When I was confirmed in 1965, I received a copy of The Rabbi by Noah Gordon as a gift. Reading the novel proved to be a watershed moment in my life. As the story drew back the curtain on the personal and private life of a young man who enters the rabbinate, I thought – for the first time – that I, too, might someday come to be a rabbi.
William Shakespeare's name appears on many of play, but no evidence demonstrates that he actually wrote them. Could they have actually been written by Aemelia Bassano?
The Bible continues to be the best-selling book in history, perhaps because each reader can identify with some aspect of its ancient text. It is this notion that informs the essays of the 24 novelists, poets, scholars, and journalists who answered the call to write about a Biblical book or passage with personal meaning to them.
Looking for a good book to give your favorite bibliophile this Hanukkah? Staff of the Union for Reform Judaism recommend a few of their favorites, whether classics or new, that would make for great gifts. What would you add to the list?
Together, we will champion the lessons of Passover by bringing greater wholeness, justice, and belonging to our world.