In addition to a fascinating biography of Alexander Schindler, one of American Judaism’s most important political and religious leaders, Michael Meyer has given us a brilliant study of post–World War II Jewish religious thought and politics.
—Susannah Heschel, Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor, Dartmouth College
How and why Alexander Schindler emerged among the twentieth century’s most influential rabbis is captured vividly in this insightful biography by Michael Meyer, one of American Jewry’s most respected historians. Professor Meyer analyzes Schindler’s visionary leadership and compelling eloquence, assessing candidly the transformative impact that his focus on radical inclusiveness, social justice, and loving criticism of Israel continues to have on every non-Orthodox stream.
—Rabbi David Saperstein, Director Emeritus, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Alex Schindler was daring and visionary, radical and optimistic. In this honest and compelling book, Michael Meyer reminds us why Schindler was a truly great Jewish leader, the last one to galvanize the entire Jewish community and win support from across the religious and political spectrum.
—Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President Emeritus, Union for Reform Judaism
This moving, engaging biography invites us into the world of Rabbi Alexander Schindler: a beloved leader of Reform Judaism, a fervent lover of yiddishkeit and the Jewish people, and one of the most compelling voices of his generation. It offers rich insights into his personal and spiritual development, his eloquently expressed vision for Jewish life in America, and his bold, often controversial initiatives to revitalize Judaism in the face of challenges both internal and external.
—Rabbi Janet Marder, Past President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
[T]his new biography of one of Reform Judaism’s greatest rabbis of the 20th century, by one of the best historians of modern Jewish history, and especially of the Reform Jewish movement, Professor Michael Meyer, is an important contribution not only to the field of contemporary Jewish history in general, but to American Jewish history in particular. ... To learn more about this great American Reform rabbi, Jews and non-Jews alike will want to read this well-researched and highly accessible biography, which will enrich your appreciation of both this particular leader and the movement which he served, as well as the Jewish world in which he was active.
—Rabbi Ron Kronish, The Jerusalem Report
An award-winning Jewish scholar surveys the life of Alexander Moshe Schindler in this groundbreaking biography. ... The author's prose effectively balances accessibility with scholarly rigor. The text's more than 800 research endnotes demonstrate Meyer's firm command of the relevant academic literature and draw heavily from Schindler's personal papers and interviews with acquaintances. An award-winning author on Reform Judaism, a professor of Jewish history, and a former president of the Association for Jewish Studies, Meyer is the ideal author for the first biography of one of the 20th century's most important American Jewish leaders. A well-researched, engrossing biography of a leading Jewish reformer.
–– Kirkus Reviews
A scrupulous and definitive biography of a vital figure in American Judaism. –– Publishers Weekly
