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Mordecai Kaplan: Making Judaism Vital
The Thinker Who Reconstructed American Jewish Life
Mordecai Kaplan was one of the most influential—and controversial—Jewish thinkers of the twentieth century. Rabbi, teacher, philosopher, Zionist, and founder of Reconstructionist thought, Kaplan challenged American Jews to ask a fundamental question: How can Judaism remain meaningful, vibrant, and relevant in the modern world?
Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins presents an accessible portrait of Kaplan’s remarkable life, exploring his work as a teacher, his religious philosophy, his views of Halakhah, Zionism and Israel, and the emergence of the Reconstructionist movement. Kaplan’s ideas eventually reached well beyond Reconstructionism, influencing many currents of modern Jewish life.
Dr. Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins is a nationally known lecturer, educator, workshop leader, author, and book critic. He is Rabbi Emeritus at The Jewish Center of Princeton, NJ.
Rabbi Elkins is a recipient of the National Jewish Book Award and is the author of over 66 books. His Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul made the NY Times bestseller list.
His most recent books are Jews Celebrate Shabbat – Sing, Rejoice, and Exult; Rabbi Louis Jacobs, The Influential Legacy of a Modern British Rabbi Immersed in Controversy; Menachem Begin: A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience; The Power of Stories and Ideas from Talmud and Midrash: Their Meaning for Our Time; The Power of Jewish Holiday Stories: Their Meaning for Our Time; The Power of Hasidic Stories: Their Meaning for Our Time; Judaism: Ideas, People, and Rituals; Rabbi Sabato Morais: Pioneer Sephardic Rabbi of Early American Judaism; The Battle Between the Menorah and the Magen David; Rabbi Alexander Goode: The Rabbi and His Three Fellow Chaplains Who Went Down with the USAT Dorchester; The Founder of Hasidism: Wisdom and Tales of the Baal Shem Tov; Peter Bergson – The Jewish Lobbyist Who Advocated To Save Jews During the Holocaust; The Friendship That Shaped Jewish History; Bialik: Israel’s National Poet; The Power of Human Speech – In the Jewish Tradition; Fate; Jewish Ethical Wisdom from Pirkei Avot; and Heart and Scroll: Inspiring Stories from the Master.
Dr. Elkins lives in Jerusalem.
Kaplan Between the Covers: Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins discusses his new book Mordecai Kaplan: Making Judaism Vital
Sunday, November 8 at 11am Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Mondays: Living in Two Civilizations -- our Executive Director, Rabbi Elisheva Salamo, was in New York City asking how people maintain their diverse cultures.
Fridays: Torah Readings with Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben
Our debut videos are below. Subscribe and get notified when new videos are posted!
Professor Joselit is the Charles E. Smith Professor of Judaic Studies and Professor of History at the George Washington University, and the author of the recently-released book Mordecai M. Kaplan: Restless Soul.
The mission of the Kaplan Center is to disseminate and promote the thought and writings of Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan and to advance the agenda of the Kaplanian approach to Judaism in the 21st century.
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