The Jewish Prophet: Visionary Words From Moses and Miriam to Henrietta Szold and A.J. Heschel »

"This illustrated collection of Jewish prophecy features the lives and teachings of thirty men and women. Throughout the ages, they bravely stood up to speak God's message and made a lasting contribution to our understanding of both the human and the Divine. This book also provides an inspiring and informative description of the role each played in their own time - and an explanation of why we should know about them in our time." "These inspiring moral and spiritual leaders were critics of the evils of society, rooted out corruption among those in power and provided healing and comfort in times of despair and hardship. They ranged from the biblical prophets through the thinkers and leaders of medieval times to modern-day visionaries and activists." "All of these people spoke up bravely against the evils of their day, and were prepared to risk their lives for the sake of truth. The lives and words of these passionate advocates for change are still a source of great inspiration today. Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire introduces their own words by discussing the life and message of each prophet, revealing how much Judaism has contributed to society's moral values. Drawing parallels between the biblical and later prophets, he highlights our ongoing need for men and women to take on the role of the prophet." Illustrated with illuminations from medieval Hebrew manuscripts, The Jewish Prophet is a richly decorated and fascinating collection of inspiration and wisdom; and the only book to gather together prophecy from ancient medieval and modern times.

Publishers Weekly

A London-based rabbi, Shire is vice-principal of the Leo Baeck College and Center for Jewish Education. In this beautifully illustrated book, he selects 30 individuals who meet his criteria for being called "prophets," which he defines as "men and women who believed they were called to a special task in speaking God's word, and who served as the moral and spiritual leaders of their time." This differs from the conventional perception of a prophet as one who foresees the future, but it is consistent with the 21 books of the Bible that deal with prophets and use the Hebrew word for prophet, navi, meaning "spokesperson for God." For the first of his three categories of prophets, "In the Beginning," Shire adds Moses, Miriam, Hillel, Yohanan ben Zakkai and Akiva to the list of more familiar prophets such Samuel, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah and Jeremiah. His second category is called "From Generation to Generation," and Shire concludes with "Even in Our Own Time." This last section starts with Theodor Herzl and ends with Abraham Joshua Heschel. Most of the individuals designated by Shire are well-known, but he also includes less familiar names such as Lily Montagu and Hannah Werbermacher. The effort to expand the meaning of "prophet" may cause some raised eyebrows, but Shire builds a strong case for including people who are not in the Bible. Uniform treatment is accorded to each of Shire's "prophets," consisting of quotes, a brief biography and, in many instances, appropriate color illustrations taken from illuminated manuscripts in the British Museum. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.