Although it could be easily argued that the vast majority of prayers written before the eighteenth through the twenty-first centuries reflected the male voice and were authored by men, the editors of this work suggest that in the contemporary world we need to be particularly cognizant of prayers that reflect the special concerns of men and their responses to those concerns. The volume begins by exploring the role of prayer and of a range of topics related to prayer in Judaism. These thoughtful and brief contemporary essays are simply the appetizer before the main feast: an incredible collection of personal prayers. The prayers that have been collected span a range of writers: ancient, medieval, and modern. The writers are from the range of Jewish backgrounds and theologies, including Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, Hasidic, Renewal, and Orthodox. Likewise, the prayers include those oriented toward the range of concerns that a person might face in his life. Those for whom prayer is a regular part of his or her life will find prayers that will supplement and enrich that person’s practice. Those for whom prayer is not yet an inscribed part of life might find that these prayers offer the words that he or she has been searching for to express gratitude and aspirations. Notes, Indices.
Nonfiction
Jewish Men Pray: Words of Yearning, Praise, Petition, Gratitude and Wonder from Traditional and Contemporary Sources
- Review
By
– February 20, 2014
Rabbi Arnold D. Samlan is a Jewish educator and rabbi living in Miami, Florida. He serves as executive director of the Orloff Central Agency for Jewish Education of Broward County.
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