Joshua L. Liebman
Encyclopedia
Joshua Loth Liebman was an American
rabbi
and best-selling author
, best known for the book Peace of Mind, which spent more than a year at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list
.
Born in Hamilton, Ohio
, Liebman graduated from the University of Cincinnati
when he was 19 years old. He went on to be ordained and also earned a doctorate in Hebrew letters from Hebrew Union College
. From 1934 to 1939, Liebman served as rabbi of K.A.M. Temple
in Chicago, Illinois. In 1939, Liebman became the rabbi of Temple Israel
, a Reform
synagogue
in Boston, Massachusetts.
A sermon Liebman gave at Temple Israel, titled "The Road to Inner Serenity", was published as a pamphlet by one of his friends, bookstore owner Richard Fuller, who passed it on to publisher Richard L. Simon
of Simon & Schuster
. Simon & Schuster then arranged to publish Liebman's self-help
book titled Peace of Mind, issued in 1946, which sought to reconcile religion
and psychiatry
. Liebman had himself previously undergone psychoanalysis
. In Peace of Mind, Liebman "addressed himself to the individual whose personal grief and anxiety, unassuageable by social betterment alone, required an inner peace that psychology and religion, working together, could provide." Peace of Mind became one of the year's best-selling books. Reaching #1 on the New York Times nonfiction best-sellers list on October 27, 1946, Peace of Mind held the top position on the list for a total of 58 (non-consecutive) weeks, and spent more than three straight years on the list. (In 1949, Roman Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
responded to Liebman's assertions by publishing a book of his own entitled Peace of Soul.)
While Peace of Mind was still on the best-sellers list, Liebman died at age 41 on June 9, 1948. Although Liebman's death was attributed at the time to a "heart attack" or to a "heart ailment" , writer John Bear
later stated that Liebman had died "in mysterious circumstances".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and best-selling author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, best known for the book Peace of Mind, which spent more than a year at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
.
Born in Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
, Liebman graduated from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
when he was 19 years old. He went on to be ordained and also earned a doctorate in Hebrew letters from Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
. From 1934 to 1939, Liebman served as rabbi of K.A.M. Temple
K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple
KAM Isaiah Israel is the oldest Jewish congregation in Chicago, with its oldest core founded in 1847 as Kehilath Anshe Ma'arav ....
in Chicago, Illinois. In 1939, Liebman became the rabbi of Temple Israel
Temple Israel
Temple Israel is the given name of numerous synagogues. It may refer to:*Temple Israel of Hollywood, Los Angeles, California*Temple Israel *Temple Israel *Temple Israel...
, a Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in Boston, Massachusetts.
A sermon Liebman gave at Temple Israel, titled "The Road to Inner Serenity", was published as a pamphlet by one of his friends, bookstore owner Richard Fuller, who passed it on to publisher Richard L. Simon
Richard L. Simon
Richard Leo Simon was an American businessman, Columbia University graduate, and co-founder of the publishing house Simon & Schuster. Born in New York City, his brother was music critic and author George T...
of Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
. Simon & Schuster then arranged to publish Liebman's self-help
Self-help
Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
book titled Peace of Mind, issued in 1946, which sought to reconcile religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
. Liebman had himself previously undergone psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
. In Peace of Mind, Liebman "addressed himself to the individual whose personal grief and anxiety, unassuageable by social betterment alone, required an inner peace that psychology and religion, working together, could provide." Peace of Mind became one of the year's best-selling books. Reaching #1 on the New York Times nonfiction best-sellers list on October 27, 1946, Peace of Mind held the top position on the list for a total of 58 (non-consecutive) weeks, and spent more than three straight years on the list. (In 1949, Roman Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Fulton J. Sheen
Servant of God Fulton John Sheen, born Peter John Sheen was an American archbishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio...
responded to Liebman's assertions by publishing a book of his own entitled Peace of Soul.)
While Peace of Mind was still on the best-sellers list, Liebman died at age 41 on June 9, 1948. Although Liebman's death was attributed at the time to a "heart attack" or to a "heart ailment" , writer John Bear
John Bear
John Bjorn Bear is an American authority on distance education and a writer of creative reference works. Bear holds bachelor and master degrees from University of California, Berkeley and a doctorate from Michigan State University...
later stated that Liebman had died "in mysterious circumstances".