Mel’s Desk
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Kaplan believed that the Jews were among the first to make a religion of their peoplehood. He was a life long Zionist and believed that Zionism was an essential part of being Jewish. But most importantly, he strongly differentiated between the religion of ancient Israel and collective egotism or what we today would call nationalism.…
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by Dr. Mel Scult Peter Beinart in the Sunday Opinion section of the New York Times, was his usual brilliant self. But in this case he happens to be wrong. He would have us believe that the liberals on the left who have traditionally identified strongly with Israel have no place to go. He would…
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As we prepare to begin our reading of the Book of Exodus at a time of war and conflict these two reflections by Mel Scult on Kaplan’s views of might and right seem particularly contemporary. From Mordecai Kaplan: What can be plainer than that the following indicates what the Exodus meant to Israel: “And for…
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KAPLAN in the period after the end of World War I , was concerned about the issue of free speech. Right now both in America and in Israel the matter of free speech is very much on people’s minds. With Israel at war should we allow ourselves the space to criticize the government in its…
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Video of Dr. Mel Scult’s talk at West End Synagogue
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Mel discusses his book The Radical American Judaism of Mordecai M. Kaplan in a podcast.
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The Journals of Mordecai M. Kaplan Edited by Mel Scult Available for purchase (see below)
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This diary entry from Kaplan illustrates the spiritual doubts of a number of rabbinical students from the early forties. The entry is significant on many levels not the least of which is the fact that Jack Cohen and Sidney Morgenbesser were in the group. Kaplan’s response is significant in that it illustrates that though he…
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from Mel Scult’s Mordecai Kaplan Facebook page Kaplan famously stated that religion in general and Judaism in particular was a matter of “belonging, believing and behaving.” In the late forties he was in Los Angeles working to raise money for the proposed “University of Judaism”. In a talk to about forty writers, musicians and artists…