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Wednesday, May 03, 2006
“Secular Jewishness for Our Time” -- A Compelling Look at Being Jewish Without Being Religious --
Contacts: Andrew Lavin/Aaron Bjerke
A. Lavin Communications
212-290-9540
alc@alavin.com
For Immediate Release
NEW YORK – May 2, 2006 -- “Secular Jewishness For Our Time”, a new three-part compilation of essays and articles published by The Forward Association, provides a compelling perspective of the ebbs and flows of American secular Jewishness over the past century.
Co-edited by Dr. Barnett Zumoff, president of The Forward Association, and Karl D. Zukerman, former executive vice president of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, “Secular Jewishness for Our Time” provides thoughtful views and opinions about how to be Jewish while still maintaining a secular lifestyle.
The 346-page compilation spans three generations of writers, educators, and cultural activists, which is split into three sections: 1938-40, 1968-69, and 1998-2000. The first two sections originally appeared in the Kultur un Dertsiung - the Workmen’s Circle monthly journal – while the essays in the third sections were solicited directly for this book and are being published for the first time in this volume.
It appeared that secular Jewishness was the wave of the future when the first group of essays were written, from 1938-40, while observant Judaism was thought to be on the decline. In the second section, written in 1968-69, the authors take note that religious observance was making a significant comeback. In the 1998-2000 section, the essays note that many Jews consider observant Judaism to be the norm and the only way to be Jewish, but the authors in this volume continue to emphasize the importance and value of secular Jewishness as a way of life.
“The essays in our book provide a comprehensive picture of the changes that have occurred over 60 years in the approach to maintaining and strengthening secular Jewishness, not only the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’,” said Dr. Barnett Zumoff.
Many of the essays explore the misunderstandings that exist in the Jewish community regarding how secular Jews can meaningfully celebrate and pass on Judaism’s observances and traditions. Several authors contribute to more than one section on the changing attitudes and trends, from religion in Jewish day schools to celebrating Jewish holidays.
Of particular interest:
* Dr. Barnett Zumoff discusses the difference between the various types of Jews in his article, Secular Jewishness – Then and Now. He advocates for a Jewish culture, in which both secular and religious Jews can co-exist.
* Karl Zukerman’s Understanding Secular Jewishness highlights his belief that both secular and observant Jews should celebrate holidays and partake in Jewish traditions, values and ethics because they are members of the Jewish people, not because they are worshipping God.
* Ellen Bates-Brackett’s essay, Secular Jewishness, details how secular Jewishness can meet the fundamental needs of Jewish people.
* In Living a Secular Jewish Life, Mark Mlotek writes that many want to be a part of the secular Jewish movement, but don’t want to lead the way. Encouraging others to participate, Mlotek describes the best practices approaches for a vibrant Jewish experience, while maintaining the secular Jewish lifestyle.
For the past 11 years, Dr. Barnett Zumoff has been President of the Forward Association, which publishes the Yiddish Forverts and the English Forward, America’s most influential Jewish national weekly newspaper. He is the long-time co-President of the Congress for Jewish Culture, an umbrella organization that includes virtually all the Yiddish cultural organizations in the United States. Zumoff is also vice-President of the Folksbiene, the oldest Yiddish theater in the world; vice-President of the Atran Foundation, one of the largest American charitable foundations that makes grants to Yiddish cultural organizations; and the past president of the Workmen’s Circle, the major supporter of Yiddish culture and Yiddish schools in the United States.
Today he continues to be a prolific translator of Yiddish literature.
“Secular Jewishness For Our Time” is available for $25 at:
The Jewish Book Center of the Workmen's Circle
45 East 33rd Street
New York, NY 10016
212-889-6800 x 285
Fax 212-889-8519
book@circle.org
www.jewishbookcenter.com
*****
About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.
The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.
Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.
Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777
A. Lavin Communications
212-290-9540
alc@alavin.com
For Immediate Release
NEW YORK – May 2, 2006 -- “Secular Jewishness For Our Time”, a new three-part compilation of essays and articles published by The Forward Association, provides a compelling perspective of the ebbs and flows of American secular Jewishness over the past century.
Co-edited by Dr. Barnett Zumoff, president of The Forward Association, and Karl D. Zukerman, former executive vice president of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, “Secular Jewishness for Our Time” provides thoughtful views and opinions about how to be Jewish while still maintaining a secular lifestyle.
The 346-page compilation spans three generations of writers, educators, and cultural activists, which is split into three sections: 1938-40, 1968-69, and 1998-2000. The first two sections originally appeared in the Kultur un Dertsiung - the Workmen’s Circle monthly journal – while the essays in the third sections were solicited directly for this book and are being published for the first time in this volume.
It appeared that secular Jewishness was the wave of the future when the first group of essays were written, from 1938-40, while observant Judaism was thought to be on the decline. In the second section, written in 1968-69, the authors take note that religious observance was making a significant comeback. In the 1998-2000 section, the essays note that many Jews consider observant Judaism to be the norm and the only way to be Jewish, but the authors in this volume continue to emphasize the importance and value of secular Jewishness as a way of life.
“The essays in our book provide a comprehensive picture of the changes that have occurred over 60 years in the approach to maintaining and strengthening secular Jewishness, not only the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’,” said Dr. Barnett Zumoff.
Many of the essays explore the misunderstandings that exist in the Jewish community regarding how secular Jews can meaningfully celebrate and pass on Judaism’s observances and traditions. Several authors contribute to more than one section on the changing attitudes and trends, from religion in Jewish day schools to celebrating Jewish holidays.
Of particular interest:
* Dr. Barnett Zumoff discusses the difference between the various types of Jews in his article, Secular Jewishness – Then and Now. He advocates for a Jewish culture, in which both secular and religious Jews can co-exist.
* Karl Zukerman’s Understanding Secular Jewishness highlights his belief that both secular and observant Jews should celebrate holidays and partake in Jewish traditions, values and ethics because they are members of the Jewish people, not because they are worshipping God.
* Ellen Bates-Brackett’s essay, Secular Jewishness, details how secular Jewishness can meet the fundamental needs of Jewish people.
* In Living a Secular Jewish Life, Mark Mlotek writes that many want to be a part of the secular Jewish movement, but don’t want to lead the way. Encouraging others to participate, Mlotek describes the best practices approaches for a vibrant Jewish experience, while maintaining the secular Jewish lifestyle.
For the past 11 years, Dr. Barnett Zumoff has been President of the Forward Association, which publishes the Yiddish Forverts and the English Forward, America’s most influential Jewish national weekly newspaper. He is the long-time co-President of the Congress for Jewish Culture, an umbrella organization that includes virtually all the Yiddish cultural organizations in the United States. Zumoff is also vice-President of the Folksbiene, the oldest Yiddish theater in the world; vice-President of the Atran Foundation, one of the largest American charitable foundations that makes grants to Yiddish cultural organizations; and the past president of the Workmen’s Circle, the major supporter of Yiddish culture and Yiddish schools in the United States.
Today he continues to be a prolific translator of Yiddish literature.
“Secular Jewishness For Our Time” is available for $25 at:
The Jewish Book Center of the Workmen's Circle
45 East 33rd Street
New York, NY 10016
212-889-6800 x 285
Fax 212-889-8519
book@circle.org
www.jewishbookcenter.com
*****
About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.
The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.
Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.
Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777
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About Religion Press Release ServicesReligion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others. The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.
Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.
Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777
