Next book club meeting: Sunday, October 27
10 am, B’nai Israel Synagogue
The Rabbi Sacks Tidewater Community Book Club met last month at Ohef Sholom Temple to discuss To Heal a Fractured World. This was the fourth book reviewed as part of a yearlong effort to dig deeply into the profound work of Rabbi Lord Jonathon Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and widely acknowledged master teacher, theologian, and communicator.
To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility provides a passionate plea to return religion to its true purpose – a partnership with G-d in the work of ethical and moral living. During the wide-ranging discussion, close to two dozen participants examined the roots of “tikkun olam” in the biblical tradition. Blending universal values with the particularities of Jewish tradition, Sacks makes a forceful case that we exist to make a difference in this world. The depth of the Torah provides a blueprint between ritual and deeds to take thoughts and turn them into habits that impact the world. Sacks says, “Each of us has a unique constellation of gifts, an unreplicated radius of influence, and within that radius, be it as small as a family or as large as a state, we can be a transformative presence.”
“’I think I just spent the morning in a room with the smartest group of people I’ve ever been in,’” says Elizabeth Murphy. “That’s what I told my husband after attending a Sacks Community Book Club meeting for the first time. For the past few years, I’ve read or listened to the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ commentary on almost every week’s parsha before attending Torah Study.
“Especially considering the ongoing events in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon, as well as Ukraine, the US, and the rest of the world, it’s imperative to discuss ethics and responsibility,” says Murphy. “Rabbi Sacks’ insights are timeless. Listening to and questioning the brilliant, friendly members’ collective wisdom and clarity provided me with answers and observations that help me reframe my judgments or reinforce them. If you’re seeking food for thought, you’ll find a feast with this supportive, reflective group.”
This Community Book Club, a partnership between the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and area synagogues, welcomes newcomers regardless of if or what synagogue they are members of. The next club meeting will discuss Judaism’s Life Changing Ideas. In this book, Rabbi Sacks offers an essay that corresponds to each of the weekly torah readings over the course of the year. This book club will be unique because there is no expectation to read the book before the meeting. Instead, the group will discuss Rabbi Sacks’ approach to Torah commentary and review a representative essay.
As the annual Torah reading begins with Simchat Torah in late October, this is the perfect time to get a copy of the book and consider committing to reading a three-page essay each week.
For more information and to register, visit
JewishVA.org/SacksBookClub or contact Craig Schranz at schranzc@yahoo.com.