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Eliezer Schweid's career as philosopher, scholar, educator and public intellectual has spanned the history of the State of Israel from the pre-war Yishuv period to the present. In these essays he recalls his formative years in the Zionist youth and the Hebrew University. He reflects on the existential loneliness of the modern Jew. He examines the perennial problem of theodicy through a Jewish lens in its broadest human parameters. Finally, he offers a challenging critique of the postmodern culture of the "global village," in which the marketplace and skepticism have crowded out humane values rooted in the traditions of historical culture.
About the author
Eliezer Schweid (1929-2022) was Professor Emeritus of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University. He published over forty books in general and specific areas of Jewish thought of all periods, and commented frequently on the relevance of the legacy of Jewish thought to contemporary issues of Jewish and universal human concern. He was the recipient of the distinguished Israel Prize and two honorary doctorates. Leonard Levin teaches Jewish philosophy at the Academy for Jewish Religion, Yonkers, NY.
Summary
Eliezer Schweid’s career as philosopher, scholar, educator and public intellectual has spanned the history of the State of Israel from the pre-war Yishuv period to the present. In these essays he recalls his formative years in the Zionist youth and the Hebrew University. He reflects on the existential loneliness of the modern Jew. He examines the perennial problem of theodicy through a Jewish lens in its broadest human parameters. Finally, he offers a challenging critique of the postmodern culture of the “global village,” in which the marketplace and skepticism have crowded out humane values rooted in the traditions of historical culture.
