Rabbi Joseph B Meszler

Jewish Tradition & Justice Today Rabbi Joseph B Meszler

"Rabbi Meszler has compiled here an array of powerful texts pertaining to social justice as Jews have written and lived this commitment over centuries. He is insightful in his selections, thoughtful in his commentary, and he has provided a great resource for those of us writing and speaking to this issue." - Ruth Messinger, Global Ambassador for American Jewish World Service

"This book is an incredibly helpful resource for all teachers of Torah and pursuers of justice. Thank you Rabbi Meszler for doing the hard work of collecting meaningful texts and formulating the right questions. I recommend it for all teachers and students of Torah and justice.' - Rabbi David Jaffe, Author of Changing the World from the Inside Out: A Jewish Approach to Personal and Social Change

When making ethical decisions, we each have two gifts available to us: an individual conscience and the wisdom of past generations. In Jewish tradition, this wisdom is captured in the literature of the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) and the Rabbis. This book is for teachers and students who would like to explore classic Jewish laws and stories to address today's questions. Teachers can use this book in their lesson plans, or people can use these passages for their own private study.

Some of the questions included are: How should people who commit crimes be treated? What obligations do we have to the environment? What should our response be to immigrants and refugees? Under what circumstances may we wage war? May we end life to end suffering? Should we give money to someone begging on the street?

This sourcebook can be easily used by teens and adults. Guide questions will help direct your thinking and hopefully prompt more questions of your own.

Rabbi Meszler is a congregational rabbi, teacher of all ages, activist, and writer. He is the author of several books, including: Gifts for the Poor: Moses Maimonides' Treatise on Tzedakah (College of William & Mary), Witnesses to the One: the Spiritual History of the Sh'ma, (Jewish Lights Publishing), and The World of the Rabbis (CreateSpace).