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UID:10839@templemicah.org
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260426T101500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260426T113000
DTSTAMP:20260424T134305Z
URL:https://www.templemicah.org/events/the-blessing-of-doubt-a-jewish-argu
 ment-for-agnosticism-with-rabbi-barry-l-schwartz/
SUMMARY:The Blessing of Doubt: A Jewish Argument for Agnosticism with Rabbi
  Barry L. Schwartz
DESCRIPTION:Please note: this event will take place in-person only\; no onl
 ine option is available.\n\nThe title of this presentation is\, “The Ble
 ssing of Doubt.” You might be saying\, "Now\, what kind of title is that
  for a speech by a rabbi? Doesn’t religion teach faith\, the opposite of
  doubt? Isn’t the rabbi a teacher of religion and a man of faith? What
 ’s going on here?"\n\nWell\, I’m about to argue that doubt is not a di
 rty word\; that it is not a vice but a virtue\; that a little doubt can go
  a long way…in helping our faith.\n\nI’m going to argue\, further\, fo
 r the merits of being an agnostic.\n\nAnd I’m going to argue even furthe
 r\, that Reform Judaism is basically agnostic…and that is ok.\n\nAgnosti
 c- a misunderstood term that should not be a mark of shame. Some of my bes
 t friends are agnostic. Some of your best friends are agnostic. I am too (
 part of the time)\, and I bet you are too (at least some of the time).\n\n
 In these troubled times\, we search for faith. But we also lose faith. Ins
 tead of despairing about our doubt\, we need to acknowledge and even affir
 m our doubt.\nAbout the Speaker\nRabbi Barry L. Schwartz serves as the spi
 ritual leader of Congregation Adas Emuno- a 155-year-old Reform congregati
 on in Leonia\, NJ. Rabbi Schwartz is director and editor-in-chief emeritus
  of The Jewish Publication Society (JPS)\, the preeminent publisher of the
  Jewish Bible (Tanakh) and Jewish classics since 1888\, which he led for f
 ourteen years.\n\nRabbi Schwartz received his BA\, magna cum laude\, from 
 Duke University\, and his MA and rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union C
 ollege. He previously served as senior rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalo
 m in Cherry Hill\, NJ. He began his career as the rabbi of the Leo Baeck C
 enter in Haifa\, where he also served in the Israeli army.\n\nRabbi Schwar
 tz is a prolific writer- the author of books for adults\, teens and childr
 en\, a prize-winning short story\, a play\, a prayer book\, and scholarly 
 articles that have appeared in the Journal of Reform Judaism\, American Je
 wish History\, and the Hebrew Union College Annual.\n\nAn avid world trave
 ler\, he has visited some 70 countries\, and enjoys hiking\, cycling\, and
  competitive table tennis. And\, of course\, reading and writing! Rabbi Sc
 hwartz is married to Deborah A. Schwartz\; they are the proud parents of t
 hree adult children\, and two adorable grandchildren.\nPublications\nHis t
 extbook\, Jewish Heroes\, Jewish Values (1996)\, has been used in over 300
  religious schools nationwide for the past 25 years. Another textbook\, Ju
 daism’s Great Debates\, was published in 2012 in both adult and student 
 editions.\n\nPath of the Prophets- The Ethics-Driven Life (2018) examines 
 the legacy of ancient Israel’s pioneers of social justice.\n\nHis childr
 en’s works include Honi the Circlemaker (1993)\, Adams’ Animals (2017)
 \, a selection of the PJ Library\, The New Queen of Sheba (2020) and Jonah
 ’s Tale of a Whale (2021).\n\nHis latest book is a comprehensive survey 
 of the full spectrum of modern Jewish thought today\, entitled Open Judais
 m: A Guide for Believers\, Atheists and Agnostics (2023).
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CATEGORIES:Adult Education,Featured,Guest Speakers,Inclusive
 Events,Wheelchair Accessible
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