October 3 — The Origins of Reconstructionist Judaism (Who, What, Where, When, and Why)
November 7 — The Elements of Reconstructionism: Judaism as a Civilization
Read: “Reconstructionism: A Program” in Mordecai Kaplan, The Future of the American Jew (pp.34-57)
Nov. 7 Handout
Federation of Reconstructionist Congregations and Havurot (FRCH) “Platform of Reconstructionism”, 1986
https://therra.org/resolutions/platform-on-reconstructionism-(1).pdf
December 5 — A Reconstructed Theology of Judaism
Read: “The Belief in God” in Kaplan (pp.171-187)
December 5 Handout
January 2 — Torah and Law: The Challenge of Authority
Read: “The Problem of Jewish Law” in Kaplan (pp.387-401)
January 2 Handout #1
The Status of Women in Jewish Law” in Kaplan
(pp. 402-412)
January 2 Handout #2
February 6 — A New View of Zionism and Israel
Read: “Zionism – A Reconstruction of the Jewish Way of Life” in Kaplan (pp.359-371)
February 6 Handout #1
“The Role of Eretz Yisrael in the Life of Diasporah Jewry” in Kaplan (pp. 123-142)
February 6 Handout #2
March 6 — How, Why, and To Whom Reconstructionist Jews Pray
Read: “Toward a Guide for Jewish Ritual Usage” in Kaplan (pp.413-428)
March 6 Handout #1
“Introduction to the Reconstructionist Sabbath Prayer Book, 1945” in Marc Raphael, A Documentary History of the Jews in America (pp. 226-233)
March 6 Handout #2
April 3 — Reconstructionism and the Future of the Synagogue and the Jewish Community in America
Read: “Community: The Social Structure of American-Jewish Life” in Kaplan (pp.106-122)
April 3 Handout
May 1 — Assessing Kaplan’s Vision: What Should Stay? What Should Change?
Read: “Continuity and Change” in Kaplan (pp.372-386)
May 1 Handout
“Reconstructionism” in Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol.13, Reference pp. 1615-1616
Alan W. Miller, The God of Daniel S, Call#–250Mil
Rebecca T. Alpert and Jacob J. Staub, Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach, Call#–278Alp
Gilbert S. Rosenthal, The Many Faces of Judaism, Call#–270Ros
Mordecai Kaplan, The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion, Call#–278
Simon Noveck (Ed.), Great Jewish Thinkers of the Twentieth Century, Call#–259.3
Arthur A. Cohen and Paul Mendes-Flohr, Contemporary Jewish Religious Thought, Call#–259.3
Howard M. Sachar, A History of the Jews in America, Call#–973