The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism

In this unique collection of essays, some of todays smartest Jewish thinkers explore a broad range of fundamental questions in an effort to balance ancient tradition and modern sexuality.

In the last few decades a number of factors—post-modernism, feminism, queer liberation, and more—have brought discussion of sexuality to the fore, and with it a whole new set of questions that challenge time-honored traditions and ways of thinking. For Jews of all backgrounds, this has often led to an unhappy standoff between tradition and sexual empowerment.

Yet as The Passionate Torah illustrates, it is of critical importance to see beyond this apparent conflict if Jews are to embrace both their religious beliefs and their sexuality. With incisive essays from contemporary rabbis, scholars, thinkers, and writers, this collection not only surveys the challenges that sexuality poses to Jewish belief, but also offers fresh new perspectives and insights on the changing place of sexuality within Jewish theology—and Jewish lives. Covering topics such as monogamy, inter-faith relationships, reproductive technology, homosexuality, and a host of other hot-button issues, these writings consider how contemporary Jews can engage themselves, their loved ones, and their tradition in a way thatÂs both sexy and sanctified.

Seeking to deepen the Jewish conversation about sexuality, The Passionate Torah brings together brilliant thinkers in an attempt to bridge the gap between the sacred and the sexual.

Contributors: Rebecca Alpert, Wendy Love Anderson, Judith R. Baskin, Aryeh Cohen, Elliot Dorff, Esther Fuchs, Bonna Haberman, Elliot Kukla, Gail Labovitz, Malka Landau, Sarra Lev, Laura Levitt, Sara Meirowitz, Jay Michaelson, Haviva Ner-David, Danya Ruttenberg, Naomi Seidman, and Arthur Waskow.

Teaching Why and How
Rating: 5

Ruttenberg. Danya (editor). "The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism", NYU Press, 2009. Teaching Why and How Amos Lassen
Sexuality is a modern issue especially in relationship to the Jewish religion. We are now openly discussing issues that were never spoken about publicly before. With that discussion come new questions that challenge the traditions of the religion and the time has come to stop the standoff between sexuality and tradition. This is what brings about a need for Danya Ruttenberg's "The Passionate Torah".
The book is a collection of essays that surveys and takes to task the Jewish religion and sexuality and the issues that sexuality poses to belief. The sexuality of today challenges Jewish theology and the lives of the members of the Jewish religion. Some of the topics covered here include homosexuality, monogamy, inter-faith marriage, birth control and reproduction and its technology. We see how the modern Jew can be both sexual and holy. The essays are by modern thinkers that include Jay Michaelson, Rebecca Alpert, Arthur Waskow, the editor herself and others. Found myself constantly surprised at what I found here and I had a good deal of fun reading. Here is a book for a modern Jew in a modern age. There is a great deal of new information and the reading experience was pure pleasure and thought provoking.