New Books in Biography & Memoir15 Mai 2025

Marc Shapiro, "Renewing the Old, Sanctifying the New: The Unique Vision of Rav Kook" (Littman Library, 2025)

Rav Kook’s Vision: Halakhah, Secular Knowledge, and the Renewal of Judaism. Those of us who know something about Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook’s life and philosophy know about his being stuck outside of the Land of Israel during WWI, being the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of British Mandatory Palestine, and his encouragement of the secular Zionists who turned swamps into vegetation. But not many of us have analyzed the personal notebooks that the Rav left, commonly known as Shemonah Kevatzim (eight collections). Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with Professor Marc B. Shapiro author of the acclaimed new book, Renewing the Old, Sanctifying the New: The Unique Vision of Rav Kook (Littman Library, 2025). Our conversation ranged from the philosophical underpinnings of Rav Kook’s thought to its relevance for modern Orthodoxy and contemporary Jewish life. Using the notebooks and other information Marc B. Shapiro’s Renewing the Old, Sanctifying the New offers a window into the philosophical heart of Rav Kook’s approach to halakhah and secular knowledge, using Rav Kook’s own words to illuminate his radical, yet deeply rooted, vision for modern Judaism. I found it important to use those words and quotes when discussing the topic with Professor Shapiro. Rav Kook’s words speak volumes – and you’ll hear them throughout the interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

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Episoder(2022)

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Elisabeth van Houts, "Empress Matilda: Queen of the Romans, Ruler of the English" (Yale UP, 2026)

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Gayle F. Wald, "This Is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children’s Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement" (U Chicago Press, 2025)

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15 Jul 1h

Sarah Kaminsky, "The Forger of Paris" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)

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Heidegger in Ruins

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13 Jul 0s

Rachel Phan, "Restaurant Kid: A Memoir of Family and Belonging" (Douglas & McIntyre, 2025)

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