Why be Jewish?

A fascinating dialogue across denominations of the High Holy Days and their message of Jewish purpose beyond mere survival.

Almost forty contributors from three continents—men and women, scholars and poets, rabbis and theologians, representing all Jewish denominations and perspectives—examine the tension between Israel as a particular People called by God, and that very calling as intended for a universalist end, furthering God's vision for all the world, not just for Jews alone. This balance of views arises naturally out of the prayers in the High Holy Day liturgy, coupled with insights from philosophy, literature, theology and ethics.

This fifth volume in the Prayers of Awe series provides the relevant traditional prayers in the original Hebrew, alongside a new and annotated translation. It explores the question "Why be Jewish?" in a time when universalist commitment to our planet and its people has only grown in importance, even as particularist questions of Jewish continuity have become ever more urgent.

Prayers of Awe: A multi-volume series designed to explore the High Holy Day liturgy and enrich the praying experience for everyone—whether experienced worshipers or guests who encounter Jewish prayer for the very first time.

Contributors

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, DHL

Rabbi Tony Bayfield, CBE, DD

Rabbi Will Berkovitz

Dr. Annette M. Boeckler

Dr. Erica Brown

Rabbi Lawrence A. Englander, CM, DHL, DD

Rabbi Lisa Exler

Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand

Rabbi Laura Geller

Rabbi Edwin Goldberg, DHL

Rabbi Andrew Goldstein, PhD

Dr. Joel M. Hoffman

Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD

Rabbi Walter Homolka, PhD, DHL

Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, DHL

Rabbi Reuven Kimelman, PhD

Dr. Mark L. Kligman

Rabbi Noa Kushner

Rabbi Daniel Landes

Rabbi Asher Lopatin

Catherine Madsen

Rabbi Jonathan Magonet, PhD

Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD

Ruth Messinger

Rabbi Charles H. Middleburgh, PhD

Rabbi Jay Henry Moses

Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum

Rabbi Jack Riemer

Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin, DMin

Rabbi Marc Saperstein, PhD

Rabbi Dennis C. Sasso, DMin

Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, DMin

Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater, DMin

Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD

Rabbi Margaret Moers Wenig, DD

Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel

Dr. Wendy Zierler