Israelis and the Jewish Tradition: An Ancient People Debating Its Future
by David Hartman
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In this powerful book one of the most important Jewish thinkers in the world today grapples with issues that increasingly divide Israel's secular Jewish community from its religious Zionists. Addressing the concerns of both communities from the point of view of one who is deeply committed to religious pluralism, David Hartman suggests a more inclusive and inviting framework for the modern Israeli engagement of the Jewish tradition. He offers a new understanding of what it means to be show more Jewish-one which is neither assimilationist nor backward-looking, and one that enables different Jewish groups to celebrate their own traditions without demonizing or patronizing others. In a world polarized between religious and secular and caught within a sectarian denominationalism, Hartman shows the way to build bridges of understanding. The book explores the philosophies of two major Jewish thinkers of the Middle Ages, Yehuda Halevi and Moses Maimonides. A careful analysis of Maimonides' approach to Judaism shows that messianism is not the predominant organizing principle that makes Judaism intelligible and significant, Hartman contends. He argues against Halevi's triumphalism and in favor of using the Sinai covenant for evaluating the religious significance of Israel, for this approach gives meaning to Zionists' religious commitments while also empowering secular Israelis to reengage with the Jewish tradition. show lessTags
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46+ Works 659 Members
David Hartman is founder of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, the world-renown center for the study of classical Jewish sources and of contemporary Israeli and Jewish issues. He is the author of A Living Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in Traditional Judaism and Israelis and the Jewish Tradition: An Ancient People Debating Its Future. Dr. show more Hartman received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University and his PhD in philosophy from McGill University. show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Terry Lectures (1998)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Israelis and the Jewish Tradition: An Ancient People Debating Its Future
Classifications
- Genres
- Anthropology, Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, History, Philosophy
- DDC/MDS
- 305.89 — Society, government, & culture Social sciences, sociology & anthropology Social group - Age, Gender, Ethnicity Ethnic and national groups Other ethnic and national groups
- LCC
- DS143 .H27 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Asia History of Asia Israel (Palestine). The Jews Jews outside of Palestine
- BISAC
Statistics
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- 45
- Popularity
- 660,854
- Rating
- (4.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 1
