Synopses & Reviews
This is the first volume of the first biography of Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the outstanding Jewish thinkers of the twentieth century. Edward K. Kaplan and Samuel H. Dresner trace Hescheland#8217;s life from his birth in Warsaw in 1907 to his emigration to the United States in 1940, describing his roots in Hasidic culture, his experiences in Poland and Germany, and his relations with Martin Buber.
and#160;and#147;This first volume of a remarkable biography of one of the greatest Jewish thinkers and social activists of his generation must take its place in every home, in every library, Jewish and gentile alike. Written with warmth, passion, and grace, it offers the reader an insight into the man Heschel, whose teaching has uniquely influenced modern theology and inspired moral commitment.and#8221;and#151;Elie Wiesel
and#160;"This book is simply stunning! . . . The authors . . . have a profound understanding of Hescheland#8217;s inner life, and they use all this information in order to craft a powerful portrait of a human being.and#8221;and#151;Jack Riemer, Commonweal
and#160;and#147;Th[is] long-awaited biography of Heschel cover[s] the authorand#8217;s youth in Warsaw and education in Vilna and Berlin. . . . Kaplan and Dresnerand#8217;s biography will hold broad popular interest while providing academics an important starting point from which to investigate critically the life and thought of this important thinker.and#8221;and#151;Zachary Braiterman, Religious Studies Review
and#160;and#147;Critical, careful attention [is paid] to Hescheland#8217;s words.and#8221;and#151;Laurie Adlerstein, New York Times Book Reviewand#160;
Synopsis
Prophetic Witness
A remarkably rich and cogent presentation of the Jewish, Hasidic, Yiddish, Polish, and German background of a preeminent religious thinker. -- Maurice Friedman, author of Abraham Joshua Heschel and Elie Wiesel: You Are My Witnesses
Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) was one of the outstanding Jewish thinkers of the twentieth century. A renowned American theologian and interpreter of tradition, author of such important books as Man Is Not Alone, God in Search of Man, and The Prophets, he was a living example of holiness, compassion, and vehement dedication to social justice. This book, the first of two volumes, is the only comprehensive biography of Heschel.
Based on interviews with Heschel's friends and family, archival documents, and Heschel's previously unknown writings in Yiddish, German, and Hebrew, the book traces Heschel's life from his birth in Warsaw in 1907 to his emigration to the United States in 1940. Edward Kaplan and Samuel Dresner describe how Heschel came of age in a Hasidic community and reached maturity in secular Jewish Vilna and cosmopolitan Berlin, speaking out as a religious philosopher during the advent of Nazism. They relate how he became a teacher in Berlin, in Martin Buber's education program in Frankfurt (where his lifelong debate with Buber originated), in Warsaw, and in London, while the several Jewish cultures he had absorbed were being destroyed. They show that he was already intellectually and spiritually mature when he emigrated to the United States, fully prepared for his dual roles as interpreter of Jewish piety and social activist.
About the Author
Edward K. Kaplan is Kevy and Hortense Kaiserman Professor in the Humanities at Brandeis University, where he teachesand#160;courses on French and comparative literature and religious studies. Rabbi Samuel H. Dresner, congregational rabbi and professor of philosophy, Jewish Theological Seminary, was a student, friend, and editor of Heschel.