About the Book
Almost every day, in ways large and small, we hurt others, most often those closest to us, in ways that we regret. We know in our hearts that our words and our deeds do not reflect our best selves. These inevitable shortcomings, if not addressed and redressed, bring guilt and shame in their wake, undermine our relationships and can even erode our self-esteem. We may want to undo what we have done, but how? We may want to reclaim our integrity, but where do we begin? REPENTANCE explores both the practical and philosophical dimensions of teshuvah-acknowledging our transgressions, confessing, feeling remorse, apologising, making restitution, soul-reckoning and avoiding sin when the next opportunity arises. It also raises profound questions about human freedom, our relationship to God and to ourselves and the nature of moral development. * How do we overcome our evil impulses? * How can we repent to those who have died or who are no longer reachable? * What are the traits we most need to cultivate in order to repent? * How can teshuvah enable us to make peace with our transgressions while also helping us develop a stronger sense of responsibility?
About the Author :
Dr. Louis E. Newman is the John M. and Elizabeth W. Musser Professor of Religious Studies at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. He is author of Past Imperatives: Studies in the History and Theory of Jewish Ethics; An Introduction to Jewish Ethics; and the LifeLights(TM) pastoral care booklet Doing Teshuvah: Undoing Mistakes, Repairing Relationships and Finding Inner Peace (Jewish Lights). Dr. Newman is available for scholar-in-residence weekends and repentance workshops.
Dr. Louis Newman is available to speak on the following topics:
Repentance: It's Easier Than You Think, It's Harder Than You Imagine
Curses and Stumbling-blocks: How to Relate to the Vulnerable among Us
Judaism and Politics: Is Torah Liberal or Conservative?
Whistle-blowing: Am I My Brother's (and Sister's) Keeper?
The Narrative and the Normative: The Value of Stories for Jewish Ethics
Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, one of the most respected spiritual leaders and teachers of his generation, has been a rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, for close to forty years. He is the founding chairman of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, an organization that identifies and offers grants to those non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews threatened by the agents of Nazi savagery. He is also the founder of Jewish World Watch, which aims to raise moral consciousness within the Jewish community. Synagogues and other religious institutions are now supporting this effort across the country.
Rabbi Schulweis is the author of many books, including: Conscience: The Duty to Obey and the Duty to Disobey (Jewish Lights), Approaches to the Philosophy of Religion, For Those Who Can't Believe, Finding Each Other in Judaism, In God's Mirror, and two books of original religious poetry and meditation--From Birth to Immortality and Passages in Poetry. His Evil and the Morality of God is regarded as a classic.
Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar teaches matters of the spirit to groups throughout the U.S. She is senior rabbi at Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in the Chicago area, and the inspiring author of The Bridge to Forgiveness: Stories and Prayers for Finding God and Restoring Wholeness; Our Dance with God: Finding Prayer, Perspective and Meaning in the Stories of Our Lives; and God Whispers: Stories of the Soul, Lessons of the Heart and contributed to May God Remember: Memory and Memorializing in Judaism--Yizkor; Who by Fire, Who by Water--Un'taneh Tokef; and All These Vows--Kol Nidre (all Jewish Lights).
Review :
"Masterful.... [Newman's] analysis of sin and repentance is ... much clearer, much deeper, and more adequate to the phenomena of sin and repentance than any previous treatment of the subject."
--Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, PhD, rector and distinguished professor of philosophy, American Jewish University; author, The Jewish Approach to Repairing the World (Tikkun Olam): A Brief Introduction for Christians
"Blesses [us] with insights into the frailty and divinity of the soul. Dr. Newman teaches us that the past can be transformed, the sinner can be reborn, the God of justice can become the God of forgiveness. In short, he has given us the way of hope."
--Rabbi Naomi Levy, author, To Begin Again and Talking to God
"Beautiful, wise, thorough ... reminds us that our greatness will not be judged by our supposedly grand accomplishments, but by how each of us deals with our inevitable moral failings, however great or small."
--Rabbi Nancy Flam, co-director of programs, Institute for Jewish Spirituality
"In easily accessible language both religiously and psychologically informed, Newman guides us through our own return. Don't go near the High Holy Days without this wise and inspiring moral classic."
--Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Emanu-El Scholar, Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco; author, The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition and Kabbalah: A Love Story
"Amazing. Readers seeking to redress their own misdeeds will find not only a gentle guiding toward the path of repentance but a treasury of Jewish wisdom about that path."
--Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center; author, Godwrestling--Round 2
