CCAR

Edited by Rabbi Leah Cohen Tenenbaum and Rabbi Douglas Kohn
Foreword by Rabbanit Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld

In his clarion call for ethical behavior, Rabbi Hillel tells us, "In a place where there is no humanity, strive to be human." But what exactly does it mean to be human, especially in an age of rapid transformation? Striving to Be Human: Jewish Perspectives on Twenty-First-Century Challenges confronts this question with boldness, hope, and a foundation of Jewish wisdom. The volume begins with "Challenges from Within Us," addressing such topics as moral justice, belonging, queer theology, and good and evil. In part two, "Challenges from Beyond Us," the authors delve into artificial intelligence, robotics, reproductive technologies, and the animal-human relationship. The result is a profound conversation about Jewish values and human dignity in our evolving landscape.

Table of Contents

This provocative and informative book addresses the "heart," "limbs," and "skin" of the question of humanity. The heart of the matter touches upon the essence of being human, as elusive as it is fundamental. The limbs reach out to the other, relating to the realm of the interhuman. The skin represents humanity's boundaries, explored in the encounter with the non- and post-human. Authored by an impressive array of rabbi-practitioners and rabbi-academics, the chapters make an important contribution to a question of huge ethical, social, and spiritual significance.
---Rabbi Michael Marmur, PhD, Professor of Jewish Theology, Hebrew Union College, and author of Living The Letters: An Alphabet of Emerging Jewish Thought

This timely collection of thoughtful reflections by Reform rabbis invites readers to examine the meaning of being human when the future of humanity is challenged by the prevalence of human-made technology, and when the future of democracy is threatened by the refusal to honor intrinsic human dignity and diversity. Rabbis, educators, and congregants will find this anthology a source of inspiration and an invitation for further reflections.
---Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, PhD, Irving and Miriam Lowe Professor of Modern Judaism, Arizona State University, and coeditor of Perfecting Human Futures: Transhuman Visions and Technological Imaginations

One of the most fundamental inquiries in Jewish philosophy is what makes humans different from animals, on the one hand, and from angels, on the other. In our era of rapid change, Striving to Be Human masterfully helps us return to such questions to not only reclaim our basic humanity but to consider how to actualize the potential of flourishing humanity! This book will guide us toward moral and spiritual insights that can challenge and support our theological and ethical journeys ahead.
---Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President and Dean, Valley Beit Midrash, and author of Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary

At a time of unprecedented challenges to humanity, this volume offers Jewish wisdom on the core question: What does it mean to be human? A thoughtful, readable, and well-produced guide to conundrums as ancient as Adam and Eve and as recent as the development of artificial intelligence.
---Jonathan D. Sarna, PhD, Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University, and author of American Judaism: A History