If I may, I would like to recommend a book that was published just 2 months ago: "Happily Jewish" by Michael Levin, a self-described Reform Jew who after being bar mitzvahed, swore he'd never set foot in a synagogue ever again. Of course, he went through a Jewish journey and appreciates Judaism now. He writes the book as a philosophical approach to Judaism (as opposed to one's pursuing the philosophy of Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.), and gives basic background and philosophies of 20 Jewish rabbis and philosophers, from the Rambam and others in olden days to Rabbi Yitz Greenberg in the modern era, gives their background and what they believe in. He emphasizes being happy in one's life and that Judaism provides for such happiness in following so many of our scholars. The book will be very elementary for you, Rabbi, but perhaps eye-opening to those disenchanted with Judaism as they learned it. And my apologies, if you are already familiar with this book.
Wonderful d'var Torah, and so needed!
If I may, I would like to recommend a book that was published just 2 months ago: "Happily Jewish" by Michael Levin, a self-described Reform Jew who after being bar mitzvahed, swore he'd never set foot in a synagogue ever again. Of course, he went through a Jewish journey and appreciates Judaism now. He writes the book as a philosophical approach to Judaism (as opposed to one's pursuing the philosophy of Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.), and gives basic background and philosophies of 20 Jewish rabbis and philosophers, from the Rambam and others in olden days to Rabbi Yitz Greenberg in the modern era, gives their background and what they believe in. He emphasizes being happy in one's life and that Judaism provides for such happiness in following so many of our scholars. The book will be very elementary for you, Rabbi, but perhaps eye-opening to those disenchanted with Judaism as they learned it. And my apologies, if you are already familiar with this book.
Marc