Sex, Drugs and Violence in the Jewish Tradition: Moral Perspectives

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Many people struggle to make wise and appropriate decisions about how to express their angry and violent feelings, whether to drink alcohol or use drugs, or how to fulfill their sexual desires. The Jewish tradition is replete with prudent and intelligent insights regarding these challenging realms of human behavior. Gleaned from many classic Jewish works, Rabbi Kohn' s Sex, Drugs and Violence in the Jewish Tradition presents Judaism's views on these relevant and controversial subjects in order to challenge readers to develop their own moral perspective and derive their own ethical guidance.

Reviews

Daniel Kohn, a Conservative rabbi and Jewish educator, has compiled relevant Jewish texts from the Bible, the Talmud, and the rabbinic commentaries that address them. He begins with gossip and proceeds to anger, self-defense, war and peace. He also examines substance abuse and sexuality. In all cases, he notes that Jewish tradition is not monolithic and that the texts are always open to interpretation. His discussions of drugs and sexuality are limited to wine and heterosexual relationship respectively. This is an excellent source for beginning discussions on these topics for both teens and adults. The book will be useful for parents, teachers, and young adults, and belongs in school and synagogue libraries. * Jewish Book World *

Author Bio

Rabbi Daniel Kohn is the senior community educator for Lehrhaus Judaica and the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. He is the author of hundreds of articles for print media and web zines, the book Practical Pedagogy for the Jewish Classroom, and a contributor to the anthology Radical Spirit: Spiritual Writings from the Voices of Tomorrow. Rabbi Kohn lives in the San Francisco area with his wife and daughter.