Judaism Disrupted

February 13, 2023
Rabbi Strassfeld (A Book of Life) calls for a seismic shift in Jewish practice in this thought-provoking treatise. In the face of such modern challenges as rising individualism and fracturing Jewish movements, he proposes a “radical traditionalism” that “draws on both rabbinic and mystical traditions.” Mining his own spiritual evolution, Strassfeld outlines the 11 principles this form of Judaism is based on, each based in the Jewish value of freedom. Among them are the “freedom of awareness,” which links the concept of kavanah (intention) with 21st-century ideas of mindfulness, and the “freedom of social justice,” which encourages working for the benefit of others, especially the most vulnerable. For each principle, Strassfeld offers ways to make rituals more meaningful: for example, to keep the practice of touching a mezuzah and then kissing one’s hand when passing through a doorway from becoming rote, believers should do so as they leave home in the morning, while “acknowledg the transition... to the outside world.” Strassfeld’s vision of Judaism is compassionate and flexible, and he’s frank about the challenges the religion faces without resorting to apocalyptic prognostications about its survival. Those looking to revitalize their Jewish identity should pick this up.