Spiritual Activism: A Jewish Guide to Leadership and Repairing the World »

In this age of perpetual strife and conflict, we need now more than ever to find out how to be proactive in repairing our broken world. Rabbi Avraham Weiss's provocative and challenging guidebook will show you just that-and so much more.

With easy-to-follow steps, accessible explanations of the principles of spiritual activism and an exploration into the foundations of spiritual activism as rooted in the Torah, Weiss offers more than simply a user manual-he provides an in-depth approach to changing your role in the world.

Topics Include:

Why, How and When Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism?

Choosing the Cause

Making Partners

Designing the Strategy

Leading Other People

Seeing the Big Picture

And more ...

Publishers Weekly

What can one person possibly do to change the world? Rabbi Weiss, a Jewish activist par excellence who has participated in hundreds of demonstrations, marches, vigils, hunger strikes and acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, outlines his answers clearly in this handbook. Activism is not reckless or impulsive behavior, he writes.Its goal-to help others and thereby to help repair the world-is based on a serious analysis of moral, political and logistical issues, bound by Torah. Weiss describes the foundations of spiritual activism and delineates its principles: choosing the cause, making partners, designing the strategy, leading other people and seeing the big picture. He expands and elucidates each facet with personal examples, from his efforts to free Soviet Jews to protesting Yasser Arafat's Nobel Peace Prize and installing handicapped ramps in his synagogue. Though the book has a Jewish focus, its principles are universal.Readers may not agree with all of Weiss's choices, but it is hard not to be moved when he asks, "For me the question is not, Why go to the end of the world to help another Jew? But rather, How can one not go to the end of the world to help another Jew?" (May)

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Foreword xi

A Parable xiii

Preface xv

What Is Spiritual Activism? xviii

Spiritual Activism Is a Tree of Life xix

Part I Foundations of Spiritual Activism 1

1 Why Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism? A Partnership between God and Humankind 5

2 How Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism? A Balance between Public Protest and Quiet Diplomacy 9

3 When Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism? Action That Benefits the Larger Community 15

Part II Pillars of Spiritual Activism 19

4 Loving Other Jews Ahavat Yisrael 23

5 Acting on Behalf of Other Jews Pe'ilut Yisrael 27

6 The Unity of Israel Achdut Yisrael 31

7 Nurturing Jewish Spirituality Ruach Yisrael 35

8 The Centrality of the State of Israel Medinat Yisrael 39

9 Loving Humankind Ahavat Habriyot 43

Part III Principles of Spiritual Activism 47

10 Step 1: Choosing the Cause 51

11 Step 2: Making Partners 75

12 Step 3: Designing the Strategy 101

13 Step 4: Leading Other People 127

14 Step 5: Seeing the Big Picture 151

Every Action Counts 167

The Spiritual Activist's Action Plan 171

Notes 185

Acknowledgments 190