For some twenty years from the late 1960s, and thereafter following a brief pause, representatives of British Jewry’s religious orientations held closed-door meetings at the Chief Rabbi’s residence in attempts to bridge their communal and halachic differences. So secret were they that barely a word broke through, and until now the details of their often fiery disputations – both verbally and in writing – have never been revealed. In an exclusive glimpse into this shrouded arena, "Closed Doors, Open Minds" presents an important new chapter in Meir Persoff’s acclaimed series on the British Chief Rabbinate, deftly unraveling the manifold theological and ideological strands of its multi-hued tapestry.
Price: $109.00
Pages: 258
Publisher: Academic Studies Press
Imprint: Academic Studies Press
Publication Date:
20 February 2018
Trim Size: 9.21 X 6.14 in
ISBN: 9781618117557
Format: Hardcover
BISACs:
Judaism
In
Closed Doors, Open Minds, the distinguished former [
Jewish Chronicle] journalist Meir Persoff documents the history of this dialogue [between Orthodox and Progressives]. It is a rigorous, balanced and thoughtful presentation, made all the more striking because what one might have expected to be a straightforward liaison between the religious leaders of British Jewry turned out to be an emotional and spiritual roller coaster for its participants.
Under the title Closed
Doors, Open Minds … and using a breathtaking array of hitherto closed
archives, Dr Persoff now offers a fascinating — but at the same time depressing
— insight into these clandestine disputations.
— Geoffrey Alderman, Michael Gross Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at the University of Buckingham“Meir Persoff has made a considerable contribution to the
study of British Jewry in recent years. In particular, he has published a
number of works that focus on the role of the chief rabbinate in Britain. These
examine the schisms that different postholders have either fostered or
contributed toward. These volumes bring together an enormously wide-ranging
array of sources. His journalistic background, which developed his
investigative skills while also helping him nurture contacts with key figures
in the community, enabled him to access material previously hidden from view.” —Miri
Freud-Kandel, University of Oxford, H-Judaic
Now a freelance writer and editor, Meir Persoff edited the London Jewish Chronicle’s news, features, arts, Judaism, letters and obituaries sections during a distinguished forty-year career on the paper. He has written extensively on Jewish topics, and served on the Jewish Book Council and as president of the Israel–Judaica Philatelic Society. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he earned his PhD from Middlesex University, London, for his research into the British Chief Rabbinate’s relationship with the non-Orthodox movements.
Preface Foreword, by Aubrey Newman Chapter I, 1945–1960: Strife and Sanctity Chapter II, 1960–1970: Gestures and Concessions Chapter III, 1970–1980: Disputes and Divisions Chapter IV, 1980–1990: Dissent and Disunity Chapter V, 1990–2000: Kinship and Courtesy Notes Bibliography Index
