Torah has a deep relationship with Jewish leadership, yet both of these terms resist precise definition.[I] In this brief essay, I will use the term Torahto designate what James Kugel defines as “the very essence of Judaism.”[ii] As for the term Jewish leadership, I will follow Erica Brown, who writes: The definition that may best suit the Jewish community is…
Month: July 2018
Hear, O Israel, Speak, O Israel: Reflections on Theological Dialogue
שמע ישראל ה’ אלוהינו ה’ אחד “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One” The first line of the Shema is often considered to be the cornerstone of Jewish faith. These words are repeated throughout our weekday and Shabbat liturgies. They are the first words that cross many Jewish lips every morning and the last words they utter…