A Life of Meaning

Foreword – Rabbi Steven A. Fox
Introduction: Not in the Heavens, Not Beyond the Sea, but Close to Us – Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, PhD

Part One • Knowing God 
1.  Critical Thoughts on a Reform Jewish Theology Michael A. Meyer, PhD 
2.  An Experiential Approach to God Rabbi Rachel Timoner 
3.  My Fragmented Theology as a Reform Rabbi and Daughter of a Holocaust Survivor Rabbi Suzanne Singer
4.  Where God Meets Gender Rabbi Elyse Goldstein 
5.  Speaking Truthfully about God Rabbi Michael Marmur, PhD
6.  The Persistence of Life after Life Rabbi Paul Golomb 
7.  Science and Faith Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman
8.  The God Thing Rabbi David W. Nelson, PhD

Part Two • Choosing Covenant
9.  Chosen for Torah Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch
10.  Refining the Covenant Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, PhD 
11.  Is Reform Judaism Authentic Judaism? Rabbi Kari Hofmaister Tuling, PhD
12.  Jewish Religious Pluralism Rabbi Joan S. Friedman, PhD
13.  Freedom within Limits Rabbi Jan Katzew, PhD
14.  Let Every Blade of Grass Sing a Song of Praise Rabbi Shoshanah Conover
15.  What Is Modern about Reform Judaism? Robert M. Seltzer, PhD
16.  A Zionism of the Soul Rabbi Stanley M. Davids
17.  The Role of Reform Judaism in Israel Rabbi Gilad Kariv 

Part Three • Connecting to the Divine
18.  The Power and Pitfalls of Personal Religious Autonomy Rabbi Ben Zeidman
19.  The Jewish Path Rabbi Mark Washofsky, PhD
20.  Mitzvah/Mitzvot Rabbi Carole B. Balin, PhD
21.  Eating Our Values Rabbi Mary L. Zamore
22.  Shabbat as a Spiritual Practice Rabbi Lisa L. Goldstein
23.  Take Back Your Time Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro
24.  Ceremony versus Ritual Rabbi Stephanie M. Alexander 
25.  Seeking a Wild Heart in Wilderness Rabbi Mike Comins
26.  Toward a Reform Jewish Mysticism Rabbi Ted Falcon, PhD

Part Four • Living the Texts
27.  Four Exiles and Four Spiritual Revolutions Joel M. Hoffman, PhD
28.  Our Tree of Life Rabbi Amy Scheinerman
29.  Reform Approaches to Our Sacred Texts Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis
30.  Hebrew in the Reform Movement Rabbi Hillel Gamoran
31.  Why Reform Jews Should Study Talmud Rabbi Dvora E. Weisberg, PhD 
32.  Reflections on Prayer Rabbi Peter S. Knobel, PhD
33.  Worship and the Prayer Book Rabbi Richard S. Sarason, PhD 
34.  Reform Liturgy: Then and Now Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD 
35.  Music and Worship Cantor Rosalie Boxt

Part Five • Building Community
36.  Community: The Vehicle for Fulfilling the Jewish Dream Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff  
37.  Finding Meaning in Our Connectedness across the Generations Joshua Holo, PhD
38.  Tradition! Transition! Rabbi Lisa Edwards, PhD
39.  Family Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, PhD  
40.  Contemporary Jewish Sex Ethics Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD
41.  Converting to Judaism Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, PhD
42.  A Personal Comment by a Reform Rabbi on Conversion Rabbi David Ellenson, PhD
43.  Interfaith Families Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz, PhD 
44.  Millennials: Building the Future of Reform Judaism Evan Traylor
45.  Creating a Life of Meaning by Caring for Others Rabbi Neal Gold  
46.  Sacred Aging Rabbi Richard F. Address, DMin

Part Six • Dignity of the Other
47.  Sacred Relationships William Berkson, PhD
48.  Mussar and the Development of Spiritual Practices Alan Morinis, DPhil, and Rabbi Barry Block
49.  The Centrality of Social Justice in Reform Judaism Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner and Rabbi David N. Saperstein
50.  Integrating Our Stories: LGBTQ Folks in the Jewish Community Rabbi Nikki Lyn DeBlosi, PhD
51.  Jews and Race Rabbi Rachel S. Mikva, PhD
52.  A Reform Jewish Response to Poverty Rabbi Amy Schwartzman
53.  Tending to the Sick Rabbi Shira Stern, DMin, BCC
54.  Reform Judaism’s Healing Tent Rabbi Pearl Barlev, MAHL, BCC
55.  The Mission of Israel among Humanity Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, PhD
56.  The Importance of Reform Judaism Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie

Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Classical Sources Cited
Index