The Observant Life Book Club

The Observant Life Book Club

Introducing a new book club especially for Conservative Jews! Are you sometimes interested in learning more about issues of Jewish identity, Jewish law, Jewish rituals and traditions? Do you think and talk often about your concerns as a Jew, as a member of a Jewish family or synagogue community? Do you consider yourself a Conservative Jew but are not always entirely clear about what that means? 

If you’ve nodded your head in response to these questions, this book club was created with you in mind. The Conservative Movement now has a remarkable resource in The Observant Life, a single volume that contains essays on all aspects of Jewish life, edited and written by 34 Conservative rabbis. The book lends itself to conversations among friends, and that’s what we hope this club will stimulate – conversations about important issues for you, your family, your community and the Jewish people. We will be providing materials on the topics on The Observant Life on an ongoing basis and you should feel free to create your own materials or ask us to create them on a topic you want to discuss.

We envision lively conversations taking place around the world. Purchase a copy of the book (in Hardcover, Kindle, or Nook); invite your friends, invite people in your community you’d like to know better; you may even want to discuss these materials in extended family gatherings. We hope these clubs will lead to interesting conversations, strengthened connections and a deepened awareness of the blessings of being Jewish.

Conversaton Starters

"Prayer" by Karen G. Reiss Medwed (pp. 5) in The Observant Life

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"Public Appearance and Behavior" by Gordon Tucker (pp. 373) in The Observant Life

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"Repentance" by David H. Lincoln (pp. 412) in The Observant Life

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"Commerce" by Jacob Blumenthal (pp. 491) in The Observant Life

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"Among Co-Workers" by Barry J. Leff (pp. 529) in The Observant Life

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"Between Siblings" by David M. Greenstein (pp. 693) in The Observant Life

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"Individuals with Disabilities" by Edward M. Friedman (pp. 831) in The Observant Life

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