Strife in the Sanctuary: Religious Schism in a Jewish Community [Hardcover]

Phil Zuckerman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 14, 1999

For more than forty years there was a single synagogue in the quiet town of Williamette, Oregon. But then disagreements over gender roles, homosexuality, Israeli politics, and other issues tore the synagogue in two. Where there was once one Jewish community under one roof, there are now two hostile congregations_one Reconstructionist, one Orthodox_across the street from one another. Through a year as a participant in both congregations and in-depth interviews, Zuckerman tells a mesmerizing story of this religious schism. Strife in the Sanctuary then contemplates why religious groups split apart and how religious symbols come to mean different things to different groups. The first book-length study of a single congregation breaking in two, Strife in the Sanctuary provides a welcome ethnographic study for sociologists of religion. Plus, its moving story makes it an excellent read for undergraduate classes or anyone interested in religious divisions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An eminently readable congregational study....Zuckerman's pursuit of neighborhood drama results in a narrative that unfolds like a novel, complete with characters, plot development, and resolution. Instead of masking the American Jewish experience with statistics and jargon, Zuckerman introduces the reader to the individuals living and shaping, smiling and sweating the American Jewish experience....Zuckerman's lively style and descriptive tone help to create a vivid picture of the community....Zuckerman's research yields macro results as well....Community leaders should take note for Zuckerman' study reveals the struggle of one community with issues that face nearly all contemporary Jewish communities. This congregational schism, claims Zuckerman, is neither unique nor isolated, but typical of a general trend within American Judaism....A fascinating contribution to both the sociology of religious schism and the understanding of the functioning of a congregation in the Western United States. (Joellyn Wallen Zollman American Jewish History )

Strife in the Sanctuary should provide a good read to both those (largely undergraduates) who like a good narrative and those (largely their professors) who might prefer a more theoretical informed account. (J. Alan Winter Contemporary Psychology )

Phil Zuckerman tells an intriguing tale of the religious schism that took place in the Jewish community of Willamette, Oregon. Zuckerman shows us how the conflicting world-views in the community played out in every possible direction, finally producing an Orthodox shul and a progressive, renewal-oriented congregation. Yet he shows too how the dance of separation is still a dance with each other; Zuckerman's account is nuanced and fun to read. (Tikkun )

About the Author

Phil Zuckerman is a professor of sociology at Pitzer College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 262 pages
• Publisher: AltaMira Press (January 14, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761990534
• ISBN-13: 978-0761990536
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,657,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read on a fascinating topic!, January 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Strife in the Sanctuary: Religious Schism in a Jewish Community (Paperback)

When I first picked up Zuckerman's "Strife in the Sanctuary", I was a little dubious, not having much of a background in either religion or sociology. I quickly found that the story Zuckerman is telling is truly interesting, and that his presentation and writing style make complex issues and academic theories relevant and interesting to those of us without a great deal of background in these issues. One of the book's main qualities is the author's ability to delve into the humanity of the people and conflicts he is describing, and the reader gets an excellent sense of the tensions and struggles of factional strife. I have just read Zuckerman's new edited compilation of W.E.B. DuBois's writings on religion, am again very impressed with his work, and look forward to reading more of his insight and analysis in the future.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting if not scholarly account of a troubled town., May 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Strife in the Sanctuary: Religious Schism in a Jewish Community (Paperback)

Strife in the Sanctuary is an interesting read, but doesn't fully explain what it sets out to explore: Why would a small religious community expel some of its members for getting too religious? This fascinating question is raised, but the author does not employ journalistic or scholarly methods or reasoning to find answers and relies a bit too much on gossip and his own opinions and beliefs to make his point. I enjoyed the book, I just wish the research was more thorough.

5.0 out of 5 stars i couldn't put it down, June 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Strife in the Sanctuary: Religious Schism in a Jewish Community (Paperback)

I found this story fascinating. A real community drama. The author did an excellent job introucing the members of this Jewish coimmunity, laying out the conflicts, interviewing them for their own personal perspectives, and showing the deep divides that can arise among contemporary Jews. There was a lot of acrimony on both sides...but also a lot of humanity. This wasn't simply boring sociological analysis -- a real story, with drama and intrigue. One of the best studies of contemporary Jewish life I've ever read.