Judaism As a Civilization: Toward a Reconstruction of American-Jewish Life

Rating:
Summary: The "Bible" of modern American Judaism
Review: This is the book that began the evolution of modern American Jewish life as it has developed. Kaplan analyzes the movements that have shaped modern Judaism, and explains why none of them alone can address the needs of contemporary American Jews. His ideas, written over 50 years ago, have influenced all other movements, as well as giving birth to the Reconstructionist movement. This is a book that every thinking American Jew must read, whether you end up agreeing or disagreeing with his views. The fact that he had his feet in three of the four movements in American Jewish life (he was rabbi of an Orthodox synagogue and involved in the early days of the Young Israel movement, taught at Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative), and was the founder of Reconstructionism) gives him insights into each group.