A Passionate Pacifist: Essential Writings of Aaron Samuel Tamares

The first English-language translation of the Hebrew essays and sermons of Rabbi Aaron Samuel Tamares (1869-1931). An Orthodox rabbi, he served as a delegate to the Fourth World Zionist Congress in 1900, after which renounced nationalism and embraced pacifism as a central Jewish teaching. Readers may not always agree with him, but they will respect his deep, thoughtful insights.

This volume also includes a translation of a lengthy Yiddish-language autobiographical essay Rabbi Tamares wrote toward the end of his life. The essay was translated by Ri J. Turner. Tzemah Yoreh also contributed to the translations in this volume.

Rabbi Everett Gendler has been bringing Rabbi Tamares to the attention of English readers for more than 50 years. A trailblazing environmentalist, peace activist, and unwavering proponent of social justice, He was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1957. Rabbi Gendler led congregations throughout Latin America before serving Jewish communities in New Jersey and Massachusetts. He served as the first Jewish chaplain at Phillips Academy Andover. He was recently awarded the Presidents' Medallion from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion "in recognition of a lifetime commitment to social justice and environmentalism."

A collection of Rabbi Gendler's writings was published in 2015 as Judaism for Universalists.

Aaron Samuel Tamares (1869-1931) was a rabbi, writer, and philosopher. Born near Maltsh in the district of Grodno, Tamares became known as the "prodigy from Maltsh." Upon the death of his father-in-law (1893), he inherited his post as rabbi in the village of Milejczyce (Grodno district), which he occupied until his death. With the emergence of political Zionism, Tamares joined the new movement and responded to rabbinical opposition in a series of articles. He said that the religious leadership of the people was becoming petrified and incapable of moving with the spirit of the times; this, he argued, was the reason for its loss of mass support. Tamares participated in the Fourth Zionist Congress in 1900 but returned disillusioned with Zionism, especially its political aspects. He began to denounce nationalism, and to preach pacifism. At the core of Tamares' outlook was his concept of Judaism as a moral code.

Rabbi Everett Gendler has spent decades as a trailblazing environmentalist, peace activist, and unwavering proponent of social justice. Ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1957, Rabbi Gendler led congregations throughout Latin America before serving Jewish communities in New Jersey and Massachusetts. He served as the first Jewish chaplain at Phillips Academy Andover.

Ri J. Turner is a translator and Yiddish teacher at the Maison de la culture yiddish Bibliothèque Medem in Paris. She holds an M.A. in Yiddish from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.