W. Gunther Plaut is one of Reform Judaism’s most acclaimed twentieth century rabbis and scholars. He is a gifted writer and intellectual whose ideas garner devotees throughout the world. Eight Decades: The Selected Writings of W. Gunther Plaut is a selection of his previously published articles and essays. They include discussions on history, biblical topics, literature and linguistics, theological questions, moral and social issues, perspectives on Reform Judaism, legal issues, a...

W. Gunther Plaut is an internationally recognized rabbi and scholar, and one of the greatest preachers of the twentieth century. He was born in Germany, but in 1935 fled the Nazis for the United States, where he became a rabbi. He served in Chicago and St. Paul, and, from 1961 to 1977 was Senior Rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. Upon his retirement he was appointed Senior Scholar.Published on the occasion of his ninety-fifth birthday, this collection of sermons delivered ove...

This book is a must-read for any college student who is thinking about going to law school, or anyone who has an interest in real life crime or real life legal stories. "I'm trying to be objective here, but the book is absolutely brilliant." –Attorney S, Washington DC "A work of art." – Attorney SM, Boston, MA "It steps into a philosophical space, and made my head explode." – Professor HY, Boston "Amazing..... It's a rollercoaster, and a must-read for anyone who is even thinking about law ...

Beginning with the first Jewish settler, Moses David, the important role that Windsor Jews played in the development of Ontario’s south is mirrored in this 200-year chronicle. the founding pioneer families transformed their Eastern European shtetl into a North American settlement; many individuals were involved in establishing synagogues, schools, and an organized communal structure in spite of divergent religious, political, and economic interests.Modernity and the growing influen...

Normon Solomon's succinct book is an ideal introduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. Demonstrating the diverse nature and ethnic origin of those with the Jewish faith, Solomon explores how the Jewish religion has developed in the 2,000 years since the days of the Bible. This Very Short Introduction starts by outlining the basics of practical Judaism - its festivals, prayers, customs, and various sects - and goes on to consider how Judaism has responded to, and dealt w...

Is Judaism a religion, a culture, a nationality--or a mixture of all of these? In How Judaism Became a Religion, Leora Batnitzky boldly argues that this question more than any other has driven modern Jewish thought since the eighteenth century. This wide-ranging and lucid introduction tells the story of how Judaism came to be defined as a religion in the modern period--and why Jewish thinkers have fought as well as championed this idea.Ever since the Enlightenment, Jewish ...

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 standar...

In this book contemporary Judaism is presented in all its rich diversity, including both traditional and modern theologies as well as secular forms of Jewish identity. While the focus of the book is on developments that have taken place in the past two hundred years, they are set against a historical background, going back to the Bible. Beginning with a description of the Jewish people as it exists in today's world, it studies the unique concept of Jewish peoplehood and its survival over t...

Explore how the principles of a global ethic can be found in Judaism and how they can provide the ethical norms for all religions to work together toward a more peaceful humankind.In 1993, the Parliament of the World's Religions endorsed the "Declaration toward a Global Ethic" composed by Hans Küng. In it, representatives from all the world’s religions agreed on principles for a global ethic and committed themselves to directives of nonviolence, respect for life, s...

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author shares a "valuable, wise, and quietly moving" meditation on orthodox Judaism ( Chicago Tribune ).Renowned for his sweeping historical novels such as The Cain Mutiny and The Winds of War, Herman Wouk now presents a brilliantly distilled examination of his own religious faith. A miracle of brevity, This Is My God guides readers through the world's oldest practicing...

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth in the United Kingdom offers a refreshing and insightful commentary to the Koren Haggada, together with illuminating essays on the themes and motifs of the Festival of Freedom. Sensitively translated, the traditional texts are carefully balanced alongside the Chief Rabbi's contemporary ideas, in a modern and user-friendly design. With new interpretations and in-depth analyses of the Passover liturgy an...

“A major contribution to the understanding of Hasidic Wisdom and thought; it brings the reader closer to Hasidism’s greatest teller of tales.”—Elie WieselThe search for spiritual meaning drives great leaders in all religions. This classic work explores the personality and religious quest of Nahman of Bratslav (1772–1810), one of Hasidism’s major figures. It unlocks the great themes of spiritual searching that make him a figure of universal religious importan...