What's Special about Judaism? - Tapa dura

HENRY COHEN, born into a family of Texas Reform Rabbis, was ordained as a rabbi at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati in 1953. In 1964, he became rabbi of Beth David Reform Congregation in Philadelphia.In the 1970´s, he was the chairman of the Jewish Coalition for Peace.During the late 1960's and 1970's, he taught a course on Judaism at St. Joseph´s University.He wrote two books, Justice, Justice: A Jewish View of the Black Revolution, and Why Judaism? - A Search for Meaning in Jewish Identity.

In 1993, after becoming rabbi emeritus, he conducted research on "Raising Children in an Interfaith Family," published by the Jewish Outreach Institute.Since 1993, he has taught an Introduction to Judaism course primarily but not exclusively for interfaith couples.This book is his attempt to convey to skeptical Jews and searching non-Jews What´s Special about Judaism?

"This volume offers sound scholarship and a very personal and consistently interesting approach to Judaism that relates to fundamental Jewish values, practices and beliefs to the everyday concerns of today´s readers.Rabbi Cohen understands his readers´ questions before they are asked, and provides them with a liberal understanding of the Jewish tradition that is refreshingly honest and intellectually compelling." Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism.

"Henry Cohen´s journey through the crucial aspects and history of Judaism and the Jewish people is amazingly deft at transmitting 4,000 years of struggle in a succinct, inviting way. His invitations to join in wrestling with the central issues and questions are a powerful teaching not only of how to learn from the past but of how to create the future."Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director of the Shalom Center, author and leader of Jewish Renewal.

Henry Cohen, born in Houston, was ordained at the Hebrew Union College in 1953. He was an army chaplain, served as assistant rabbi in Great Neck, where he met his wife, Edna. They moved to Champaign-Urbana where Henry served a "town and gown" congregation and received a Masters Degree in the Philosophy of Education. In 1964, Henry moved to Philadelphia, where he served as rabbi of Beth David Reform Congregation until he became an emeritus in 1993. He wrote Why Judaism?, What's Special about Judaism? and a biography of his grandfather, Kindler of Souls: Rabbi Henry Cohen of Texas.