What It Means to be Jewish Today

“Walk into an American synagogue of any denomination on a Shabbat morning and you will see Jews praying aloud to God for the healing of family and friends, often with the greatest emotion exhibited at any point in the service. Survey questions will elicit the information that many of these Jews, perhaps the majority, do not believe in a God who hears prayer or cures illness. Some are not synagogue regulars or even members. Yet there they are, clearly finding great meaning in what they are doing—a great many meanings, I believe—and so testifying to the richness and complexity that goes into being a Jew in this time and place.”

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