Youareinvitedtospendayearwiththeinspirationalwords,ideas,andcounselofthegreattwentieth-centurythinkerRabbiMordecaiKaplan,throughhismeditationsonthefifty-fourweeklyTorahportionsandelevenJewishholidays.Apioneerofideasandaction--teachingthat“Judaismisacivilization“encompassingJewishculture,art,andpeoplehood;demonstratinghowsynagoguescanbefullcentersforJewishliving(buildingoneofthefirst“shulswithapool“);andcreatingthefirst-everbatmitzvahceremony(forhisdaughterJudith)--KaplantransformedthelandscapeofAmericanJewry.YetmuchofKaplan’srichtreasuryofethicalandspiritualthoughtislargelyunknown.RabbiStevenCarrReuben,whostudiedcloselywithKaplan,offersuniqueinsightintoKaplan’steachingsaboutethicalrelationshipsandspiritualfulfillment,includinghowtoembracegodlinessineverydayexperience,ourmandatetobecomeagentsofjusticeintheworld,andthehumanabilitytoevolvepersonallyandcollectively.Quotingfromtheweek’sTorahportion,ReubenpresentsTorahcommentary,arelatedquotationfromKaplan,areflectivecommentaryintegratingKaplan’sunderstandingoftheTorahtext,andanintimatestoryabouthisfamilyorcommunity’sstrugglesandtriumphs--guidingtwenty-first-centuryspiritualseekersofallbackgroundsonhowtolivereflectivelyandpurposefullyeveryday.
