Finding Your Moral Compass places enduring Jewish values in a 21st century context, offering a thoughtful and enriching guide for those seeking ethical direction and spiritual grounding through and in Jewish tradition.
In this collection of 40 essays, Rabbi John L. Rosove explores foundational Jewish values and helps readers affirm their Jewish identity while drawing connections between Jewish teachings and universal moral principles.
Rosove combines classic scholarship, compassion, and personal experience in his reflections upon Judaism's age-old moral and ethical traditions and Jewish identity as they have evolved over centuries and since the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel.
As a thought-leader at the forefront of social justice and liberal Israel activism in North America, Rosove draws from his personal experiences to present moral clarity and an ethical compass for liberal Jews and all who are interested in contemporary Judaism. With accessible prose and heartfelt insight, this collection of essays invites liberal Jews and anyone interested in finding moral clarity to consider how Jewish wisdom can serve as a compass in navigating today's world.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
1. Faith – Emunah
2. Menschlechkite
3. Civility – Derekh Eretz
4. Learning Torah – Limud Torah
5. Honoring Teachers and Mentors – Kavod leRav uleMorim
6. & 7. Healing Oneself & Repairing the World –
Tikun Nefesh & Tikun Olam
8. Humility – Anavah
9. Love – Ahavah
10. Truth – Emet
11. Peace – Shalom
12. Justice – Tzedek
13. Wisdom – Chochmah
14. Strength – Gevurah
15. Wealth – Osher
16. Honor – Kavod
17. Patience – Savlanut
18. Gratitude – Hakarat Todah
19. & 20. Compassion – Rachamim; Deeds of Loving-kindness – Gemilut Chassadim
21. Righteous Giving – Tzedakah
22. Welcoming the Stranger – Hachnasat HaGer
23. The Suffering of Animals – Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim
24. Good and Evil – Tov veRa
25. Gossip – Leshon Hara
26. Courage – Ometz Lev
27. Forgiveness – Selichah
28. Repentance – Teshuvah
29. Sanctifying God’s Name – Kiddush HaShem
30. Choosing Life – Bacharta baChayim
31. Respect for the Elderly – Kavod laZekainim
32. Respect for Parents – Kavod Av vaEm
33. Sabbath Rest – Shabbat Menuchah
34. Protecting the Environment – Shemirat HaSevivah
35. Leadership – Manhigut
36. Freedom and Democracy – Chofesh uDemocratia
37. The Jewish People – Am Yisrael
38. Zionism and the State of Israel – Tziyonut uMedinat Yisrael
39. Memory – Zichronot
40. Hope – Tikvah
Acknowledgments
Notes
Author Biography
About the Author :
John L. Rosove is Senior Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Israel of Hollywood in Los Angeles where he served from 1988 to 2019. An established author, he also received the International Humanitarian Award from the World Union for Progressive Judaism and commendation from State of Israel Bonds.
Review :
“Rabbi Rosove's writing about Jewish values is both timely and profound. In an era when many of us feel adrift in a sea of immorality, he offers a lifeline—bringing Jewish teachings to life through personal experience, sacred texts, and contemporary commentary. Deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, his book is wise and thought-provoking, yet accessible. Each chapter ends with questions for discussion, making it ideal for a class, the family dinner table, or small group discussion.”
- Rabbi Andrea London, Rabbi Emerita, Beth Emet The Free Synagogue “In a time of moral confusion, angst and even despair, John L. Rosove’s latest book brings a wealth of knowledge and insight about Jewish values and history. Rosove’s deft mix of personal anecdotes with secular history and Jewish texts helps illuminate what it means to be Jewish – and to be human. Whatever your level of religiosity, there is a treasure trove of valuable insights about both the specific dilemmas that we face in our daily lives (should we give money to beggars on the street?) and the profound questions about what we owe our fellow human beings. Rosove’s chapter on Diaspora Jews’ relationship with Israel – reframing our paradigm from ‘crisis Zionism’ to ‘aspirational Zionism’ – is among the most valuable and profound contributions on this fraught subject. Finding Your Moral Compass should be an essential part of any Jew’s home library.”
- Jennifer Rubin, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Contrarian “Finding Your Moral Compass vividly portrays key Jewish values and illustrates them with contemporary and classical anecdotes and apt quotations. In this book Rabbi Rosove invites the reader to ask how these values apply to contemporary issues and personal conduct. In addition, he invites a dialogue about how committed liberal Jews can best engage with their relationship with Israel and Israelis in all their complexity. This wonderful explication of how a Jew should live will uplift and challenge all who read it.”
- Rabbi David A. Teutsch, Louis and Myra Wiener Professor Emeritus of Contemporary Jewish Civilization, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College “Finding Your Moral Compass is a treasury of wisdom. Drawing on decades of personal and professional experience, along with deep reading of Jewish and non-Jewish sources, Rosove presents thoughtful musings on forty Jewish principles that he considers the most valuable for shaping a meaningful life. The book offers inspiration for Jews and non-Jews alike and will be a useful resource for teachers of adults and teenagers.”
- Rabbi Dvora E. Weisberg, Rabbi Aaron D. Panken Professor of Rabbinics, Hebrew Union College “Finding Your Moral Compass is indeed a valuable text about the moral values of the twenty-first century, but it represents so much more. Through this work, John Rosove introduces us to his rabbinate while sharing with us his personal ethical framework as well as providing readers with insights concerning the richness and relevance of Jewish sources and texts. As part of this learning experience, Rabbi Rosove challenges us with his thoughtful and essential questions, offering each of us a pathway to explore our own religious and ethical understandings.”
- Steven F. Windmueller, Professor Emeritus of Jewish Communal Studies, Hebrew Union College "After years of losing much of my faith in moral clarity and hope itself, Rabbi Rosove has the antidote. These essays suggest an elegant formula for a new generation of Jewish leaders, based on a foundational belief in Jewish decency and justice which can transform how we strengthen the Jewish people, as well as how we view our position in our country and in the world."
- Mayim Bialik, Actor, Neuroscientist, and Writer “A must read! Rabbi Rosove brilliantly and eloquently distills a lifetime of Jewish learning into forty concise chapters on key Jewish values. Most distinctively, each chapter addresses real life situations, and concludes with additional thoughts from great thinkers, as well as suggestions for further reflection and discussion. Anyone who wants to learn about the central teachings of Judaism in an easy-to-read and relatable format – this is the book! And the additional bonus: By absorbing its teachings, you will lead a more decent and meaningful life.”
- Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, Senior Rabbi, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue “In a world where what matters most is bitterly contested, utterly ignored, or in mortal danger of being lost completely, here are forty Jewish values to live by – a beautifully composed and easily accessible discussion of 3,000 years of Jewish wisdom. A combination of mind and heart, by a widely admired rabbi who shares what he has learned from a lifetime of Jewish leadership.”
- Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, Barbara and Stephen Friedman Professor Emeritus of Liturgy, Worship and Ritual, Hebrew Union College
