Download or read book Guidance Not Governance written by Joan S. Friedman and published by Hebrew Union College Press. This book was released on 2013-09-01 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Solomon Bennett Freehof (1892-1990) was one of America's most distinguished, influential, and beloved rabbis. Ordained at Hebrew Union College in 1915, he was of the generation of rabbis from east European immigrant backgrounds who moved Reform Judaism away from its classical form toward a renewed appreciation of traditional practices. Freehof himself was less interested in restoring discarded rituals than in demonstrating how the Reform approach to Jewish religious practice was rooted in the Jewish legal tradition (halakhah). Opposed to any attempt to create a code of Reform practice, he nevertheless called for Reform Judaism to turn to the halakhah, not in order to adhere to codified law, but to be guided in ritual and in all areas of life by its values and its ethical insights. For Reform Jews, Jewish law was to offer "guidance, not governance," and this guidance was to be provided through the writing of responsa, individual rulings based on legal precedent, written by an organized rabbinic authority in response to questions about real-life situations. After World War II, the earlier consensus about what constituted proper observance in a Reform context vanished as the children of east European immigrants flocked to new Reform synagogues in new suburbs, bringing with them a more traditional sensibility. Even before Freehof was named chairman of the Central Conference of American Rabbis Responsa Committee in 1956, his colleagues began turning to him for guidance, especially in the situations Freehof recognized as inevitably arising from living in an open society where the boundaries between what was Jewish and what was not were ambiguous or blurred. Over nearly five decades, he answered several thousand inquiries regarding Jewish practice, the plurality of which concerned the tensions Jews experienced in navigating this open society-questions concerning mixed marriage, Jewish status, non-Jewish participation in the synagogue, conversion, and so on-and published several hundred of these in eight volumes of Reform responsa. In her pioneering study, Friedman analyzes Freehof's responsa on a select number of crucial issues that illustrate the evolution of American Reform Judaism. She also discusses the deeper issues with which the movement struggled, and continues to struggle, in its attempt to meet the ever-changing challenges of the present while preserving both individual autonomy and faithfulness to the Jewish tradition.

Download or read book American Reform Responsa written by Central Conference of American Rabbis and published by CCAR Press. This book was released on 1983 with total page 584 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is a revised compilation of responsa issued by CCAR from 1892 to 1982, grouped by subject for clarity and easy access. An appendix includes the report of the Committee on Patrilineal Descent on the Status of Children of Mixed Marriages.

Download or read book CCAR Journal written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Dissertation Abstracts International written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstracts of dissertations available on microfilm or as xerographic reproductions.

Download or read book Essays in Honor of Solomon B Freehof written by Pittsburgh (Pa.). Rodef Shalom Congregation and published by Pittsburgh, Pa. : Rodef Shalom Congregation. This book was released on 1964 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gift of Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut.

Download or read book Reform Responsa for Our Time written by Solomon Bennett Freehof and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Reform Judaism written by Dow Marmur and published by . This book was released on 1973 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Questions and Reform Jewish Answers written by Walter Jacob and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Mishkan Moeid written by Peter S. Knobel and published by CCAR Press. This book was released on 2013-09-18 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mishkan Moeid, newly revised and updated from the CCAR classic, Gates of the Seasons, this survey of the sacred days of the Jewish yearly cycle provides detailed guidance on observing Shabbat and the Jewish holidays, including historical background, essays, and extensive notes. Mishkan Moeid is perfect for Introduction to Judaism classes and conversion candidates, as well as personal study for those wishing to reconnect or deepen their relationship to Judaism. Published by CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis

