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Heschel and the Vietnam War


Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam (CALCAV) emerged as a pivotal organization during the Vietnam War, bringing together a diverse group of religious leaders and laypeople who shared deep concerns about the escalating conflict. Heschel was one of the notable figures playing a crucial role in CALCAV’s founding. He worked with Rev. John Bennett (president, Union Theological Seminary), John Berrigan (Jesuit priest), Rev William Sloane Coffin (chaplain, Yale University), Pastor Richard Neuhaus (St John the Evangelist Church, Brooklyn), and David Hunter (Deputy General Secretary, National Council of Churches). His moral authority and commitment to social justice were instrumental in shaping CALCAV’s mission. Together, they provided a unified voice, transcending religious boundaries, and advocating for peace amidst the turbulent backdrop of the Vietnam War.

It was under CALCAV’s auspices that Martin Luther King delivered his 1967 speech at Riverside Church, “Beyond Vietnam.”

Black and white photo with men marching holding flags and one Torah. Picture includes Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel.
Courtesy of Peter Geffen

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“Praying with Our Feet” Lapidus & Myles

Melvin Myles leads the combined choirs of The Temple and Ebenezer Baptist Church as the two communities celebrate the 137th anniversary of Ebenezer in a song written by Rabbi Micah Lapidus. In addition to the incredible musical performance, Rev. Warnock offers a special benediction that concludes the song and the worship service.

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Castle in Time Orchestra, “Prophets”

Castle in Time Orchestra is an independent contemporary large ensemble that contains acoustic and electronic instruments that perform original music based in Israel. This piece samples Heschel’s interview with Carl Stern. Matan Daskal, one of the cofounders of the company, shared his reflections on how Heschel inspired the establishment of this group.

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“My Song,” by Basya Schecter

Basya Schechter and her band (Megan Weeder, violin; Yoed Nir, cello; Uri Sharlin, piano; Rich Stein, percussion) perform a song cycle based on Abraham Joshua Heschel’s early Yiddish poetry. Recorded by Steve Brand.

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“The Spirit of the Prophet” Song

Rap song created at the Heschel-King Festival in Philadelphia, January 2013, by youth from Mishkan Shalom and Mt. Zion Baptist Church under the direction of Matt Bar of Bible Raps.

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“Divine Pathos” Sermon

Sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Colin Bossen delivered as part of a series on “The Lives of the Spirit.” The civil rights activist and Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel understood God as pathos. He explores Heschel’s belief that religious piety and social justice activism, which he named the prophetic, were inextricably linked. 

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Every Word Has Power: The Poetry of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

A clip from a documentary that explores Abraham Joshua Heschel’s poetry through songs by musician Basya Schecter.

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Spiritual Audacity: The Abraham Joshua Heschel Story

Documentarian Martin Doblemeier’s film which explores Heschel’s activism. The site includes clips and educational materials on themes relating to Heschel’s justice work, his theology, and his interfaith dialogue.

God in Search of Man

The Prophets

Repairing the World

No Religion is an Island

Heschel and the Vietnam War

Heschel and Jewish Tradition

The Sabbath

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Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove 50th Yahrzeit Sermon

Park Avenue Synagogue, January 14, 2023

How does the legacy of Heschel speak to us today? On the 50th yahrtzeit of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Rabbi Cosgrove calls upon us to honor his values and to do our share to redeem the world.

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The Eternal Light Interview with Carl Stern

An excerpt from The Eternal Light, a documentary by Diva Communications.

Journalist Carl Stern discusses the long term impact of this interview.

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