Sanjana Kumbhani
Features Editor
The book Guidance, Not Governance: Rabbi Solomon B. Freehof and Reform Responsa, authored by Joan Friedman and published by Hebrew Union College Press, was recently named a National Jewish Book Award Finalist for 2013. Friedman is an Associate Professor of History and Religious Studies at the College, and this book grew out of her doctoral dissertation on Freehof.
She is currently on research sabbatical leave but will be back on campus for Fall 2014. While the topic was obviously of scholarly interest to Friedman, she was also encouraged to write the book because of her involvement in the same rabbinic body as Freehof.
Freehof, rabbi of Rodef Shalom Congregation in Pittsburgh, served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the World Union for Progressive Judaism.
Beginning in 1955, he led the CCAR’s work on Jewish law through its Responsa Committee. Friedman joined this committee a few years after his death in 1992. So while she did not get to meet him personally, she was still extremely intrigued by his work. When she realized that nobody had studied his work from an academic perspective, she decided to take on the job herself.
Friedman said, “It’s a unique topic that has to do with the evolution of Reform Judaism and Freehof’s pivotal role in the process. It sits at the intersection of history and religious studies.”
As far as the honor is concerned, Friedman wasn’t even aware that the editors of the book had sent it to be considered for the award.
“I first received an email from an old friend congratulating me on being chosen as a finalist and my initial reaction was ‘what?’, and just a few minutes later I received an email from my editor informing me of the news. Being a finalist is like winning second prize but such a big honor … I am still jumping for joy. It was so unexpected.”
The National Jewish Book Awards is the longest-running North American awards program of its kind in the field of Jewish literature and is recognized as the most prestigious. The book’s dust jacket will be marked with a silver seal proclaiming it a National Jewish Book Award Finalist.