Edited by Elliot N. Dorff and Louis E. Newman
Over the past decade much significant new work has appeared in the field of Jewish ethics. While much of this work has been devoted to issues in applied ethics, a number of important essays have explored central themes within the tradition and clarified the theoretical foundations of Jewish
ethics. This important text grew out of the need for a single work which accurately and conveniently reflects these developments within the field.
The first text of its kind in almost two decades, Contemporary Jewish Ethics and Morality presents wide-ranging and carefully organized recent
essays on Jewish ethical theory and practice. Serving as an introduction to Jewish ethics, it acquaints the student with the distinctive methodological issues involved and offers a sampling of Jewish positions on contemporary moral problems. The book features work from both traditionalist and
liberal contributors, making this the only volume which encompasses the full range of contemporary Jewish ethical perspectives. Writers such as Harold Schulweis, Judith Plaskow, David Novak, David Hartman, and Blu Greenberg discuss law and ethics, natural law, humility, justice, sex and the family,
euthanasia, and other vital issues relating to modern Judaism. Many of the readings appear here for the first time, making this important text the most timely sourcebook in its field. Uniquely qualified to reflect the high level and depth of contemporary work in this area of study, Contemporary
Jewish Ethics and Morality is an essential contribution to any course dealing with Jewish ethics.
Editors' Introduction
I. JEWISH ETHICS
A. The Literature and Context of Jewish Ethics.
1. Menachem Kellner, "The Structure of Jewish Ethics".
B. Theoretical Issues in Jewish Ethics.
1. Louis Newman, "Ethics as Law, Law as Religion". 2. David Novak, "Natural
Law, Halakah, and the Covenant". 3. Harold Schluweid, "The Single Mirror of Jewish Images". 4. Elliot Dorff, "Covenant: The Transcendent Thrust in Jewish Law".
C. Reconceptualizing Jewish Ethics in Modern Times.
1. S. Daniel Breslauer, "Modernizing American Jewish Ethics: The Liberal
Dilemma". 2. Eugene Borowitz, "The Jewish Self". 3. Richard J. Israel, "Jewish Tradition and Political Action".
D. Methodological Problems: The Case of Jewish Medical Ethics.
1. David Elleson, "How to Draw Guidance from a Heritage: Moral Choices". 2. Louis Newman, "Woodchoppers and
Respirators: The Problem of Interpretation". 3. Elliot Dorff, " A Methodology for Jewish Medical Ethics". 4. Aaron Mackler, "Cases and Principles in Jewish Bioethics".
E. Alternative Visions of Jewish Ethics.
1. Michael Morgan, "Jewish Ethics After the Holocaust". 2. Laurie Zolof-Dorfman,
"An Ethics of Encounter: Public Choices and Private Acts". 3. Annette Aronowicz, "Emmanuel Levinas' Talmudic Commentaries".
II: Jewish Morality
Introduction
A. Traditional Jewish Virtues and Values.
1. Alfred Jospe, "The Meaning of Jewish Existence". 2. Sol Roth,
"Towards a Definition of Humility".
B. Jewish Perspectives on Sex and Family.
1. David Novak, "Some Aspects of Sex, Society and God in Judaism". 2. Arthur Waskow, "Down-to-Earth Judiasm: Sexuality". 3. Martha Ackelsberg, "Jewish Family Ethics in Post-Halakhic Age". 4. Blu Greenberg, "The
Theoretical Basis of Women's Equality in Judaism".
C. Jewish Perspectives on Social Problems.
1. Robert Gordis, "Ecology and the Judaic Tradition". 2. Seymour Siegel, "A Jewish View of Economic Justice". 3. Elie Spitz, "Jewish Tradition and Capital Punishment".
D. Jewish Perspectives
on Medical Ethics.
1. Fred Rosner, "Euthanasia". 2. Byron Sherwin, "Euthanasia: A Jewish View". 3. David Feldman, "This Matter of Abortion". 4. Sandra Lubarsky, "Judaism and the Justification of Abortion for Non-Medical Reasons"..
E. Jewish Perspectives on Politics and Power: The State of
Israel.
1. Irving Greenberg, "The Ethics Of Jewish Power". 2. Judith Plaskow, "Feminist Reflections on the State of Israel". 3. David Hartman, "Living with Conflicting Values". 4. Einat Ramon, "The Ethics of Ruling a Jewish State with a Large Non-Jewish Minority".
Epilogue: The Future
of Jewish Ethics and Morals
There are no Instructor/Student Resources available at this time.
Elliot N. Dorff is at University of Judaism. Louis E. Newman is at Carleton College.
Please check back for the special features of this book.