Jewish Theories of Justice
Brent Chaim Spodek
Description
Do Jewish theories of justice look beyond our own community? What, if any, is the philosophical basis for concern with those who aren’t part of our ethnic or religious group? We’ll look at classical concepts such as mipnei darchei shalom, tikkun olam, and tzedek umishpat, practical frameworks from the tzedakah system of the Geniza period and the contemporary Federation system, and theological perspectives articulated by thinkers such as Levinas and Buber. Most importantly, we’ll explore the theological framework that actually underpins our own conception of Judaism, and explore the implications of our beliefs on our political commitments.
Brent Chaim Spodek is the Rabbi-in-Residence and Director of Jewish Communal Relations at American Jewish World Service. He graduated from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2007 with a master’s degree in Jewish Philosophy, and was recently the Marshall T. Meyer Fellow at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun.
Notes
Categories
- Intermediate Text
- Contemporary Issues
- Afternoon Course