Throughout history, Judaism has been under attack by other religions, attacks which strengthened the identification of the group as a whole. Modern challenges, however, are coming from different directions, and are producing different results. Jewish identification is declining at the same time as more and more Jewish groups to identify with are rising. Rather than being a disaster, Kaplan argues that the multiplicity of threads in Jewish life today represents the process of a radical transformation "nothing less than metamorphosis." It is in this way that Judaism is creating its own future, the greater Judaism in the making. Mordecai Kaplan (1881-1983) was a rabbi and philosopher whose ideology, centering around the concept of Judaism as a civilization, led him to found the Reconstructionist movement. He was a prolific writer whose other books include The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion (1937), The Future of the American Jew (1948), and The Purpose and Meaning of Jewish Existence (1964).

The classic text that focuses on the talmudic perspective of the Jewish path to holiness. Bilingual edition (Hebrew and English).

Additional Editors Include Jacob R. Marcus, A. L. Sachar And Others. Contributing Authors Include Hugo Bieber, A. W. Binder, Boaz Cohen And Others.

Thanks to this generous donor for making the publication of this book possible: The Lerman Family Foundation.

Connecting the wisdom of tradition with contemporary spirituality

"Mesillat Yesharim" is a classic of Jewish ethical literature. Written by one of the leading kabbalists of the late Middle Ages, it is also a window into the kabbalist's understanding of the connection between ethics and mystical vision. Luzzatto, one of the great Hebrew stylists of his time, is acknowledged by some as the first writer of modern Hebrew; thus Mesillat "Yesharim" is also important for its place in Hebrew literature.

This translation, published originally in 1936 by JPS, is a landmark in Jewish publishing. It made this Hebrew text finally available to English readers, and it gave us insights into the groundbreaking work that Kaplan did in orienting American Jews to the deep connection between ethical living and religious belief. It is no wonder that this book has become the centerpiece of the modern-day Mussar Movement, which inspires so many on their spiritual path.

Rabbi Ira Stone, consummate teacher and stirring speaker, is a major force in the resurgence of the Mussar Movement. In his introduction, he presents Luzzatto and "Mesillat Yesharim" in their historical context, and gives us new insights into Kaplan's emerging theology. Stone also explains the principles of reading that he uses in his commentary and teaching to make this medieval text so inspiring to readers today.

This volume contains the original Kaplan translation, as well as those sections of the text that Kaplan omitted, along with Stone's new commentary. The original Hebrew text is in the back of the book.

..".This classic work is widely considered the genesis of the Reconstructionist Movement, and remains one of the most original and stimulating contributions to modern Jewish thought."-- International Journal of Jewish Education Research

"Judaism as a Civilization" is widely considered the genesis of the Reconstructionist Movement, representing a watershed moment in modern Judaism. In this classic book, Mordecai Kaplan introduced a new way of looking at Judaism: as an evolving religious civilization. His approach required innovation in liturgy and ritual, elimination of obsolete customs, and adjustment in light of prevailing social, political, and cultural conditions. Kaplan felt that all Jews--traditional and liberal, religious and secular--could play a part in this; "reconstruction."; "Judaism as a Civilization," first published in 1934, remains one of the most original and thought-provoking contributions to modern Jewish thought.

This text provides selections from the diary of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, founder of Reconstructionism in America. It has been edited by Mel Scult, a professor of Judaic studies and history, whose previous work includes ""The American Judaism of Mordecai Kaplan"" and ""Judaism Faces the Twentieth Century: A Biography of Mordecai Kaplan"". The selections contained in this particular volume cover Mordecai Kaplan's writings between the years 1913 and 1934.

In this book, Kaplan enlarges on his notion of functional reinterpretation and then actually applies it to the entire ritual cycle of the Jewish year-a rarity in modern Jewish thought. This work continues to function as a central text for the Reconstructionist movement, whose influence continues to grow in American Jewry.