Kaplan’s Legacy
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In 1953, Mordecai Kaplan wrote an important volume A New Zionism. We asked four contributors to share with us: Their responses remind us of the complex weaving of the religious, national, and ethical threads of Kaplanian thought The focus on Israel’s rich but delicate place in Kaplanian thought, especially as we move deeper into…
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Jerusalem Post Opinion Summer 2023 By Ilan Chaim ‘Man is not free to choose between having or not having ideals, but he is free to choose between different kinds of ideals….” – Erich Fromm In this summer of noisily clashing ideologies in the background, a group of rabbis met quietly in Jerusalem to honor the…
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For those wanting to grasp “what all the excitement was about” when Judaism As A Civilization appeared, Creative Judaism was a quick and easy way into the discussion.
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From Ira, I learned that Judaism is not an abstract idea, that religion does not exist in a vacuum, that religion is as religion does. Judaism begins with the Jewish people; religion is a human, social reality, one in which “Belonging precedes Believing” If we want to help Jews love and practice their heritage, we…
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In this piece, Jeffrey remembers a moment in which Ira helped him gain perspective on criticisms of his student rabbinate: “Ira and I talked at great length. Near the end of the conversation, Ira got a glint in his eye and a wry smile formed as he said:
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From Synagogue to Movement: Remembering Rabbi Ira Eisenstein A recording of reflections on Rabbi Eisenstein’s contributions that the SAJ (now known as Judaism That Stands for All) hosted as part of its centenary celebration.
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Talmud (study) consists of the Mishnah (original text or law) and Gemara, completion of the text. We emphasize the term Talmud (study) because it indicates that Mishnah and Gemara are part of a larger process of expansion of meaning that is fostered by sacred argument. In this selection, Mordechai Kaplan provides the original Mishnah and…
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Talmud (study) consists of the Mishnah (original text or law) and gemara, completion of the text. We emphasize the term Talmud (study) because it indicates that Mishnah and Gemara are part of a larger process of expansion of meaning that is fostered by sacred argument. In this selection, Mordecai Kaplan provides the original Mishnah and…
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After reading join the dialogue. Count yourself among the tosafot (next generation of commentators). Send a comment as short as a sentence or as long as two paragraphs to Dr. Jeffrey Schein (jeffrey@kaplancenter.org) . He will collect your comments and help us expand the Talmudic process.
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Caitlin Hayes & Emmett Peoplehood: One Word, Many Experiences Caitlin Hayes, Kaplan Center board member, explores the contemporary intricacies of Jewish Peoplehood with Emmett, a friend and fellow Jewish journeyer. Jane Susswein & Christa Rapoport Our next two recordings for Kaplanian Voices will dive into what the notion of peoplehood is like for Jews of color and…