CCAR

Edited by Rabbi Lisa Grushcow, DPhil
Foreword by Rabbi David Ellenson, PhD, z''l

This wide-ranging anthology takes a close look at the breadth of human sexuality from a Jewish perspective. The essays begin with a look at biblical and rabbinic views on sexuality and then proceed to explorations of sexuality at different moments in the life cycle, sexuality and the marital model, diverse expressions of sexuality, examples of sexuality education, the nexus of sexuality and theology, and the challenges of contemporary sexual ethics. The Sacred Encounter is a thought-provoking and important Jewish resource. Perfect for personal study or for high school or adult classes.

The CCAR Challenge and Change Series

Table of Contents
Sample Pages: 1, 7
Contributor Bios
Study Guide - Free download

"What a feast is served up by this rich and varied collection! Essay after essay is readable, informative, thought-provoking and challenging. The volume brings together many different approaches to a wide variety of issues pertaining to sexuality; yet a clear picture emerges of what it means to grapple with Jewish tradition from a contemporary liberal perspective."
-- Judith Plaskow, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, Manhattan College; author of Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective and The Coming of Lilith: Essays on Feminism, Judaism, and Sexual Ethics, 1972-2003.

"Dive into The Sacred Encounter, the most comprehensive study of Jewish approaches to sexuality ever published. In this volume, skillfully edited by my colleague Rabbi Lisa Grushcow, you will learn much about today's Reform Judaism and its adherents. Some contributors to this volume who often felt estranged from the traditions they now embrace want to be part of the covenantal community which partners with God in quest of dignity for all. Reading The Sacred Encounter, you'll yearn for nothing less."
-- Rabbi Robert N. Levine, DD, Congregation Rodeph Sholom, New York

"The Sacred Encounter brings together the voices of Jews who are in the forefront of revitalizing Judaism's conception of sexuality in the broadest sense - sexuality as a quintessential expression of a humanity that includes all shades of sexual orientation and gender identity. By demonstrating Jewish tradition's capacity to ground and guide our exploration of sexuality's sensual, psychological and social complexities, this book affirms the sacredness of sexuality, its centrality to individual and communal lives dedicated to glorifying God through our love for one another."
-- Joy Ladin, David and Ruth Gottesman Professor of English, Yeshiva University

Listen to Passion: Sex & Religion with Rabbi Lisa Grushcow and Taylor Baruchel

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