Sing this music with others at your table, in sacred spaces, and anywhere else where you might. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Kaunfer s plea for an empowered laity should be heeded. Prensky, an attorney, helped found kehillahsf and acts as its volunteer coordinator. Kaunfer, a dynamic young rabbi, named in 2009 to newsweeks list of 50 most influential rabbis in the us, is cofounder of several successful ventures in jewish living, beginning with minyan hadar in 2000. In orthodox judaismcant speak for the other sects, as im unsure exactly what they. What he calls empowered judaism, could also be termed engaged or serious judaism, a judaism whose practitioners are. The torah is the book dictated by god, to moses, on m t siani which forms the basis of the jewish religion and law. Part description and part prescription, empowered judaism is a manifesto for. It represents the latest chapter in an uplifting history of. Oct 26, 2012 we are very much inspired by empowered judaism, said harriet prensky, referring to a book by rabbi elie kaunfer, one of the founders of kehilat hadar, an independent minyan in new york. Empowered judaism, by rabbi elie kaunfer the jewish eye. Reform high holiday prayer book spirituality and god. Voices of conservativemasorti judaism this is no ordinary book.
Rabbi eli kaunfer in his book, empowered judaism jewish lights press, 2010. We can feel connected to a particular religious community without. As society changed, the jews found that the torah needed to be updated from its original agricultural emphasis. Rabbi kaunfer offers a refreshingly new analyses of the ageold question of how to build strong jewish community. A guide to the contemporary jewish authors featured on my jewish learning and the jewish book councils blog series. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish. Book excerpt its not assimilation, but rather the problem of meaning and engagement. Religious texts are texts related to a religious tradition.
Judaism, like so many things in life, used to come in a neatly bundled package. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities kindle edition by kaunfer, rabbi elie, sarna, jonathan d download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Behuqqotai 5771 the five pillars of judaism as we approach shavuot, when we commemorate the giving of the torah, i have been thinking of the great complexity of judaism and jewish life. Most important, mike is a true optimist, and he writes with a vision of a different jewish community that motivates the reader to make apply these lessons far and wide. Elie kaunfer knows whats ailing american jewry and he has the cure. Post denominational orthodoxy gains new leadership in historic ordination a jerusalem ceremony for 21 male and female students of modern orthodox rabbi daniel landes celebrates their altneu. We are very much inspired by empowered judaism, said harriet prensky, referring to a book by rabbi elie kaunfer, one of the founders of kehilat hadar, an independent minyan in new york. Im going to read this book, empowered judaism by rabbi elie kaunfer, and hope that some of you will join me. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities jewish lights. Empowered judaism what independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities by rabbi elie kaunfer.
Aug, 2009 the completed scroll is known as a sefer torah from sefer which is the hebrew for book. Rabbi joshua samuels congregation beth israel rosh hashanah. In short, yes, the torah and bible are sacrosanct, although it only constitutes the first five book of the bible. Islamic holy books, alquran, the recitation, final testament hadith oral traditions of the words and deeds of muhammad jainism svetambara. Rabbi elie kaunfer, 39, cofounder of the independent upper west side seminary mechon hadar, recounts in his book empowered judaism that he. The completed scroll is known as a sefer torah from sefer which is the hebrew for book. This article references a blog that my jewish learning once hosted for the jewish book council, called the people of the book. On every issue of religious significance gender, sexual orientation, kashrut, shabbat conservative meant something specific, and reform and orthodox meant something different on those same important questions.
Rabbi elie kaunfers empowered judaism challenges the. He is the coauthor with jonathan sarna of empowered judaism 2010, a book that explores independent minyanim. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities jewish lights, 2010. A wexner graduate fellow, elie is a cofounder of kehilat hadar and in 2009 newsweek named him one of the top 50 rabbis in america. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. If youre not all that connected, you might have thought to yourself, where are all the young jews these days. Elie has previously worked as a journalist, banker, and corporate fraud investigator.
