Lawrence A. Hoffman

Let me start out by saying that Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman is an excellent speaker. The spoken presentation of the subject of this book is superior to the book. I was, however, not at all disappointed in the book. Rethinking Synagogues is crammed full of interesting discussion and great ideas in the struggle to reinvent Jewish worship, to retain its relevance.

The correct premise of the book is that ethnic nostalgia, memories of the Holocaust and "pediatric Judaism" or focus on pre-Bar Mitzvah schooling cannot sustain synagogues and by extension the Jewish religion. Something more is needed; and the author struggles with this. So much so that reading the book was a bit of a challenge. Ultimately Rethinking Synagogues is worthwhile reading.

But it is definitely a commitment.… (lisätietoja)

All very interesting, particularly when it is revealed that the ritual of MGM became a part of Jewish history during and after the Babylonian Captivity (597-538 BCE ... and only after the Persians allowed Jewish Priests to return to Palestine, where they imposed the ritual on their people. It was also during the Captivity that the entire story about the (putative) life of Abram ... becoming Abraham ... was inserted into the Biblical narrative. These facts make it possible to question the validity of every Biblical story ... and ... the entire historical basis for Judaism, as it now appears.

Hoffman begins his book by telling us: "If the physical act of circumcision is the cultural sign of Jewish existence, the cultural construction that it signifies is a covenant between the men being circumcised and God." However, as everyone knows, the cultural "sign" of Jewish existence is not the circumcision of men, but of infant boys .... non-consenting boys, who are forced to endure the rite.

Hoffman should have written: ... The cultural sign of Jewish existence is the ritual mutilation by men of the genitals of ... someone else ... someone almost always too young to object in any way except by screaming in pain, going into shock, throwing up, and sometimes being killed by infections transmitted by the sucking of blood from the boy's penis ....or by simply bleeding to death.

We can discuss and document the history of the ritual all we want, but the fact is ... grown men FORCE the ritual on non-consenting individuals, then claim their action was mandated by some God, when everyone now knows it was only the deliberate work of a few Jewish Priests and Scribes living in Babylon.

When are these people going to face facts?… (lisätietoja)

A good resource, but I wish it was more accessible to people who aren't fluent in Hebrew. The biggest part of the book is a collection of blessings to say at various places in Israel, and most of them don't have full transliterations (saying them in English wouldn't necessarily feel the same). Also, I wish there was at least one map with English names instead of just Hebrew without vowels and in a very small font. Still, this would be a good supplement for those who already have a regular travel guide but want to add a spiritual dimension to their trip.… (lisätietoja)