But Who Am I and Who Are My People? : A Rabbi's Reflections on the Rabbinate and the Jewish Community

Via Kabbalistic symbolism about God's and ideal human qualities, the Orthodox rabbi of the Sephardic Shearith Israel Synagogue of New York City (founded in 1654) shares a rabbi's roles, wisdom, and frustrations. Includes a bibliography, but no index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Rabbi Angel's book on Jewish thought and contemporary life is based on what he has learned and experienced during 30 years as an orthodox rabbi at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in New York City. His aim is to help readers gain an insight into the rabbinical way of life. Rabbi Angel insists that his position entails not just working for the people of his congregation but for the Jewish people as a whole. His work includes raising funds for many Jewish causes, marriage counseling, and teaching Torah values. He discusses the importance of instructing congregants on various aspects of Jewish law, practical knowledge needed to deal with marriage, divorce, ritual issues, congregational policy, treatment of the terminally ill, and keeping kosher. His duties include repudiating anti-Jewish stereotypes that have been passed down from generation to generation and nourishing a spirit of unity and understanding within the Jewish community, which, today, is growing diverse and segmented. Readers seeking to know more about Jewish life in today's society will find the book enlightening. George Cohen
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An Orthodox rabbi for over 30 years at Congregation Shearith Israel, the historic Sephardic synagogue in New York City, Angel (Voices in Exile: A Study in Sephardic Intellectual History, A Sephardic Passover Haggadah) reflects here on the role of the rabbi in the spiritual, ethical, social, even political life of his congregation. He sees his role as being infinitely patient in helping the congregation spiritually prepare for the coming of the Messiah, working diligently for the Jewish people as a whole, studying and teaching the Torah, standing up for Torah values and promoting the well-being of Jewish families, raising funds for the betterment of Jews and Judaism, and reflecting a true attitude of piety and compassion. While he is firm in his Orthodox beliefs he is against intermarriage, homosexuality, and a broader role for women in the synagogue, for example he has done much within the Jewish community to foster greater understanding among Jews of other denominations. A welcome, well-composed look into the life and mind of an Orthodox rabbi; recommended for Judaica collections. Marcia Welsh, formerly with the Guilford Free Lib., CT
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