The Modern Men's Torah Commentary


Book Description

Reconnect with the power and promise of engagement with Torah—from a modern men's perspective. This major contribution to modern biblical commentary addresses the most important concerns of modern men—issues like relationships, sexuality, ambition, work and career, body image, aging, and life passages—by opening them up to the messages of the Torah. It includes commentaries by some of the most creative and influential rabbis, cantors, journalists, media figures, educators, professors, authors, communal leaders, and musicians in contemporary Jewish life, and represents all denominations in Judaism. Featuring poignant and probing reflections on the weekly Torah portions, this collection shows men how the messages of the Torah intersect with their own lives by focusing on modern men’s issues. Ideal for anyone wanting a new, exciting view of Torah, this rich resource offers perspectives to inspire all of us to gain deeper meaning from the Torah as well as a heightened appreciation of Judaism and its relevance to our lives. Contributors: Rabbi Howard A. Addison • Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson • Doug Barden • Rabbi Tony Bayfield, DD • Ariel Beery • Rabbi Joseph Black • Rabbi Mitchell Chefitz • Dr. Norman J. Cohen • Rabbi Mike Comins • Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, PhD • Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz • Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins • Rabbi Edward Feinstein • Rabbi Mordecai Finley, PhD • Wayne L. Firestone • Rabbi David J. Gelfand • Dr. Sander L. Gilman • Ari L. Goldman • Rabbi Daniel Gordis, PhD • Rabbi Arthur Green • Rabbi Steven Greenberg • Joel Lurie Grishaver • Rabbi Donniel Hartman, PhD • Rabbi Hayim Herring, PhD • Peter Himmelman • Rabbi Walter Homolka, PhD • Rabbi Reuven Kimelman • Rabbi Elliott Kleinman • Cantor Jeff Klepper • Rabbi Peter S. Knobel • Rabbi Harold S. Kushner • Rabbi Daniel Landes • Rabbi Steven Z. Leder • Prof. Julius Lester • Rabbi Robert N. Levine, DD • Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler • Rabbi John Moscowitz • Rabbi Perry Netter • Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky • Rabbi Stephen S. Pearce, PhD • Rabbi Daniel F. Polish • Dennis Prager • Rabbi Jack Riemer • Rabbi Stephen B. Roberts • Rabbi David B. Rosen • Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin • Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, PhD • Rabbi Rami Shapiro • Rabbi Charles Simon • Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz • Craig Taubman • Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman • Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub • Rabbi Avraham (Avi) Weiss • Dr. Ron Wolfson • Rabbi David J. Wolpe • Rabbi David Woznica • Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman • Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel




The Torah


Book Description

The groundbreaking volume The Torah: A Women's Commentary, originally published by URJ Press and Women of Reform Judaism, has been awarded the top prize in the oldest Jewish literary award program, the 2008 National Jewish Book Awards. A work of great import, the volume is the result of 14 years of planning, research, and fundraising. THE HISTORY: At the 39th Women of Reform Judaism Assembly in San Francisco, Cantor Sarah Sager challenged Women of Reform Judaism delegates to "imagine women feeling permitted, for the first time, feeling able, feeling legitimate in their study of Torah." WRJ accepted that challenge. The Torah: A Women's Commentary was introduced at the Union for Reform Judaism 69th Biennial Convention in San Diego in December 2007. WRJ has commissioned the work of the world's leading Jewish female Bible scholars, rabbis, historians, philosophers and archaeologists. Their collective efforts resulted in the first comprehensive commentary, authored only by women, on the Five Books of Moses, including individual Torah portions as well as the Hebrew and English translation. The Torah: A Women's Commentary gives dimension to the women's voices in our tradition. Under the skillful leadership of editors Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea Weiss, PhD, this commentary provides insight and inspiration for all who study Torah: men and women, Jew and non-Jew. As Dr. Eskenazi has eloquently stated, "we want to bring the women of the Torah from the shadow into the limelight, from their silences into speech, from the margins to which they have often been relegated to the center of the page - for their sake, for our sake and for our children's sake." Published by CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis




Torah Through Time


Book Description

"This book provides a highly readable, engaging introduction to Jewish biblical interpretation." - Jewish Book World "Cherry has analyzed the biblical commentary of some of the renowned Jewish scholars of the last 2,000 years. The result is a work of excellent scholarship and imagination." - Booklist ?Cherry shows how the Torah functions as literature that is fluid, compelling, and persistently generative of new meanings.? ? Christian Century Every commentator, from the classical rabbi to the modern-day scholar, has brought his or her own worldview, with all of its assumptions, to bear on the reading of holy text. This relationship between the text itself and the reader's interpretation is the subject of Torah Through Time. Shai Cherry traces the development of Jewish Bible commentary through three pivotal periods in Jewish history: the rabbinic, medieval, and modern periods. The result is a fascinating and accessible guide to how some of the world's leading Jewish commentators read the Bible. Torah Through Time focuses on specific narrative sections of the Torah: the creation of humanity, the rivalry between Cain and Abel, Korah's rebellion, the claim of the daughters of Zelophechad, and legal matters concerning Hebrew slavery. Cherry closely examines several different commentaries for each of these source texts, and in so doing he analyzes how each commentator resolves questions raised by the texts and asks if and how the commentator's own historical frame of reference -- his own time and place -- contributes to the resolution. A chart at the end of each chapter provides a visual summary that helps the reader understand the many different elements at play.




