Rabbi's Blog

Dear Haverim,

This Friday evening, two of the most beloved rabbis in America will join us for a fascinating Shabbat.  Reconstructionist Rabbis Michael Strassfeld, and his wife Rabbi Joy Levitt, will be with us for Shabbat dinner at 6:00 p.m., “Shabbat Alive” services with our band at 7:00 p.m. and then Rabbi Strassfeld will speak about his latest book, “Judaism Disrupted: A Spiritual Manifesto For The 21^st Century.”

The former President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Rabbi Arthur Green, has called Judaism Disrupted  “a book for our times.  In it, Michael Strassfeld bares his soul as a lifelong struggler with the value and truth of Jewish existence.  It is accessible, personal, but, above all, deeply honest.  There are no holds barred in this bold encounter between a rich, well-informed Judaism and the demands of the present hour.”

Author Abigail Pogrebin has written: “I can’t remember the last time I felt pulled to underline a book constantly as I was reading it, but Judaism Disrupted is exactly that intellectual, spiritual, and personal adventure. You will find yourself nodding, wrestling, and hoping to hold on to so many of its ideas and challenges.  Rabbi Strassfeld reframes a Torah that demands breakage, reimagination, and ownership.  Not only did I learn so much from Strassfeld’s 11 principles; I was changed by them.”

Son of an Orthodox rabbi, editor of both the Conservative and Reconstructionist Pesach Haggadahs (with his wife Joy Levitt), co-author of one of the hippest and most important DIY (Do It Yourself) guides to Judaism, the three-volume “The Jewish Catalog,” Rabbi Strassfeld combines his commitment to Judaism with a keen awareness of the challenges that modernity presents to us all.

As Rabbi Strassfeld has said:  “My book begins with the premise that Judaism isn’t about being a good Jew. Instead, Judaism offers wisdom and practices on how to take the most precious gift we have been given – our lives – and live with meaning and purpose. Judaism Disrupted sets out eleven core principles that can serve as a guide for life’s journey. These principles offer ways for cultivating such qualities as gratitude and satisfaction and for deepening a commitment to social justice and to this planet.”

Rabbi Strassfeld is also the Rabbi Emeritus of the Society For The Advancement of Judaism, in Manhattan, the first Reconstructionist synagogue, founded by Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan and one of the most important rabbis in our movement.  Come to learn and leave inspired!   

We’ll also celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at services that night, so come prepared to eat well, celebrate simchas and Shabbat, enjoy beautiful music, and learn a new approach to Judaism. Click here to RSVP for Shabbat dinner and our in-person services. (If you want to watch on Livestream, there’s no need to RSVP – just click the link on our homepage at the time of the service or anytime thereafter.)

Mazel tov to us all on the selection of Rabbi Micah Becker-Klein as University Synagogue’s new rabbi.  We all wish him the best as he begins his new journey with us in August.

Shavua Tov/Have an expansive week of renewal and learning,

Rabbi Arnie Rachlis