Harold Kushner: Difference between revisions
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Kushner gained widespread recognition for his many popular books that simplify complex theological ideas for both Jewish and non-Jewish readers. He received numerous awards, including the [[Christopher Award]] in 1987 and the [[Jewish Book Council]]'s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. His most prominent works include ''[[When Bad Things Happen to Good People]]'', delving into human suffering, divine kindness, and theodicy following his son's death from [[progeria]], and ''[[When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough]]'', exploring existential themes of life's purpose and the pursuit of fulfillment. | Kushner gained widespread recognition for his many popular books that simplify complex theological ideas for both Jewish and non-Jewish readers. He received numerous awards, including the [[Christopher Award]] in 1987 and the [[Jewish Book Council]]'s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. His most prominent works include ''[[When Bad Things Happen to Good People]]'', delving into human suffering, divine kindness, and theodicy following his son's death from [[progeria]], and ''[[When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough]]'', exploring existential themes of life's purpose and the pursuit of fulfillment. | ||
Considered to | Considered to have been one of America's most prominent rabbis,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Landsberg |first=Mitchell |date=2011-04-12 |title=Leaders of Conservative Judaism press for change as movement's numbers drop |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2011-apr-12-la-me-conservative-jews-20110412-story.html |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Kushner was known for his [[Reconstructionist Judaism|Reconstructionist]] views and for his ideological progressiveness within the Conservative movement. He argued against the notion of an [[Omnipotence|omnipotent]], interventionist [[God in Judaism|God]], and instead focused on God's role in offering comfort and solace to those who suffer. | ||
== Early life and education == | == Early life and education == | ||
Harold Samuel Kushner was born to [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative Jewish]] parents Julius and Sarah ({{Nee|Hartman}}) Kushner in [[Brooklyn, New York|Brooklyn]], New York City. When he began elementary school, his family relocated to the [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]] neighborhood. Kushner was an avid fan of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] in his early years.<ref name=":02" /> While his mother was a homemaker, his father owned Playmore Publishing, a shop at Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street that specialized in selling children's books and toys, primarily Bible stories. Julius had hoped that his son would take over the business someday, but Harold did not believe he possessed the same level of business acumen as his father.<ref name=":02" /> | Harold Samuel Kushner was born to [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative Jewish]] parents Julius and Sarah ({{Nee|Hartman}}) Kushner in [[Brooklyn, New York|Brooklyn]], New York City. When he began elementary school, his family relocated to the [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]] neighborhood. Kushner was an avid fan of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] in his early years.<ref name=":02" /> While his mother was a homemaker, his father owned Playmore Publishing, a shop at Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street that specialized in selling children's books and toys, primarily Bible stories. Julius had hoped that his son would take over the business someday, but Harold did not believe he possessed the same level of business acumen as his father.<ref name=":02" /> | ||
After graduating from [[Erasmus Hall High School]], he attended [[Columbia University]], where he initially intended to major in psychology but later switched to literature after being taught by [[Mark Van Doren]], a [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning poet.<ref name=":02" /> At Columbia, Kushner's extracurricular positions included working for ''[[Jester of Columbia]]'' and [[WKCR-FM|WKCR]], where he eventually became the director of sports broadcasting, and serving as the president of the student [[Zionism|Zionist]] organization.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Butchy |first=Laura |title=Rabbi Harold Kushner '55 Reaches a Larger Congregation as a Writer |url=https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/sep_oct08/alumni_profiles1 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |website=Columbia College Today}}</ref> | After graduating from [[Erasmus Hall High School]], he attended [[Columbia University]], where he initially intended to major in psychology but later switched to literature after being taught by [[Mark Van Doren]], a [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning poet.<ref name=":02" /> At Columbia, Kushner's extracurricular positions included working for ''[[Jester of Columbia]]'' and [[WKCR-FM|WKCR]], where he eventually became the director of sports broadcasting, and serving as the president of the student [[Zionism|Zionist]] organization.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Butchy |first=Laura |title=Rabbi Harold Kushner '55 Reaches a Larger Congregation as a Writer |url=https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/sep_oct08/alumni_profiles1 |access-date=August 12, 2020 |website=Columbia College Today |archive-date=June 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629201237/https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/sep_oct08/alumni_profiles1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ||
Despite having a strong religious upbringing, Kushner had no plans to become a rabbi until he joined an evening program at the [[Jewish Theological Seminary of America|Jewish Theological Seminary]] in New York City. He became certain about his calling to be a rabbi during his junior year at Columbia.<ref name=":1" /> He completed his bachelor's degree in [[religious education]] in 1955, and after completing his master's degree in the social and philosophical foundations of education in 1960, he enrolled full-time at the seminary, where he was [[Semikhah|ordained]] that same year.<ref name=":02" /> Kushner received his doctorate in [[Hebrew literature]] in 1972.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Langer |first=Emily |date=2023-05-04 |title=Harold Kushner, rabbi whose books brought solace to millions, dies at 88 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/05/04/harold-kushner-bad-things-good-people/ |access-date=2023-08-19 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> He also completed a year of graduate work at the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] and held teaching positions at [[Clark University]] and the Rabbinical School of the JTS.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-18 |title=Rabbi Laureate Harold Kushner z"l {{!}} Temple Israel of Natick - Conservative Jewish Synagogue |url=https://www.tiofnatick.org/who-we-are/clergy/rabbi-laureate-harold-kushner/ |access-date=2023-08-18 |language=en}}</ref> | Despite having a strong religious upbringing, Kushner had no plans to become a rabbi until he joined an evening program at the [[Jewish Theological Seminary of America|Jewish Theological Seminary]] in New York City. He became certain about his calling to be a rabbi during his junior year at Columbia.<ref name=":1" /> He completed his bachelor's degree in [[religious education]] in 1955, and after completing his master's degree in the social and philosophical foundations of education in 1960, he enrolled full-time at the seminary, where he was [[Semikhah|ordained]] that same year.<ref name=":02" /> Kushner received his doctorate in [[Hebrew literature]] in 1972.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Langer |first=Emily |date=2023-05-04 |title=Harold Kushner, rabbi whose books brought solace to millions, dies at 88 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/05/04/harold-kushner-bad-things-good-people/ |access-date=2023-08-19 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> He also completed a year of graduate work at the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] and held teaching positions at [[Clark University]] and the Rabbinical School of the JTS.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-18 |title=Rabbi Laureate Harold Kushner z"l {{!}} Temple Israel of Natick - Conservative Jewish Synagogue |url=https://www.tiofnatick.org/who-we-are/clergy/rabbi-laureate-harold-kushner/ |access-date=2023-08-18 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
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[[Category:Jewish humanists]] | [[Category:Jewish humanists]] | ||
[[Category:Jewish Theological Seminary of America semikhah recipients]] | [[Category:Jewish Theological Seminary of America semikhah recipients]] | ||
[[Category:Columbia College | [[Category:Columbia College, Columbia University alumni]] | ||
[[Category:Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni]] | [[Category:Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni]] | ||
[[Category:Religious leaders from Brooklyn]] | [[Category:Religious leaders from Brooklyn]] | ||
[[Category:People from Greater Boston]] | [[Category:People from Greater Boston]] | ||
[[Category:Erasmus Hall High School alumni]] | [[Category:Erasmus Hall High School alumni]] | ||