Some of us heard rabbi kaunfer, a classmate of mine from the jewish theological seminary, speak here at temple israel last spring about this new model of jewish. A wexner graduate fellow and dorot fellow, he is the author of empowered judaism. In my own journey with jewish study as an adult, i have come to appreciate the ways in which an unfiltered encounter with jewish texts is a form of spiritual practice. What he calls empowered judaism, could also be termed engaged or serious judaism, a judaism whose. But the real legacy of the independent minyanim extends beyond.
What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant. Our wondrous world chapter 30, book excerpt katz, rabbi mordechai. In fact, everyone involved is a volunteer, as there is no staff. Part description and part prescription, empowered judaism is a manifesto for transforming the way jews pray and. This is the thesis of rabbi elie kaunfer s empowered judaism, which advocates for and analyzes the effect of independent minyanim, or prayer groups. The majority of its worship services, educational programs, and special events take. The author of more than twenty books on jewish theology, history, and culture, he is best known for the torah. The other holy book for the jewish religion is the talmud which includes the mishnah, which means repetition or study and the gemara, which means addition or completion. This is a call to revolution a passionate and brilliant manifesto that sets out a new course for jewish life in america. Rabbi joshua samuels congregation beth israel rosh. Rabbi elie kaunfer, one of the leaders of this revolutionary phenomenon, offers. Discover book depositorys huge selection of judaism. Ive just read about a book, written in 2010, that views the crisis in judaism as a lack of connection between jews and judaism.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading empowered judaism. However, michaelson takes empowered judaism one step further. Kaunfers book belongs in every jewish synagogue, school and jcc library and. The real crisis in american judaism the jewish week podcast by rabbi elie kaunfer on empowered judaism. Part one study we live in an age of vast entertainment resources. Postdenominational orthodoxy gains new leadership in.
Lurie claims that kaunfer fails to solve the problem of meaning, instead descending into corporate, mundane logistics about how to run a minyan such as. A graduate of harvard college, he completed his doctorate in liturgy at the jewish theological seminary, where he was also ordained. The written part is the chumisha sifrei moshe the five books of moses, and was written in hebrew. Download the bible, the holy quran, the mahabharata and thousands of free pdf ebooks on buddhism, meditation etc. A sefer torah is so sacred to jews it is said that if one is. He was selected as an inaugural avi chai fellow, known as the jewish genius award. In his wonderful book, rabbi elie kaunfer writes that empowered judaism recognizes that thousands of jews of all ages and backgrounds are thirsting for a meaningful engagement with critical life questions and want to open up the texts of our past to deepen that engagement. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities was featured on the front page. They differ from literary texts by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual practices, commandments or laws, ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and for creating or fostering a religious community.
A sefer torah opened for liturgical use in a synagogue service the. The mourners kaddish is misunderstood my jewish learning. This biography of a united states religious figure is a stub. Judaism books share book recommendations with your.
What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities by elie kaunfer 28 jeffrey shoulson the mans learning moves me i have always loved the holy tongue. Gunther plaut 19122012 was a longtime rabbi of holy blossom temple in toronto. Understanding judaism chapter 1, book excerpt katz, yossi. Yeshivat hadars leadership assists congregations in reviving their services and invigorating independent prayer. The book ends with a chapter on how empowered jews pray and, finally. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities by rabbi elie kaunfer available from rakuten kobo.
Listen to rabbi elie kaunfer talk about his acclaimed book, empowered judaism, about the impact the independent minyan movement can have on the. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities discusses how scattered jews across the united states have formed their own prayer circles away from traditional synagogues. Kaunfers book belongs in every jewish synagogue, school and jcc. I felt very comfortable in the synagogue building and with the synagogue service. A sefer torah is so sacred to jews it is said that if one is accidentally dropped in the synagogue the whole. By rabbi elie kaunfer my early connection to prayer had very little to do with meaning or an intense connection to god.
