Max Kadushin
Encyclopedia
Max Kadushin was a Conservative
rabbi
best known for his organic philosophy of rabbinics.
, Kadushin studied for the rabbinate at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
during the 1920s. There he encountered Mordecai Kaplan
and soon became a key figure in Kaplan's Reconstructionist Judaism
movement. As his studies in haggadah continued during the late 1920s, however, he found himself drifting away from Kaplan's decidedly modernist approach to rabbinics and began to argue for a more aftermodernist approach—one that placed greater weight on the enduring significance of the haggadah.
In 1921, Kadushin became the rabbi of Congregation B'nai Israel of Washington Heights in New York City. In 1923 he married Evelyn Garfiel, a psychologist and professor, who later became well known for her book on Jewish prayer, The Service of the Heart (1958). Their son, Charles Kadushin, became a notable sociologist and social network
analyst at Columbia University
and later, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York
.
In 1926, Kadushin moved to Chicago, where he became the rabbi of Humboldt Boulevard Temple. In 1931, Kadushin moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he served as the rabbi of the University of Wisconsin Hillel. In 1932, he received a Doctor of Hebrew Letters degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
From 1942 to 1952 he was director of the Hebrew High School of Greater New York, later known as the Marshaliah Hebrew High School. During the next several years he served two congregations in the New York area, the Bay Shore Jewish Center of Long Island, 1953-1954, and Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, Bronx, New York, 1954-1958. From 1958 to 1960 Kadushin was professor of midrash and homiletics at the Academy for Higher Jewish Learning in New York City.
In 1960 Kadushin was invited to become visiting professor in ethics and rabbinic thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary. He held this position from 1960 to 1980, the year of his death.
Kadushin is now regarded as an important figure in the history of twentieth-century Conservative Judaism
. In 1990, the book, Teaching for Christian Hearts, Souls & Minds, written by the Rev. Locke E. Bowman, Jr., after conversations with one of Kadushin's students, Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff
, was an attempt to apply Kadushin's theories of value concepts and organic Judaism to Christian teaching.
texts possess organic, experiential consistency despite the sometimes non-linear character they possess.
is more apparent in this volume than in any of Kadushin's other works.
and Jewish mysticism. It is notable, among other reasons, for Kadushin's relative denunciation of Kabbalah
as a tradition with which traditional rabbinic philosophy cannot easily be reconciled. Kadushin sees more practical value in normal mysticism, the complex but decidedly non-supernatural
everyday religious experience of any pious and observant Jew.
"Torah is not only personified, but possesses the quality of a personality."
"[S]piritual experience in most religions is seldom an unmixed blessing. Left to itself, uncontrolled, it may manifest itself in the most absurd of human vagaries and sanctify not only unsocial but anti-social behavior and utterly callous selfishness."
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
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...
best known for his organic philosophy of rabbinics.
Biography
After graduating from New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, Kadushin studied for the rabbinate at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism, and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studies.JTS operates five schools: Albert A...
during the 1920s. There he encountered Mordecai Kaplan
Mordecai Kaplan
Mordecai Menahem Kaplan , was a rabbi, essayist and Jewish educator and the co-founder of Reconstructionist Judaism along with his son-in-law Ira Eisenstein.-Life and work:...
and soon became a key figure in Kaplan's Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of Mordecai Kaplan . The movement views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization. It originated as a branch of Conservative Judaism, before it splintered...
movement. As his studies in haggadah continued during the late 1920s, however, he found himself drifting away from Kaplan's decidedly modernist approach to rabbinics and began to argue for a more aftermodernist approach—one that placed greater weight on the enduring significance of the haggadah.
In 1921, Kadushin became the rabbi of Congregation B'nai Israel of Washington Heights in New York City. In 1923 he married Evelyn Garfiel, a psychologist and professor, who later became well known for her book on Jewish prayer, The Service of the Heart (1958). Their son, Charles Kadushin, became a notable sociologist and social network
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
analyst at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and later, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
.
In 1926, Kadushin moved to Chicago, where he became the rabbi of Humboldt Boulevard Temple. In 1931, Kadushin moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he served as the rabbi of the University of Wisconsin Hillel. In 1932, he received a Doctor of Hebrew Letters degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
From 1942 to 1952 he was director of the Hebrew High School of Greater New York, later known as the Marshaliah Hebrew High School. During the next several years he served two congregations in the New York area, the Bay Shore Jewish Center of Long Island, 1953-1954, and Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, Bronx, New York, 1954-1958. From 1958 to 1960 Kadushin was professor of midrash and homiletics at the Academy for Higher Jewish Learning in New York City.
In 1960 Kadushin was invited to become visiting professor in ethics and rabbinic thought at The Jewish Theological Seminary. He held this position from 1960 to 1980, the year of his death.
Kadushin is now regarded as an important figure in the history of twentieth-century Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
. In 1990, the book, Teaching for Christian Hearts, Souls & Minds, written by the Rev. Locke E. Bowman, Jr., after conversations with one of Kadushin's students, Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff
Arnold Resnicoff
Arnold E. Resnicoff is an American Conservative rabbi, a decorated retired military officer and military chaplain, and a consultant on leadership, values, and interreligious affairs to military and civilian leaders...
, was an attempt to apply Kadushin's theories of value concepts and organic Judaism to Christian teaching.
"The Theology of Seder Eliahu" (1932)
This work, a commentary on Seder Eliahu, was derived from Kadushin's Ph.D. dissertation. In it, he argues that ancient rabbinicRabbinic literature
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. However, the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds with the Hebrew term...
texts possess organic, experiential consistency despite the sometimes non-linear character they possess.
"Organic Thinking" (1938)
Generally regarded as Kadushin's most important work, this volume establishes the fundamentals of Kadushin's philosophy--value-concepts, indeterminacy of belief, and normal mysticism--in a relatively straightforward manner. Although much of the work consists of textual analysis, the influence of Alfred North WhiteheadAlfred North Whitehead
Alfred North Whitehead, OM FRS was an English mathematician who became a philosopher. He wrote on algebra, logic, foundations of mathematics, philosophy of science, physics, metaphysics, and education...
is more apparent in this volume than in any of Kadushin's other works.
"The Rabbinic Mind" (1952)
This volume, which focuses almost entirely on Talmudic hermeneutics, builds on both of his previous works."Worship and Ethics" (1964)
This volume focuses primarily on rabbinic moral theologyMoral theology
Moral theology is a systematic theological treatment of Christian ethics. It is usually taught on Divinity faculties as a part of the basic curriculum.- External links :*...
and Jewish mysticism. It is notable, among other reasons, for Kadushin's relative denunciation of Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
as a tradition with which traditional rabbinic philosophy cannot easily be reconciled. Kadushin sees more practical value in normal mysticism, the complex but decidedly non-supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
everyday religious experience of any pious and observant Jew.
"A Conceptual Commentary on Midrash Leviticus Rabbah" (1987)
These two volumes represent Kadushin's efforts to apply his system of hermeneutics to classic rabbinic texts.Quotations
"What is not defined usually cannot be defined.""Torah is not only personified, but possesses the quality of a personality."
"[S]piritual experience in most religions is seldom an unmixed blessing. Left to itself, uncontrolled, it may manifest itself in the most absurd of human vagaries and sanctify not only unsocial but anti-social behavior and utterly callous selfishness."