Image

Back to Many Faiths

Meeting Pope Pius VI

When Pope Paul VI issued the the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions, otherwise known as Nostre Aetate, it fundamentally shifted the relationship between Catholics and Jews. This process began under his predecessor, Pope John XXIII. Throughout the deliberations, Heschel was a key voice for Jewish values and concerns. When the Heschels visited Rome in the 1970s, they met with Pope Paul VI.

Additional Text:

Wide Horizons: Abraham Joshua Heschel, AJC, and the Spirit of Nostra Aetate

In Our Time: AJC and Nostre Aetate

Related Content

In The Sabbath, Heschel attempts to reawaken the spirituality and holiness of the Sabbath, and impart the wisdom and gifts it can bring to those who observe the Sabbath. Rebecca Katz An invitation to Sabbath keeping that was at once thoroughly Jewish but also universally available—and more than that, necessary for our survival. Rev. Wil Gafney, PhD Heschel in Ottawa, 1968 or 1969, Exploring "Shabbat as Spiritual Sanctuary"
Back to Many Faiths

Heschel at Reinhold Niebuhr’s Funeral

Reinhold Niebuhr’s funeral in Stockbridge, MA

Heschel gave the eulogy at his friend theologian Reinhold Niebuhr’s funeral in 1971. They had an intense, long-lasting friendship

Additional Text:

Notes on a Friendship: Abraham Joshua Heschel and Reinhold Niebuhr

An Unlikely Friendship on Seminary Row

When a Broader Religious Pluralism Began to Flower

Related Content

Rabbi Heschel taught the Bible and linked it to our present time with effortless elegance.  Reverend Johnnie Moore He shot an arrow into thinking about religion; it wasn’t just about don’t do this, do that, but instead make yourself open to the amazement of the world. Rabbi Michael Graetz Psalm 42: Text and Commentary
Back to God & Humanity

Israel: An Echo of Eternity

Book Cover-Israel: An Echo of Eternity with wood cut menorah and Hebrew letters

Israel: An Echo of Eternity (1969)

Focused on the significance of the Jewish people, this book explores the historical and spiritual dimensions of Jewish identity. Heschel reflects on the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people, emphasizing the responsibility to live in accordance with divine teachings. Heschel wrote this book following the Six Day War.

Related Content

Heschel at Reinhold Niebuhr's Funeral An invitation to Sabbath keeping that was at once thoroughly Jewish but also universally available—and more than that, necessary for our survival. Rev. Wil Gafney, PhD If I wanted to be credible in my work toward societal justice, then it was essential that I make him one of my mentors. Rabbi Jack Moline
Back to Wonder

The Earth is the Lord’s

Book Cover-The Earch is the Lord's, with silver piece of Judaica

The Earth Is the Lord’s: The Inner World of the Jew in East Europe (1950):

Heschel provides a vivid and personal account of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before the Holocaust. Through his personal reflections, he captured the richness of Jewish spirituality, culture, and devotion, shedding light on a world that was tragically lost.

Related Content

"Praying with Our Feet" Lapidus & Myles Who Is Man? He was open to being changed by others. Rabbi Daniel Nevins
Back to Holy Time

The Sabbath

Book Cover-The Sabbat, with woodcut

The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man (1951)

Heschel explores the spiritual and ethical significance of the Sabbath in this classic work. He argues that the Sabbath is a sanctuary in time, providing a space for humans to connect with the divine and find rest from the demands of everyday life.

Related Content

I found Heschel's emphasis on the wonder that we are . . . profound. Dr. Joshua Furnal The encounter vividly encompasses for me Heschel's remarkable qualities . . . not only his warmth, caring, humor, and humanity, but his insistence on rigorous and careful scholarship.  Rabbi Eli Schochet Heschel with Fritz Rothschild
Back to God & Humanity

Man Is Not Alone

Book Cover-Man is not Alone, golden dust jacket with image of Michaelango's Adam

Man Is Not Alone: A Philosophy of Religion (1951):

In this philosophical exploration, Heschel delves into the nature of religious experience and the relationship between humanity and God. He emphasizes the idea that true knowledge of God comes through a profound sense of awe and wonder.

Additional Content:

Heschel in Ottawa 1967, Exploring Man Is Not Alone

Related Content

He imbued in us a sense of wonder and a commitment to justice. Lapidus & Myles I value Heschel's teaching that we are not all prophets but there should be something of the prophet in every one of us. Dr. Arnold Eisen My own identity became renewed by the idea that Judaism and Jewish values and Jewish actions could be and should be brought to the streets. Rabbi David Steinhardt
Back to God & Humanity

Man’s Quest for God

Book Cover-Man's Quest for God, with brown blocks
Book Cover-Man's Quest for God with rainbow

Man’s Quest for God: Studies in Prayer and Symbolism (1954):

In this book, Heschel explores the profound aspects of prayer and religious symbolism. He delves into the human quest for a meaningful connection with the divine, examining the role of prayer as a spiritual discipline and the symbols that facilitate this dialogue.

Related Content

I, in turn, found deep inspiration in those words. Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann Shabbat went from something I did to somewhere I dwelled Rabbi Elyse Winick Heschel’s poetic and relevant way of connecting spoke to me, igniting my thinking.  Matan Daskal
Back to God & Humanity

God in Search of Man

God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism (1955):

This book examines the dynamics of the human-divine relationship. Heschel explores the ways in which individuals can encounter God through prayer, ethical living, and religious commitment.

Related Content

I 'met' Rabbi Heschel in 1987, when the prison rabbi where I was incarcerated, Rabbi Mel Silverman, introduced me. Rabbi Mark Borovitz He shot an arrow into thinking about religion; it wasn’t just about don’t do this, do that, but instead make yourself open to the amazement of the world. Rabbi Michael Graetz Anti-war March on Arlington Cemetery
Back to Justice

The Prophets

Book Cover-The Prophets, two colors red and gold

The Prophets (1962):

Heschel offers a comprehensive study of the Hebrew prophets in this influential work. He highlights the prophetic call to social justice and ethical behavior, emphasizing the prophets’ role in challenging injustice and promoting a deeper understanding of God’s will. This work was adapted from his dissertation Das prophetische Bewuβstein (Prophetic Consciousness).

Related Content

JTS Memorial Service for Martin Luther King Jr If I wanted to be credible in my work toward societal justice, then it was essential that I make him one of my mentors. Rabbi Jack Moline The Spiritual Audacity of Abraham Joshua Heschel from "On Being"
Back to Justice

Who Is Man?

Book Cover-Who is Man

Who Is Man? (1965)

Heschel reflects on the nature of humanity and the purpose of existence in this philosophical work. He discusses the unique qualities that distinguish humans from other beings and explores the ethical responsibilities that come with human existence.

Related Content

Commitment to the divine imperative . . . empathy with the divine pathos. Rabbi Lenny Levin If I wanted to be credible in my work toward societal justice, then it was essential that I make him one of my mentors. Rabbi Jack Moline But for that which is more real than the material world, Heschel showed me the path on which to walk. Dr. Peter Saulson