Harry Freedman Pořadí knih

A challenging look at Jewish life in the UK today. Britain’s Jews looks at what it is like to be Jewish in 21st-century Britain. Is there a new confidence in the Jewish community and is this a good thing?

Leonard Cohen taught us that even in darkness there is light, and with our dying breath, we can still sing Hallelujah. Harry Freedman uncovers the spiritual traditions behind Cohen's profound lyrics, revealing how his deep knowledge of Judaism and Christianity shaped his identity and worldview. This exploration delves into the mystical sources that inspired Cohen, discussing their context and the ideas behind them. His music is rich with allusions to Jewish and Christian traditions, drawing from the Bible, Talmud, and Kabbalah. From the classic 'Suzanne' to 'Hallelujah' and 'You Want It Darker,' Cohen used spirituality to create understanding and beauty. Born into a scholarly Jewish family in Montreal, he initially aimed to be a poet before turning to songwriting. His immersion in Zen Buddhism led him to a monastery in California, where he spent several years. Cohen passed away just before the 2016 election, leaving a lasting legacy. Freedman’s work departs from traditional biography, examining Cohen's songs individually to reveal how he reworked myths, prayers, and allegories, with an index for readers to explore their favorites. This book offers a powerful understanding of Cohen's story and the mystical origins of his unique artistry.

"Louis Jacobs was Britain's most gifted Jewish scholar. A Talmudic genius, outstanding teacher and accomplished author, cultured and easy-going, he was widely expected to become Britain's next Chief Rabbi. Then controversy struck. The Chief Rabbi refused to appoint him as Principal of Jews' College, the country's premier rabbinic college. He further forbade him from returning as rabbi to his former synagogue. All because of a book Jacobs had written some years earlier, challenging from a rational perspective the traditional belief in the origins of the Torah. The British Jewish community was torn apart. It was a scandal unlike anything they had ever previously endured. The national media loved it. Jacobs became a cause celebre, a beacon of reason, a humble man who wouldn't be compromised. His congregation resigned en masse and created a new synagogue for him in Abbey Road, the heart of fashionable 1960s London. It became the go-to venue for Jews seeking reasonable answers to questions of faith. A prolific author of over 50 books and hundreds of articles on every aspect of Judaism, from the basics of religious belief to the complexities of mysticism and law, Louis Jacobs won the heart and affection of the mainstream British Jewish community. When the Jewish Chronicle ran a poll to discover the Greatest British Jew, Jacobs won hands down. He said it made him feel daft. Reason To Believe tells the dramatic and touching story of Louis Jacobs's life, and of the human drama lived out by his family, deeply wounded by his rejection."