Judaism Faces the Twentieth Century: A Biography of Mordecai M. Kaplan (American Jewish Civilization Series) [Paperback]

Mel Scult (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Son of a Lithuanian rabbi who emigrated with his family to New York in 1889, Mordecai Kaplan (1881-1983) struggled to find ways to make Judaism compatible with the American experience and modern thought. Viewing Judaism as a "living civilization" rather than merely as a religion, Kaplan, a rabbi, sociological thinker and teacher, founded the Reconstructionist movement, an alternative to the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox branches of Judasim. In this rich study of a major Jewish thinker, Scult, a professor of Judaic Studies at Brooklyn College, limns a self-doubting, workaholic, demanding idealist whose ideas still provoke controversy. Kaplan characterized God as the "cosmic life urge" which displayed itself in human strivings for justice and freedom. He interpreted Jewish rituals and commandments as customs and folkways that helped the Jews in their efforts to lead an ethical life. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Wayne State Univ Pr (November 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814322808
• ISBN-13: 978-0814322802
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,108,519 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Bio of Mordecai Kaplan, January 31, 2011

By 

Edward J. Klein (Jamaica Estates NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Judaism Faces the Twentieth Century: A Biography of Mordecai M. Kaplan (American Jewish Civilization Series) (Paperback)

I have read many books by and about Mordecai Kaplan, the founder of Reconstructionist Judaism, but this is by far the best one. Mel Scult has gone thru Kaplan's personal journal for so many decades and found out so much about Kaplan that was not public information like: the thought of daily prayer makes me nauseous, which is an amazing statement.
I am writing a Masters paper on Reconstructionism and Kaplan for the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism, where I am a Rabbinic candidate. This book was immensely helpful in doing my research.
Edward J. Klein, Jamaica NY

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A valiant try, February 6, 2005

By 

Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Judaism Faces the Twentieth Century: A Biography of Mordecai M. Kaplan (American Jewish Civilization Series) (Paperback)

Scult makes the effort to see Kaplan as a major force in restructuring and enhancing Jewish 'civilization' as a whole. While Kaplan was without doubt a major Jewish twentieth century figure the results of his efforts are not particularly encouraging. The Jewish people it seems need God far more than they need Kaplan's 'God idea'. The Jewish people once they follow Kaplan's prescription and make of their religious life a ' tradition' only, lose a dimension of meaning not easily gained elsewhere.. Is it surprising then that what we have today in the Jewish world is so so much assimilation on the one hand, and a growth in a more narrow kind of Haredi Judaism?
Kaplan was a prolific, and in certain ways heroic figure.But his ideas and his whole view - of - the -world did not bring about true Jewish renewal. And the long- term beneficial results of his effort seem to be minor indeed.