ATID Publishes Rabbi Shalom Carmy's Monograph,
"Letter To A Philosophical Dropout From Orthodoxy"

In the tradition of Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed, Samson Raphael Hirsch’s Nineteen Letters, and C.S. Lewis’ satirical Screwtape, Shalom Carmy’s "Letter To A Philosophical Dropout From Orthodoxy" offers us insight into what it means to be religiously alive, and philosophically engaged by one’s Judaism, in the form of a letter to a questioning seeker. Teachers, rabbis, counselors, and parents entrusted with guiding children, young adults, and all seekers of religious truth, will find value in the disputation of the "don't ask, don't tell" attitude which too often limits Orthodox Judaism to a set of demonstrable normative acts, eviscerating the inner meaning, depth, and force of a philosophically engaged, multi-dimensional Jewish life. Encompassing a tour of topics in the philosophies of science and religion, and a compelling argument for the centrality of the personal in Torah life, this pamphlet provides a sophisticated response to central questions in contemporary Jewish education.

In the hope that this monograph may stimulate depth and sophistication in considering how we portray the truth of religious experience and life—both of the heart and the mind—we have set up an web-based discussion board, and invite you to post your responses, thoughts, and questions which have been prodded by your reading or have arisen in the wake of your own experience counseling students on matters of belief. Rabbi Carmy has graciously agreed to participate in the on-line discussion and to respond to your thoughtful postings. To view or post to the discussion board, Click here...

R. Carmy Addressing an ATID Conference (May 2000) Rabbi Shalom Carmy teaches Jewish Studies and philosophy at Yeshiva University and is Consulting Editor of Tradition. He is editor, most recently, of Modern Scholarship in the Study of Torah: Contributions and Limitations as well as Jewish perspectives on the Experience of Suffering. Rabbi Carmy is an editor of the series MeOtzar HoRav: Selected writings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, for which he recently prepared the Rav’s Worship of the Heart: Essays on Jewish Prayer. Rabbi Carmy can be contacted at carmy@yu.edu

Our thanks to Rabbi Yamin Levy and the Maimonides Heritage Center for their support and partnership in the publication of "Letter To A Philosophical Dropout From Orthodoxy." www.maimonidesheritagecenter.org