Judaism as a Civilization: Toward a Reconstruction of American Jewish Life

Widely considered the genesis of the Reconstructionist Movement, Kaplan's Judaism as a Civilization represents a watershed moment in modern Judaism. In this classic, Mordecai Kaplan introduced a new way of looking at Judaism: as an evolving religious civilization. He proposed that, as a minority living in a secular societ, Jews should be empowered to reshape Judaism to make it more personally meaningful. His approach required innovation in liturgy and ritual, elimination of obsolete customs, and adjustiment in light of prevailing social, political, and cultural conditions. He felt that all Jews -- traditional and liberal, religious and secular -- could take part in this "reconstruction." Judaism as a Civilization remains one of the most original and thought-provoking contributions to modern Jewish thought ever written.