The Torah


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Torah and Commentary


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The JPS B'nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary


Book Description

For too many Jewish young people, bar/bat mitzvah has been the beginning of the end of their Jewish journeys. When students perceive the Torah as incomprehensible or irrelevant, many form the false impression that Judaism has nothing to say to them. Enter the game-changer: The JPS B nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary shows teens in their own language how Torah addresses the issues in their world. The conversational tone is inviting and dignified, concise and substantial, direct and informative. The narrative summaries, big ideas, model divrei Torah, haftarot commentaries, and discussion questions will engage teens in studying the Torah and haftarot, writing divrei Torah, and continuing to learn Torah throughout their lives making it the book every rabbi, cantor, parent, and tutor will also want to have. Jewish learning for young people and adults will never be the same. "




A Man in Full


Book Description

The Bonfire of the Vanities defined an era--and established Tom Wolfe as our prime fictional chronicler of America at its most outrageous and alive. With A Man in Full, the time the setting is Atlanta, Georgia--a racially mixed late-century boomtown full of fresh wealth, avid speculators, and worldly-wise politicians. Big men. Big money. Big games. Big libidos. Big trouble. The protagonist is Charles Croker, once a college football star, now a late-middle-aged Atlanta real-estate entrepreneur turned conglomerate king, whose expansionist ambitions and outsize ego have at last hit up against reality. Charlie has a 28,000-acre quail-shooting plantation, a young and demanding second wife--and a half-empty office tower with a staggering load of debt. When star running back Fareek Fanon--the pride of one of Atlanta's grimmest slums--is accused of raping an Atlanta blueblood's daughter, the city's delicate racial balance is shattered overnight. Networks of illegal Asian immigrants crisscrossing the continent, daily life behind bars, shady real-estate syndicates, cast-off first wives of the corporate elite, the racially charged politics of college sports--Wolfe shows us the disparate worlds of contemporary America with all the verve, wit, and insight that have made him our most phenomenal, most admired contemporary novelist. A Man in Full is a 1998 National Book Award Finalist for Fiction.




Who By Fire, Who By Water


Book Description

The most controversial prayer of the Jewish New Year—what it means, who wrote it, why we say it. Over forty contributors who span three continents and all major Jewish denominations examine Un'taneh Tokef’s theology, authorship, and poetry through a set of lively commentaries. Men and women, scholars and rabbis, artists and poets trace the history of Un’taneh Tokef and connect the prayer to its biblical and rabbinic roots. They wrestle with the personal and community impact of its deeply moving imagery, probe its haunting message of human mortality, and reflect on its call for sanctity, transformation and renewal. Prayers of Awe: A multi-volume series designed to explore the High Holy Day liturgy and enrich the praying experience for everyone—whether experienced worshipers or guests who encounter Jewish prayer for the very first time. Contributors Merri Lovinger Arian Rabbi Tony Bayfield, DD Rabbi Sharon Brous Dr. Marc Brettler Dr. Erica Brown Rabbi Ruth Durchslag, PsyD Rabbi Edward Feinstein Rabbi Elyse D. Frishman Rabbi Andrew Goldstein, PhD Dr. Joel M. Hoffman Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur Rabbi Elie Kaunfer Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar Dr. Reuven Kimelman Rabbi Lawrence Kushner Rabbi Noa Kushner Rabbi Daniel Landes Rabbi Ruth Langer, PhD Liz Lerman Rabbi Asher Lopatin Catherine Madsen Rabbi Jonathan Magonet, PhD Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD Ruth Messinger Rabbi Charles H. Middleburgh, PhD Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum Rabbi Aaron Panken, PhD Rabbi Or N. Rose Rabbi Marc Saperstein, PhD Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater, DMin Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek Rabbi David Stern Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD Rabbi Gordon Tucker, PhD Dr. Ellen M. Umansky Rabbi Avraham Weiss Rabbi Margaret Moers Wenig, DD Dr. Ron Wolfson Rabbi David J. Wolpe Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel Dr. Wendy Zierler




The Social Justice Torah Commentary


Book Description

What does the Torah have to say about social justice? As the contributors to The Social Justice Torah Commentary demonstrate, a great deal. A diverse array of authors delve deeply into each week's parashah, drawing lessons to inspire tikkun olam. Chapters address key contemporary issues such as racism, climate change, mass incarceration, immigration, disability, women's rights, voting rights, and many more. The result is an indispensable resource for weekly Torah study and for anyone committed to repairing the world. Published by CCAR Press, a division of the Central Conference of American Rabbis




The Way Into Jewish Prayer


Book Description

The Way Into ... Series offers an accessible and highly usable "guided tour" of the Jewish faith, people, history, and beliefs -- in total, an introduction to Judaism that will enable you to understand and interact with the sacred texts of the Jewish tradition. Each volume is written by a leading contemporary scholar and teacher, and explores one key aspect of Judaism. The Way Into ... enables all readers to achieve a real sense of Jewish cultural literacy through guided study. Book jacket.