Tough Questions Jews Ask 2/E: A Young Adult's Guide to Building a Jewish Life
What your rabbi probably has never told you, but could—if you'd only ask.
"Every day I wonder if God is real, if the Torah is true. Every day I wonder why I’m a Jew. But that’s part of being Jewish. In the Torah, we’re called Yisrael—the ones who wrestle with God. Wrestling, asking, wondering, searching is just what God wants us to do! God loves good questions. Now tell me, what are your questions?"
—from Chapter 1
In Judaism we’re allowed to ask questions. We are invited to ask them. But for young people, it often feels as if no one is willing to take tough questions about religion, ourselves, and the world seriously.
This updated and expanded new edition of Tough Questions Jews Ask turns that all around. With honesty, humor and respect, Rabbi Edward Feinstein tackles topics as diverse as:
- Why Does God Let Terrible Things Happen?
- What Is God Anyway?
- If I Pray for Something, Will I get It?
- What’s the meaning of life? Is that a dumb question?
- Why Does Religion Need So Many Rules?
- Why Be Jewish?
With insight and wisdom—and without pretending to have all the answers—Rabbi Feinstein encourages young people to make sense of the Jewish tradition by wrestling with what we don’t understand.
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Book details
- Author
- Edward Feinstein
- Imprint
- Jewish Lights, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Formats
- Paperback, Hardcover
- Subjects
- Young Adult Nonfiction › Religion › Judaism
- Topics
- Judaism · Jewish identity · faith and doubt · questions about God · religion for teens · Torah
- ISBN-13
- 9781580234542 (Paperback)9781683364696 (Hardcover)
About the author
RABBI EDWARD FEINSTEIN has served as senior rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, since 2005, having joined the congregation in 1993. His books include Jews and Judaism in the 21st Century and Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Adult’s Guide to Building a Jewish Life.
Feinstein received his ordination and doctorate in education from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and holds degrees from the University of California at Santa Cruz and Columbia University Teachers College. Both of his Jewish Lights titles are National Jewish Book Award finalists; Tough Questions Jews Ask was also named an American Library Association Top Ten Books on Religion for Young Readers selection.
Feinstein serves on the faculty of the Ziegler Rabbinical School of American Jewish University and the Wexner Heritage Program.
Edward lives in the San Fernando Valley.