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For Those Who Can't Believe: Overcoming the Obstacles to Faith

Harold M. Schulweis

3.84 · Rating details · 37 ratings · 8 reviews

The distinguished rabbi of one of America's largest congregations offers a welcoming view of Judaism that will inspire the believer and the non-believer alike.

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Paperback, 224 pages

Published August 4th 1995 by Harper Perennial (first published September 1994)

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· 37 ratings · 8 reviews

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Sep 23, 2010 Reese rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorite-gr-finds

Harold M. Schulweis' FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T BELIEVE is not, I believe, "for those who can't believe." It is for those who are searching for meaning in rituals, for interesting ways of exploring tough questions, for opportunities to be part of a community, for a religious identity that is more clearly defined than waves of spirituality. The material that informs Schulweis' work comes primarily, though not exclusively, from Jewish sources; but to appreciate the book, one need not be a nonobservant Je ...more

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Jan 17, 2019 Kaiti rated it liked it

Shelves: jewish

This started out strong, but it feels like it lost its way in the last 2/3rds or so. I don't think it ultimately accomplished what it set out to, though it's well-written and interesting nonetheless.

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Jun 30, 2011 Michael Doyle rated it liked it

Shelves: judaica, jewish-conversion-journey

This book struck me as a kinder, gentler version of Kushkoff's "Nothing Sacred." Whereas Kushkoff calls for a completely humanistic Judaism (but refuses to call himself a Reconstructionist Jew), Schulweis allows an eternal/constant God to stay remain in Judaism. He covers similar ground to Kushkoff, including reframing prayer, ritual, miracles, conscience, the nature of God, and the revelation of the Torah in a manner understandable to skeptical modern sensibilities.

The big difference--and the ...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Sheffy rated it liked it

This book was recommended by our rabbi as one of the books on Judaism to prepare us for our wedding. At first I strongly resonated with it- as the target audience of someone who couldn't accept the God of the bible, but doesn't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. It proposes a middle ground and says it's OK to question. It is worthwhile to read, yet at times, the anecdotes meander and seem unneccessary. But in the end, I found it didn't really answer questions and I was not completely ...more

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Mar 09, 2009 David rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2009

I really enjoyed a lot of the author's interpretations of what faith and religion can be for people who have a hard accepting them. I found these arguments and the book's style similar to Harold Kunsher's, but I find Kushner to be more modern or liberal (this author continually refers to God with male pronouns). Though it wasn't one of my favorite books to read, I found it overall useful in my investigations into religion.

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Jan 24, 2016 Margueritte rated it it was amazing

"I have come to know many believers with profound doubts and many unbelievers with deep yearnings for serious questions."

Don't waste your time reading my review --just read this book. Right now. I'll wait...

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Jan 21, 2008 Jared is currently reading it

Shelves: spirituality

This has been really interesting and engaging. Too bad I don't have more time to sit with this. It's also suffered from new additions to my collection, pushing this down the list.

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