The Hebrew alphabet has long beguiled and preoccupied Biblical authors and liturgical poets, rationalists and mystics, conservatives and radicals. It has served as a locus of theological speculation, an engine of creativity and a recurrent motif throughout the cycle of life, from childhood instruction to graveside recitation. For each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Marmur proposes a concept, gleaned from theology, philosophy, ritual, politics, community and other fields. Readers are invited to combine and deploy them in imagining a Judaism of tomorrow.

From a Review

“Elements of a Jewish Theology is a magisterial exploration of the possibilities, and pitfalls, of contemporary Jewish life and theology. This brilliant “lexicon” offers readers a new way of thinking about the most pressing spiritual and ethical questions of our day, drawing together a vast range of sources into a compelling narrative that is both accessibly clear and soaringly poetic. Marmur’s book is an absolute must for anyone interested in a vibrant and honest expression of Judaism!” (Ariel Evan Mayse, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University)