Jewish Sages of Today

Lawrence Hoffman

The most important thing that we as Jews can do is to use the gifts that God has given us to help the people around us.

brief audio excerpts from Hoffman’s interview for Jewish Sages of Today

  1. On how to make synagogues moral and spiritual centers

    (1:27 min)

  2. On why God allows suffering

    (4:18 min)

  3. Hoffman catalogues his worries

    (3:42 min)

Talks by Hoffman

  1. A Tale of Four Generations: Founders, Baby Boomers and Beyond

    This talk was part of the two-day Jewish Spirituality workshop, the twenty-eighth annual Harry Snyder Scholar in Residence Program, March 24-25, 2006 held at Temple Beth David in Westwood, Mass.
    (video, 12:28)

  2. What is Jewish Spirituality?

    Jewish spirituality has been a core focus of Hoffman’s work for many years. This talk is part of the same workshop referenced above.
    (video, 1:10)

Hoffman has authored or edited more than thirty books and many articles ranging in topic from prayer and Jewish ritual to Israel to music. A selected list of his books appears below; for a more complete list of his publications, see his Hebrew Union College faculty webpage.

  1. One Hundred Great Jewish Books: Three Millennia of Jewish Conversation

    (Bluebridge, 2011)

  2. My People’s Prayer Book Series

    (Jewish Lights Publishing, various years)
    Ten-volume edition of the Siddur (Jewish prayer book); won the National Jewish Book Award in 2007.

  3. Rethinking Synagogues: A New Vocabulary for Congregational Life

    (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2006)

  4. Israel: A Spiritual Travel Guide

    (Jewish Lights Publishing, 1998)

  5. Covenant of Blood: Circumcision and Gender in Rabbinic Judaism

    (Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism)
    (University of Chicago Press, 1995)

  6. Beyond the Text: A Holistic Approach to Liturgy

    (Indiana University Press, 1987)

Related to Hoffman's work

  1. Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman

    Hoffman’s website, which includes information about the topics on which he speaks and consults and a link to his blog.

  2. Blog

    Hoffman’s blog, subtitled “Life and a Little Liturgy.”

  3. One Hundred Great Jewish Books: Three Millennia of Jewish Conversation

    Website for Hoffman’s 2011 book.

  4. Hebrew Union College

    Hoffman has taught at Hebrew Union College for over thirty-five years. His faculty webpage includes a brief biography, books published, major articles, and events.

  5. Synagogue 3000

    Hoffman is co-founder of Synagogue 3000 (originally Synagogue 2000), dedicated to empowering congregations and communities to create synagogues that are sacred and vital centers of Jewish life.

Lecture, interview and more

  1. Lecture, The Search for a Jewish Narrative in the 21st Century

    Video of Hoffman lecturing at The Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life, University of Southern California, November 5, 2007.
    (video, 1:45 hour)

  2. “The Prayer Book of the People,” an interview from Reform Judaism

    Summer 2006 interview with Hoffman, conducted by Aron Hirt-Manheimer, editor of Reform Judaism, regarding the making of the innovative new prayer book, Mishkan T’filah—A Reform Siddur.

  3. Barbara Stephen Friedman Chair in Liturgy Worship and Ritual and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

    Hoffman was the inaugural recipient of the chair as reported in this 2003 article.

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