Originally published in New London News: Journal of the New London Synagogue, 2:6 (November 1970). Hasidism is justly considered to be a fresh and original Jewish movement not so much because it created new Jewish institutions but because it read new ideas into the older forms. A good example is the treatment the festival of Hanukkah…...
Formula for confession
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle. Ever since the stereotyped formula for the Yom Kippur confession of sin was introduced, sensitive people have been bothered by the dishonesty involved in a man declaring before his God that he is guilty of certain offences he knows he has never committed. It is all very well seeing ourselves…...
In Defence of God – 4 reviews of contemporary Jewish thought
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 12 March 1971. His Own Torah: Selected Papers and Sermons of Felix A. Levy: A Memorial Volume, edited by Sefton D. Temkin, Jonathan David, New York, $10. The Royal Reach, by Norman Lamm, Feldheim, New York, $6.95. Judaism and Ethics, edited by Daniel Jeremy Silver, Ktav, New York, $10. God’s…...
Continuing the Quest: A Celebration of Rabbi Dr Louis Jacobs
Published by the Assembly of Masorti Synagogues, with a foreword by Chaim Weiner, and introductions to each section by Jonathan Wittenberg. Click on the picture to start reading the book in a new tab.
Louis Ginzberg, ‘A Commentary on the Palestinian Talmud’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 16 July 1971. A Commentary on the Palestinian Talmud. A Study of the Development of the Halakah and Haggadah in Palestine and Babylonia (Hebrew) by Louis Ginzberg. Ktav Publishing House, New York, 1971. $60,00. This reprint by Ktav comprises the three volumes published by Ginzberg in 1941 together with a…...
Samuel H. Dresner, ‘The Zaddik’
The Zaddik. By Samuel H. Dresner. With a preface by Abraham J. Heschel. Abelard-Schuman. 30s. Heinrich Graetz, the famous Jewish historian, writing of the Chassidic movement, described it as “a daughter of darkness.” It was, says Graetz, “born in gloom, and even today proceeds stealthily on its mysterious way.” The majority of modern writers in…...
Re’eh – Blessing and Obedience
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle. The blessing, if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day (Deuteronomy xi, 27). More than one Jewish commentator reads the Hebrew of this verse to mean: “The blessing is that ye shall hearken.” Exegetically sound or not, the idea expressed…...
Haim H. Conn, ‘Human Rights in Jewish Law’; Eliezer Berkovits, ‘Not in Heaven’
Human rights and human duties Human Rights in Jewish Law. By Haim H. Conn, Ktav (New York) for the Institute of Jewish Affairs, London. The concept of human rights, owing much to Locke, Paine and the American Declaration of Independence, is a modern concept for which there is no term in the classical sources of…...
In thought and deed
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 16 July 1965. And speaketh truth in his heart. (Psalm 15, 2) A great text like this one is capable of bearing more than one meaning. The Psalmist’s appeal to a life of integrity can be understood in three different but complementary ways. First, the meaning can be that the…...
By different routes
Originally published in Zionist Record and S.A. Jewish Chronicle, 24 September 1965. “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace” (Proverbs 3, 17) The ‘ways’ spoken of in the verse are the wide, clearly marked roads running from town to town, the recognised routes, the sure means of reaching one’s destination. The…...
Baruch Litvin & Sidney B. Hoenig (eds.), ‘Jewish Identity’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 31 December 1965. Jewish Identity. Compiled by Baruch Litvin and edited by Sidney B. Hoenig. New York: Philipp Feldheim. $6.75. The famous “Who is a Jew?” debate reached its culmination in the letter addressed by Ben Gurion, in his official capacity as Prime Minister of Israel, to the “Sages of…...
Arnold Jacob Wolf (ed.), ‘Recovering Judaism: Reflections on a New Theology’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 1 April 1966. Recovering Judaism: Reflections on a New Theology. Edited by Arnold Jacob Wolf. Chicago: Quadrangle Books. $6.50. Theology is viewed nowadays with suspicion. It is frequently suggested that, on the Jewish scene, it is not so much a question of dethroning the queen of the sciences as that…...
Martin Noth, ‘The Old Testament World’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 11 February 1966. The Old Testament World. By Martin Noth. Translated by Victor I. Gruhn. Black. 48s. When reading the Bible one comes across verses like: Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the hill-country of the Amorites and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the Arabah,…...
A Liberating Faith
Originally published (without last paragraph) in The Jewish Chronicle, 11 February 1966. Republished in Zionist Record and S.A. Jewish Chronicle, 18 February 1966, with the last paragraph added. Nineteen hundred years ago the great Jewish leader, Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai, wished to expose in detail certain sharp practices. He was convinced that it was desirable that the…...
Sefton Solomon, ‘Jacobs’ Third Way’
A dissertation submitted by Sefton Solomon in partial fulfilment of the degree of MA in Jewish History and Culture at the University of Southampton, 2015. Click on the picture to start reading the dissertation.
Magnanimity
Originally published in Zionist Record and South Africa Jewish Chronicle, 9 October 1964. According to Rabbinic ruling the Jewish farmer in ancient times had to give a portion of his produce to the priest. The average donor, we are told, gave a fiftieth, the niggardly donor a sixtieth, the generous donor a fortieth. The minimum amount…...
The stars in their courses
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 18 December 1964. The rabbis of the Midrash give a number of reasons why it is fitting to compare the righteous to the stars. Urban dwellers though many of the rabbis were, their night sky was not obscured as ours is by the glare of electricity. No doubt it was…...
Alexander Altmann (ed.), ‘Studies in Nineteenth Century Jewish Intellectual History’
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 9 April 1965. Studies in Nineteenth Century Jewish Intellectual History. Edited by Alexander Altmann. Harvard University Press. 46s. Readers, and they must be many, who found the first volume of studies edited by Dr. Altmann absorbing, will not be disappointed with this second volume, the scope of which is limited…...
Growth in Judaism
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 26 February 1965. One of the reasons the Torah is called a Torah of life is that it is capable of catering to our spiritual needs at every one of life’s stages. From infancy, childhood and adolescence, through maturity and middle age to old age, Judaism provides us with the…...
Man’s true nature
Originally published in The Jewish Chronicle, 7 May 1965. Mankind has never been without its givers, men and women who have contributed generously and without stint of their wealth, talents, skills, time and effort in the service of others. The rabbis saw the Jews as great givers. They wryly remarked that whenever Israel’s gold is solicited…...