Does the World Need the Jews
Rabbi Gordis (Univ. of Judaism, Los Angeles; God Was Not in the Fire, LJ 7/95) addresses here the assimilated Jew who feels indifferent toward Jewish identity and tradition. Gordis's intention is not to win over this individual by theological argument but by a gentle though sustained argument on the importance of Jewish identity in American culture. The result can be compared to works by Alan Dershowitz (The Vanishing American Jew, LJ 3/1/97) and Elliot Abrams (Faith or Fear, LJ 5/1/97) in that all three authors are distressed by the growing trends of Jewish intermarriage and alienation from traditional identity. Gordis maintains that Jews serve humanity best by asserting their unique outlook and tradition. To illustrate this point he tells of how even the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama sought out noted Jewish figures to find instruction on how a people and religion can survive and thrive in exile. A persuasive volume?easy to read and discuss?that libraries serving Jewish patrons should consider.?Paul M. Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., Ill.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.