Rabbis: The Many Faces of Judaism

From the lens of world-renowned photographer George Kalinsky comes this look at one hundred leading and influential rabbis of the twenty-first century. Through lush and brilliant photographs and essays by the rabbis in their own words we see the multifaceted people they are: leaders, teachers, preachers, scholars, spiritual innovators, chaplains, as well as fathers, mothers, avid hobbyists, and professionals.

Rabbis: The Many Faces of Judaism is an extraordinary book about modern Judaism. It features one hundred portraits of rabbis that span the globe and the ideological spectrum, from youthful Orthodox communal leaders to pillars of contemporary Reform Judaism, portraying today's Jewish leaders, and Judaism itself, in its diversity and dimensions. Keepers of the flame of Judaism, these are people who are working in the twenty-first century but are deeply aware of their religious legacy.

Some of the rabbis included in the book are: Rabbi Eric Yoffie, who was named the number one Jewish leader in America in The Forward in November 2001; Rabbi Eugene Borowitz, a well-known political activist and founder of a popular New York synagogue; Shmuley Boteach, author of Kosher Sex and a fixture on talk shows and in the media; Norman Lamm, outgoing president of Yeshiva University; Ismar Schorsch, chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary; David Wolpe, author of Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times, and other books; Laura Geller, Senior rabbi, Temple Emanuel, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Irving "Yitz" Greenberg, theologian and former chair of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, and Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People. The book also includes Rabbi Sally Priesand, America's first woman rabbi, and Rabbi Yosef Hadana, the first Ethiopian rabbi.

Chosen for the rabbis' wide range of beliefs and interests, the people here represent the rabbinate as the rich, hard-to-define, impossible-to-categorize world that it is. Their life stories, which describe their coming to grips with their religion, are brilliantly articulated, filling the book with inspirational messages and spiritual guidance for all people-- not only for members of the Jewish faith but for people of all faiths and beliefs.

The photographs were taken by George Kalinsky, the official photographer at Madison Square Garden for more than thirty years. He has authored seven books, and his photos have appeared in numerous publications including Time, Life, People, Esquire, New York, Sports Illustrated, and Newsweek.

George Kalinsky is the Official Photographer at Madison Square Garden and special photographer to the New York Mets. His skillful capturing of great moments in sports and entertainment is unparalleled. He has authored seven books, which include Shooting Stars, The New York Mets: A Photographic History, The New York Knicks: The Official 50th Anniversary Celebration, and his photos have appeared in numerous publications including Time, Life, People, Esquire, New York, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek. His pictures have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum, and International Center for Photography, among others. He was named the PMDA International Photographer of the Year in 2001. He and his wife, June, reside in New York City.

Michael Kress has edited the rabbis' personal essays. A graduate of Yale and Harvard Divinity School, his writing on religion and spirituality has appeared in many prestigious newspapers around the world. He is the editor-in-chief of MyJewishLearning.com, a Jewish educational website, and the former Judaism editor at Beliefnet.com, a multifaith website.