Jewish Stars in Texas: Rabbis and Their Work: No. 84 (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students) - Hardcover

Book 23 of 51: Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University

Weiner, Hollace Ava

 
9780890969007: Jewish Stars in Texas: Rabbis and Their Work: No. 84 (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students)
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0890969000 ISBN 13: 9780890969007
Publisher: Texas A & M University Press, 1999

Synopsis

A fraction of Texans are Jewish, yet Texas rabbis are among the most influential, colorful, and celebrated figures in the state's history and culture. In Jewish Stars in Texas, Hollace Ava Weiner examines eleven rabbis whose wisdom and leadership were felt not only by their congregations but also by their communities. Texas proved to be a blank slate for many rabbis -- a chance to escape traditional practices, make a fresh start, or, simply, a chance to make a living. Of Weiner's eleven rabbis, ten grew to lead Reform congregations, stressing social justice and community service, and one was affiliated with Conservative Judaism, which seeks to balance tradition with modernity. Jewish Stars in Texas begins with the first large wave of Jewish immigrants to arrive in Texas in the 1870s. Weiner addresses the rabbis' roles as mixers, who bridged Jewish traditions with the cultural demands of Texas, and as motivators, who stirred up involvement in social causes. The influence of these Texas rabbis -- whether it involved fighting the Ku Klux Klan or founding a symphony -- can be appreciated by everyone who benefitted from the causes they championed. Jews and Texans who wish to learn more about their heritage will find this book essential reading and an engaging source of informative and colorful stories.

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Review

"These biographies engage not just because they record a Jewish heritage that might otherwise be lost; they command our attention, rather, because they frequently speak of heroism, of people who chose to act rather than simply to accept the status quo."

About the Author

HOLLACE AVA WEINER, a native of Washington, D.C., graduated from the University of Maryland and was a journalist with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Her research into Texas rabbis has been published in American Jewish History, and Quiet Voices: Southern Rabbis and Black Civil Rights.

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Publisher
Texas A & M University Press
Publication date
1999
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0890969000
ISBN 13 
9780890969007
Binding
Hardcover
Number of pages
320

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9781585444946: Jewish Stars in Texas: Rabbis and Their Work: 84 (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students)

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  1585444944 ISBN 13:  9781585444946
Publisher: Texas A & M University Press, 2006
Softcover