Judaism. Rabbi Sonsino uses history, archeology, and other
scholarship to debunk familiar myths, showing how and why they
developed over time. This book is for everyone who wants to know more
about Judaism and get the real story behind the myth.
In a video interview with URJ Press Editor-in-Chief Michael Goldberg, Rabbi Rifat Sonsino discusses the "foundational myths" of Judaism that we all know about from the Bible, and how his book identifies these myths, places them in a historical context, and helps us to understand the Jewish values that we can today derive from them. (Running time: 6:37)
Living Torah: Selections from Seven Years of Torat Chayim
LIVING TORAH is an anthology of over 180 d'vrei Torah from the first seven years of Torat Chayim. This outstanding collection, edited by Rabbi Elaine Glickman, is the perfect gift for students of Torah, b'nei mitzvah students, or anyone preparing a d'var Torah.
Duties of the Soul: The Role of Commandments in Liberal Judaism
This outstanding anthology of thirteen essays by esteemed leaders of the Reform rabbinate reexamines the role of mitzvot in liberal Judaism as viewed through philosophical, experiential, and practical contexts. In this groundbreaking collection, Niles E. Goldstein and Peter S. Knobel identify the challenges of living as a Reform Jew in today's rapidly changing world.
Coming from a wide range of experiences and viewpoints, the essayists contend that for Judaism to survive, Reform Jews must find a balance between maintaining a strong presence in the arenas of social action and basic Reform principles and adopting a strong ideology of observance, tradition, and literacy.
Includes 13 essays with an introduction by the editors
Authoritative works by key leaders of the Reform movement
Comprehensive look at today's understanding of mitzvot
Gender Gap, The: A Congregational Guide for Beginning the Conversation about Men's Involvement in Synagogue Life
Studies report decreased involvement in Jewish communal life on the part of both men and boys. Anecdotal information backs up this trend. There are often more women than men at services, more girls than boys in youth groups, and more women than men on the synagogue boards. What is behind these numbers and why? This book presents ideas, reflective essays, and program ideas meant to start the conversation in the synagogue about this phenomenon. There are no definite answers here, rather a choice to test some ideas and begin a dialogue.