Kaunfer empowered judaism have placed the leaders of prayer, not in the front but in the middle of the congregation. The dc minyan is a layled jewish congregation in the dupont circle area of washington, d. Part of the difficulty of supporting jewish empowerment is the legitimate fear many of us have of. If youre at all interested in jewish life these days, you might have found yourself pondering one of two questions recently. Christians who claim a judeochristian which is an oxymoron worldview need to understand that judaisms holiest book is the talmud, not the old testament, and that, far from being the inspired word of god, the talmud is a collection of traditions of men inspired by the god of this world. The torah refers to the five books of moses in the hebrew bible old testament genesis. Rabbi elie kaunfer, in his book empowered judaism, points out that the moses in this scene is not the leader we know from the rest of the torah, but a reluctant shepherd who is about to receive the mission and purpose of his life. From our rabbi archives page 2 of 2 temple beth or.
He was selected as an inaugural avi chai fellow, and is the author of empowered judaism. In orthodox judaism cant speak for the other sects, as im unsure exactly what they. How independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities. It represents the latest chapter in an uplifting history of religious creativity. Dec 11, 2019 proudly observant, egalitarian, nondenominational.
This is the reason i find conservative judaism more authentic to my concept of a religious tradition and heritage. In the jewish religion, there is the equivalent of the old testamentthe tanakh. In empowered judaism, elie kaunfer defines an independent minyan as a. They tried to take judaism out of synagogue spaces. In his doityourself spirit, jews do everything from write their own ketubot and haggadot, to of. Elie kaunfer, cofounder and executive director of mechon hadar, is the author of empowered judaism. He explores the independent minyan movement and the lessons it has to teach about prayer, community organizing and volunteer leadership. An excerpt from rabbi elie kaunfers new book, empowered judaism. The inside story and practical lessons from one of the most exciting developments in contemporary judaism. The real crisis in american judaism musings of ruth. One of the founders of hadar, rabbi elie kaunfer, says it makes sense that older independent communities are seeking permanence as they expand. How independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities, by rabbi elie kaunfer. The primary holy book of the jewish faith is known as the torah, which comprises the books of genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers and deuteronomy. Judaism is an ancient monotheistic religion, with the torah as its foundational text part of the larger text known as the tanakh or hebrew bible, and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the midrash and the talmud.
I took it apart last fortnight right here on this blog. Aug 01, 2007 the torah is the book dictated by god, to moses, on m t siani which forms the basis of the jewish religion and law. Because my father was a congregational rabbi, i always had a relationship with shul. What independent minyanim can teach us about building vibrant jewish communities. Just sixty years ago, most towns had only one or two movie theaters, television had limited programming on just three networks, and radio stations played music mostly to get people to buy the artists records. The torah using the article is the holy book of judaism and is comprised of first five books of the old testament genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers and deuteronomy. Torah, instruction or revelation, is the way of imitating god and becoming holy like him. Rabbi elie kaunfer is the president and ceo of hadar, an institute committed to jewish learning and community building.
Start studying chistianity, islam, and judaism facts. Rabbi elie kaunfer is president and ceo of the hadar institute. Rabbi elie kaunfer is rosh yeshiva rabbinic dean and ceo at the hadar institute in manhattan. Hadar opens new kollel as denominational lines across communities blur, the new york city yeshiva offers ordination for those who feel deeply.
The relative authority of religious texts develops over time and is derived from the ratification. Freehof 18921990 was a leader of the reform jewish movement and a worldrenowned interpreter of jewish law. Rabbi kaunfer wrote a book about independent minyanim called empowered judaism. Groups wishing to found or reenergize their own prayer communities have turned to rabbi kaunfer s book empowered judaism. The prayer book by rabbi zalman schachtershalomi zl with donald gropman. Rabbi elie kaunfer, executive director, mechon hadar.
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