Spiritual Radical: Abraham Joshua Heschel in America, 1940-1972
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Born in Warsaw, raised in a Hasidic community, and reaching maturity in secular Jewish Vilna and cosmopolitan Berlin, Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) escaped Nazism and immigrated to the United States in 1940. This lively and readable book tells the comprehensive story of his life and work in America, his politics and personality, and how he came to influence not only Jewish debate but also wider religious and cultural debates in the postwar decades. A worthy sequel to his widely praised biography of Heschel’s early years, Edward Kaplan’s new volume draws on previously unseen archives, FBI files, interviews with people who knew Heschel, and analyses of his extensive writings. Kaplan explores Heschel’s shy and private side, his spiritual radicalism, and his vehement defense of the Hebrew prophets’ ideal of absolute integrity and truth in ethical and political life. Of special interest are Heschel’s interfaith activities, including a secret meeting with Pope Paul VI during Vatican II, his commitment to civil rights with Martin Luther King, Jr., his views on the state of Israel, and his opposition to the Vietnam War. A tireless challenger to spiritual and religious complacency, Heschel stands as a dramatically important witness. Harold Kasimow "This is a meticulously researched, beautifully written biography that captures the life and thought of a great man."-Harold Kasimow, Shofar— Shofar
Introduction ixCincinnati: The War Years 1First Year in America (1940-1941) 4Hebrew Union College (1941-1943) 19Institutional Struggles and World War (1942-1944) 35Architecture of a New Theology (1944-1945) 51Rescuing the American Soul 67First Years in New York (1945-1949) 70Books of Spiritual Rescue (1948-1951) 97Theological Revolution (1950-1952) 115Critique of American Judaism (1952-1954) 137A Jewish Summa Theologica (1952-1956) 157Spiritual Radical 175Building Bridges (1956-1959) 178A Prophetic Witness (1960-1963) 197We Shall Overcome (1963-1966) 214Apostle to the Gentiles 235Confronting the Church (1961-1964) 238Vulnerable Prophet (1964-1965) 258Interfaith Triumphs (1963-1966) 277Final Years 295Vietnam and Israel (1965-1967) 298Dismay and Exaltation (1968-1969) 319Stronger Than Death (1969-1971) 338Summation of a Life (1972) 358A Pluralistic Legacy 376Notes 387References 467Permissions and Credits 497Acknowledgments 499Index 503
