Jews and Judaism in the 21st Century

The generation of the late twentieth century experienced a rupture in Jewish time. As a result of their confrontation with Modernity, the integration of Jews into the mainstream, the shattering tragedy of the Holocaust and the miraculous rebirth of a Jewish State in the Land of Israel, they can no longer look easily to the past for lessons of faith and models of Jewish meaning. No longer do they confidently project themselves into the future. So much of what was taken for granted in earlier times is now open to question. In this thought-provoking book, five celebrated leaders in Judaism, representing a broad spectrum of contemporary Jewish experience, reinterpret Jewish life, re-envision its institutions and re-imagine its future in the shadow of the events of the twentieth century. Reflecting on the unique events of this century, these eminent scholars assert a shared recognition of human responsibility as the quintessence of God''s presence in the world. They imagine a new stage in the development of the ancient Covenant, a stage in which human beings take responsibility for shaping the Jewish historical experience. They explore how that new stage will find expression in the rhythms of Jewish personal and communal life - its implications for halachah, prayer, spirituality, the synagogue and their relations with the world.