Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD
Reimagine the Possibilities for Your Own
Congregation
We all share a deep human need for meaning
in our lives, a need to feel that we are part of something
larger than ourselves. Yet many of us have discovered that
successful careers, material affluence—even loving
families—are not enough to satisfy this longing. And, too
often, the congregations and organizations in which we seek
greater meaning are uninspiring, or worse.
The answer lies in belonging to a strong
spiritual community—not just a collection of individuals
but a dynamic, integrated congregation linked by commitment and
vision, sustained by friendship and shared experience. But how
to build it?
Informative and encouraging, wise and
practical, Spiritual Community looks at congregations and
organizations—what they are and what they might
become—and reveals the unique role they have the
potential to play in refreshing our minds, transforming our
hearts and giving our lives meaning. From establishing
“radiant centers” to welcome people into the heart
of the community, to reclaiming the power of ritual, to
suggesting strategies for dealing with conflict—Rabbi
Teutsch offers practical solutions to challenges congregations
commonly face making themselves into spiritual communities.
This is essential reading for every
spiritual and lay leader—for anyone who wants to
transform their congregation or organization into a strong
spiritual community.
“David Teutsch’s insights into
the whys and hows of community building are a welcome addition
to the resource shelf of those looking for spiritual
community.”
—Rabbi
Sid Schwarz, author of Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation
of Jews Can Transform the American Synagogue; founder/president
of PANIM
“Congregations must be places of
learning, caring, justice and prayer to be truly spiritual and
to help transform the future of American Jewry. Spiritual Community is
the best hands-on guide to the creation of warm and welcoming
congregations that I’ve seen in a very long
time.”
—Barry
Shrage, president, Combined Jewish
Philanthropies of Greater Boston
“An insightful, instructive
and inspirational meditation on how to build compelling and
meaningful communities that is must-reading for professionals
and layleaders committed to this sacred work.”
—Dr. Ron
Wolfson, co-founder, Synagogue 2000
“Speaks to the profound sense
of disconnectedness and deep feelings of longing that
characterize contemporary American life. With great
sensitivity, Teutsch offers a significant contribution to the
conversation on community, challenging us to build intensive,
compelling cohorts that will ultimately offer comfort and
strength to individuals and revitalize the broader American
Jewish Community.”
—Rabbi
Sharon Brous, spiritual leader
of IKAR (www.ikar-la.org)
Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD, has been a builder of religious community
since becoming a congregational rabbi thirty years ago. He is
the Wiener Professor of Contemporary Jewish Civilization and
director of the Levin-Lieber Program in Jewish Ethics at the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) in Philadelphia. He
served as the president of RRC for nearly a decade. The editor
in chief of the groundbreaking Kol Haneshamah prayerbook
series, he has also authored and edited several other books and
dozens of articles. He is a cofounder of the National Havurah
Committee and former executive director of the Jewish
Reconstructionist Federation. Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD
is available to speak on the following topics:
- Rethinking Jewish Sex Ethics
- Reinvigorating Community and Spirituality: A Challenge for the Contemporary Jewish Congregation
- Jewish Speech Ethics: A Path to Strengthening Relationships, Building Trust and Improving Your World
- Filling the Gap between The New York Times and the Halakha: A Liberal Perspective on Judaism as a Way of Life
- Judaism as a Civilization: Understanding Reconstructionist Judaism
Click here to contact the author.
