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Finding a spiritual home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue
A fascinating and inspiring book on what makes a Community/Shul work.
Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue> by Sidney Schwarz
Published: November 2003
From Fellow Lynn Claire Feinberg (Class IV)
The author of the book set out to find out what makes a Jewish community/shul work. In the introduction he has an interesting analysis of what kind of people American Jews of today are and what kind of spiritual needs this group seeks met.
Schwartz has set out to find model Jewish communities. He presents one community from each of the major denominations (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Reconstructionist) in the USA. These communites seem to work well for the members involved both on a spiritual, activist, and communal level. The book includes essays written by different members from each of the four model communities and an outline of how the communities were founded and by whom and what ideas they were grounded upon. I found the book fascinating and very inspiring.
About the Author
Rabbi Sidney Schwarz is the founder and president of PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, an educational foundation dedicated to renewal of American Jewish life through the integration of Jewish learning, values, and social responsibility. He is founding rabbi of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, Maryland, and is the author of two books and numerous articles on contemporary Jewish life.
Online Reviews
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
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