Harold Kushner
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Harold Samuel Kushner is a prominent American
rabbi
aligned with the progressive wing of Conservative Judaism
, and a popular author.
and later obtained his rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary
(JTS) in 1960. The same institution awarded him a doctoral degree in Bible in 1972. Kushner has also studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, taught at Clark University
and the Rabbinical School of the JTS, and received six honorary doctorates.
for 24 years and belongs to the Rabbinical Assembly
.
, When Bad Things Happen to Good People
. Written following the death of his son, Aaron, from the premature aging disease progeria
, the book deals with questions about human suffering, God
, omnipotence
and theodicy
.
Kushner has written a number of other popular theological books, such as How Good Do We Have to Be? (Dedicated to his grandson, Carl), To Life! and many others. In collaboration with the late Chaim Potok
, Kushner co-edited Etz Hayim: A Torah Commentary, the new official Torah
commentary of the Conservative movement
, which was jointly published in 2001 by the Rabbinical Assembly
and the Jewish Publication Society. His Living a Life That Matters became a best seller in the fall of 2001. Kushner's book, The Lord Is My Shepherd, was a meditation on the Twenty-Third Psalm
released in 2003. Kushner also wrote a response to Simon Wiesenthal's question of forgiveness in the book The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
aligned with the progressive wing of Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
, and a popular author.
Education
Born in Brooklyn, Kushner was educated at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and later obtained his rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism, and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studies.JTS operates five schools: Albert A...
(JTS) in 1960. The same institution awarded him a doctoral degree in Bible in 1972. Kushner has also studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, taught at Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
and the Rabbinical School of the JTS, and received six honorary doctorates.
Congregational Rabbi
He served as the congregational rabbi of Temple Israel of Natick, in Natick, MassachusettsNatick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
for 24 years and belongs to the Rabbinical Assembly
Rabbinical Assembly
The Rabbinical Assembly is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, and oversees the work of the Committee on Jewish Law and...
.
Author
He is the author of a best selling book on the problem of evilProblem of evil
In the philosophy of religion, the problem of evil is the question of how to explain evil if there exists a deity that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient . Some philosophers have claimed that the existences of such a god and of evil are logically incompatible or unlikely...
, When Bad Things Happen to Good People
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a 1981 book by Harold Kushner, a Conservative rabbi. Kushner addresses in the book one of the principal problems of theodicy, the conundrum of why, if the universe was created and is governed by a God who is of a good and loving nature, there is...
. Written following the death of his son, Aaron, from the premature aging disease progeria
Progeria
Progeria is an extremely rare genetic condition wherein symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at an early age. The word progeria comes from the Greek words "pro" , meaning "before", and "géras" , meaning "old age"...
, the book deals with questions about human suffering, God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, omnipotence
Omnipotence
Omnipotence is unlimited power. Monotheistic religions generally attribute omnipotence to only the deity of whichever faith is being addressed...
and theodicy
Theodicy
Theodicy is a theological and philosophical study which attempts to prove God's intrinsic or foundational nature of omnibenevolence , omniscience , and omnipotence . Theodicy is usually concerned with the God of the Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, due to the relevant...
.
Kushner has written a number of other popular theological books, such as How Good Do We Have to Be? (Dedicated to his grandson, Carl), To Life! and many others. In collaboration with the late Chaim Potok
Chaim Potok
Chaim Potok was an American Jewish author and rabbi. Potok is most famous for his first book The Chosen, a 1967 novel which was listed on The New York Times’ best seller list for 39 weeks and sold more than 3,400,000 copies.-Biography :Herman Harold Potok was born in The Bronx, New York City, to...
, Kushner co-edited Etz Hayim: A Torah Commentary, the new official Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
commentary of the Conservative movement
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
, which was jointly published in 2001 by the Rabbinical Assembly
Rabbinical Assembly
The Rabbinical Assembly is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, and oversees the work of the Committee on Jewish Law and...
and the Jewish Publication Society. His Living a Life That Matters became a best seller in the fall of 2001. Kushner's book, The Lord Is My Shepherd, was a meditation on the Twenty-Third Psalm
Psalm 23
In the 23rd Psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the writer describes God as his Shepherd. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, is often alluded to in popular media and has been set to music....
released in 2003. Kushner also wrote a response to Simon Wiesenthal's question of forgiveness in the book The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness.
List of publications
- Conquering Fear: Living Boldly in an Uncertain World Published in 2009, is a theological piece that addresses fears of terrorism, natural disasters, rejection, growing old and offer suggestions on how best to cope, ultimately living with purpose and differentiating between God and nature.
- Faith & Family: Favorite Sermons of Rabbi Harold S. Kushner published in October 2007
- Practice Random Acts of Kindness: Bring More Peace, Love, And Compassion published in 2007
- Overcoming Life's DisappointmentsOvercoming Life's DisappointmentsOvercoming Life's Disappointments is a 2006 book by Harold Kushner, a Conservative rabbi. Kushner addresses in the book the question of how to cope when disappointing things happen to you...
published in 2006 - The Lord Is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the Twenty-third Psalm published in 2003
- When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough: The Search for a Life That MattersWhen All You've Ever Wanted Isn't EnoughWhen All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough: The Search for a Life That Matters is a 2002 book by Harold Kushner, a Conservative rabbi. Kushner addresses in the book matters of existentialism, particularly the Meaning of life and the individual pursuit of happiness...
published in 2002 - Who Needs God published in 2002
- Living a Life That Matters: Resolving the Conflict Between Conscience and Success published in 2001
- How Good Do We Have to Be? A New Understanding of Guilt and Forgiveness published in 1997
- When Children ask about God: A Guide for Parents Who Don't Always Have All the Answers published in 1995
- To Life: A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking published in 1994
- When Bad Things Happen to Good PeopleWhen Bad Things Happen to Good PeopleWhen Bad Things Happen to Good People is a 1981 book by Harold Kushner, a Conservative rabbi. Kushner addresses in the book one of the principal problems of theodicy, the conundrum of why, if the universe was created and is governed by a God who is of a good and loving nature, there is...
published in 1981
Miscellaneous
- Kushner offered a reading from the Bible at the State Funeral of Ronald ReaganDeath and state funeral of Ronald ReaganOn June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, died after having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade. His seven-day state funeral followed, spanning June 5–11...
in the Washington National CathedralWashington National CathedralThe Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
on June 11, 2004.
- In 2007 Rabbi Kushner was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jewish Book CouncilJewish Book CouncilThe Jewish Book Council, founded in 1944, is an organization encouraging and contributing to Jewish literature. The goal of the council, as stated on its website, is "to promote the reading, writing and publishing of quality English language books of Jewish content in North America". It is the only...
.