Download or read book Reform Responsa written by Solomon Bennett Freehof and published by . This book was released on 1973 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Reading Reform Responsa written by Mark Washofsky and published by CCAR Press. This book was released on 2024-03-04 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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. Dr. Washofsky masterfully demonstrates the centrality of responsa for the continued vitality of Reform as an authentic stream of contemporary Judaism. Addressing himself to the everyday Jew-in-the-pew, he explains what halachah is, what responsa are, and what makes "Reform responsa" distinctive. ... More importantly, he draws on his expertise as a scholar both of our tradition and of legal and literary theory to teach the non-specialist reader to become a critical reader of responsa. —From the foreword by Rabbi Joan S. Friedman, PhD, Chair, CCAR Responsa Committee Rabbi Washofsky gifts us with a series of informed and sensitive discussions of how Reform Jews should think about and act on specific moral and ritual issues. In doing so, he graphically demonstrates that Reform Judaism's emphasis on personal autonomy is complemented by its insistence that Jewish tradition must play a role in individuals' choices if these decisions are to be not just one's own opinion, but also a recognizably Jewish one. —Rabbi Elliot Dorff, PhD, Past Chair, Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, Rabbinical Assembly Rabbi Mark Washofsky offers us a fascinating entry into and analysis of the Reform Movement's engagement with Jewish law, practice, and values. Where responsa analyze the issues and concerns implicit in a question of immediate practicality posed to a Jewish legal authority, Washofsky analyzes the body of over 1,300 Reform responsa promulgated since the early nineteenth century, pointing out the intellectual and ethical approaches employed, as well as the traditional, philosophical, and scientific resources marshalled to arrive at a persuasive answer. A wonderful read in its own right, this book provides an insider's look at modern liberal Jewish religious thought in action. —Rabbi Amy Scheinerman, author of The Talmud of Relationships Drawing on his deep mastery of classical halachic literature, Reform religious culture, and modern secular legal theory, Mark Washofsky offers insightful and compelling analyses of some of the Reform Movement's most important responsa. Washofsky's special ability to combine rigorous scholarship with his characteristic dry humor, engaging storytelling, and accessible writing style makes Reading Reform Responsa an essential study companion for anyone---clergy, academics, and laypeople alike---who is interested in learning or teaching Reform Judaism's rich tradition of halachic discourse. By inviting the reader to be not just an observer but also a participant in the reasoning and argumentation of responsa, Washofsky teaches us what it means to think halachically in a uniquely Reform way. —Rabbi A. Brian Stoller, Senior Rabbi, Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, NY Those curious about the tradition of responsa in the Reform tradition, or merely about the intersection of Jewish law and modern life, will find much here of interest. A substantial but accessible guide to reading and applying Reform responsa. —Kirkus Reviews

Download or read book Reform Responsa written by Solomon Freehof and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Dictionary of Jewish Biography written by Dan Cohn-Sherbok and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2006-03-10 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Abraham to Saul Bellow, from Moses Maimonides to Woody Allen, from the Balla Shem Tov to Albert Einstein, this comprehensive dictionary of Jewish biographies provides a first point of entry into the richness of the Jewish heritage. With the advice of leading Jewish scholars, the Dictionary of Jewish Biography provides a rapid reference to those Jewish men and women who have, over the last four thousand years, contributed to the life of the Jewish people and the history of the Jewish religion. This dictionary will prove essential for general readers interested in the evolution of Judaism from ancient times to the present day, a perfect study aid for students and teachers.

Download or read book American Judaism written by Jonathan D. Sarna and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2019-06-25 with total page 558 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jonathan D. Sarna's award-winning American Judaism is now available in an updated and revised edition that summarizes recent scholarship and takes into account important historical, cultural, and political developments in American Judaism over the past fifteen years. Praise for the first edition: "Sarna . . . has written the first systematic, comprehensive, and coherent history of Judaism in America; one so well executed, it is likely to set the standard for the next fifty years."--Jacob Neusner, Jerusalem Post "A masterful overview."--Jeffrey S. Gurock, American Historical Review "This book is destined to be the new classic of American Jewish history."--Norman H. Finkelstein, Jewish Book World Winner of the 2004 National Jewish Book Award/Jewish Book of the Year

Download or read book Contemporary Reform Responsa written by Solomon Bennett Freehof and published by . This book was released on 1974 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Congress Bi weekly written by and published by . This book was released on 1963 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Reform Responsa For the Twenty First Century written by Mark Washofsky and published by CCAR Press. This book was released on 2019-09-04 with total page 899 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reform Responsa for the Twenty-First Century: Sh'eilot Ut'shuvot is the latest in an ongoing series of Reform Responsa. Drawing from the breadth of traditional and modern Jewish texts, law, and ideology, this two volumes set addresses over seventy contemporary topics, including conversion of adopted children, fertility treatments, patrilineal descent, issues of synagogue management, social justice activism, interfaith marriage and rituals of death and mourning. Published by CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis