Spiritual Activism: A Jewish Guide to Leadership and Repairing the World

by Avraham Weiss

Overview

In this age of perpetual strife and conflict, we need now more than ever to find out how to be proactive in repairing our broken world. Rabbi Avraham Weiss's provocative and challenging guidebook will show you just that-and so much more.

With easy-to-follow steps, accessible explanations of the principles of spiritual activism and an exploration into the foundations of spiritual activism as rooted in the Torah, Weiss offers more than simply a user manual-he provides an in-depth approach to changing your role in the world.

Topics Include:

Why, How and When Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism?

Choosing the Cause

Making Partners

Designing the Strategy

Leading Other People

Seeing the Big Picture

And more ...

Product Details

BN ID:	2940000212707
Publisher:	Jewish Lights Publishing
Publication date:	09/21/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Rabbi Avraham Weiss is the founder and president of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, the Modern and Open Orthodox Rabbinical School in New York. He is also the senior rabbi of the Hebrew Institute in Riverdale. Most recently, he founded Yeshivat Mahara't, an Orthodox school ordaining women to become spiritual leaders. Rabbi Weiss was named one of the fifty most influential rabbis in America by Newsweek magazine. He is the author of Spiritual Activism: A Jewish Guide to Leadership and Repairing the World (Jewish Lights).

Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and author of many books.

Table of Contents

Foreword xi

A Parable xiii

Preface xv

What Is Spiritual Activism? xviii

Spiritual Activism Is a Tree of Life xix

Part I Foundations of Spiritual Activism 1

1 Why Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism? A Partnership between God and Humankind 5

2 How Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism? A Balance between Public Protest and Quiet Diplomacy 9

3 When Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism? Action That Benefits the Larger Community 15

Part II Pillars of Spiritual Activism 19

4 Loving Other Jews Ahavat Yisrael 23

5 Acting on Behalf of Other Jews Pe'ilut Yisrael 27

6 The Unity of Israel Achdut Yisrael 31

7 Nurturing Jewish Spirituality Ruach Yisrael 35

8 The Centrality of the State of Israel Medinat Yisrael 39

9 Loving Humankind Ahavat Habriyot 43

Part III Principles of Spiritual Activism 47

10 Step 1: Choosing the Cause 51

11 Step 2: Making Partners 75

12 Step 3: Designing the Strategy 101

13 Step 4: Leading Other People 127

14 Step 5: Seeing the Big Picture 151

Every Action Counts 167

The Spiritual Activist's Action Plan 171

Notes 185

Acknowledgments 190

Editorial Reviews

What can one person possibly do to change the world? Rabbi Weiss, a Jewish activist par excellence who has participated in hundreds of demonstrations, marches, vigils, hunger strikes and acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, outlines his answers clearly in this handbook. Activism is not reckless or impulsive behavior, he writes.Its goal-to help others and thereby to help repair the world-is based on a serious analysis of moral, political and logistical issues, bound by Torah. Weiss describes the foundations of spiritual activism and delineates its principles: choosing the cause, making partners, designing the strategy, leading other people and seeing the big picture. He expands and elucidates each facet with personal examples, from his efforts to free Soviet Jews to protesting Yasser Arafat's Nobel Peace Prize and installing handicapped ramps in his synagogue. Though the book has a Jewish focus, its principles are universal.Readers may not agree with all of Weiss's choices, but it is hard not to be moved when he asks, "For me the question is not, Why go to the end of the world to help another Jew? But rather, How can one not go to the end of the world to help another Jew?" (May)

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Publishers Weekly

Rabbi Weiss (founder & president, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, New York) has been called one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. Here, he uses the materials of his own life to show how one can become an effective spiritual with an impact on social change. Includes a step-by-step "Spiritual Activist's Action Plan."

—Graham Christian

Library Journal

"One of the most interesting books on the last forty years of American Jewish life that I have read…. A rare combination of passionate love of the Jewish people and love of ethics and goodness."
— Dennis Prager, nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist, and bestselling author

“A testimony to the power of conscience, courage and compassion. Breathes with the love of the Jewish people, drawn from the spirit of Jewish moral sensibility and the energy of Jewish ethical activity.”
— Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, Valley Beth Shalom

“A serious treatise on activism. Outlines the what, the why and the how—how to be an activist, how to root our activism in our faith, how we might begin to emulate the life choices Rabbi Weiss has made in order to protect the Jewish people and improve our future.... Immensely rewarding.”
— Ruth Messinger, president, American Jewish World Service

“Masterfully weaves rich insights from Jewish text and tradition with the powerful moral and political lessons from [Weiss's] unparalleled experiences as one of American Jewry’s most courageous, inspiring and, yes, controversial spiritual activists.”
— Rabbi David Saperstein, director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

“Proves [Weiss] is a pioneer not only in practicing activism but also in developing the theoretical foundations of the role of activism in organized Jewish community life. A must read for all who want to understand the power of activism to effect change.”
— Natan Sharansky

“Profound and insightful.... Responds to the central challenges to the Jewish people from the latter part of the twentieth century.”
— Rabbi Saul J. Berman, director, Continuing Rabbinic Education at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School

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