Milton Steinberg
Encyclopedia
Milton Steinberg was an American
rabbi
, philosopher, theologian and author
.
, he was raised with the combination of his grandparents' traditional Jewish piety and his father's modernist socialism
. He graduated as valedictorian of his class at DeWitt Clinton High School
and then majored in Classics at City College of New York
which he graduated from summa cum laude in 1924. Steinberg received his doctorate in philosophy from Columbia University
in 1928 and then entered the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
where he was ordained. In seminary, he was strongly influenced by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan
(1881–1983), the founder of Reconstructionist Judaism
.
After five years in a pulpit in Indiana, he was invited by the Seminary to assume the pulpit of Manhattan's Park Avenue Synagogue
, then a small congregation with a Reform
orientation. In his sixteen years at the congregation, he grew it from 120 to 750 families. In 1943 he had a near fatal heart attack.
While a disciple of Kaplan who considered himself a Reconstructionist
, Steinberg was critical of Kaplan's dismissal of metaphysics
.
Steinberg's works included Basic Judaism, The Making of the Modern Jew, and As A Driven Leaf
, a historical novel revolving around the talmud
ic characters Elisha ben Abuyah
and Rabbi Akiba. In his final years, he began writing a series of theological essays. This project, which he had hoped would conclude in a book of theology, was cut short by his death at age 46.
An unfinished second novel, The Prophet's Wife, about the Tanakh
characters Hosea
and Gomer
, was published in March 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, philosopher, theologian and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Life
Born in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, he was raised with the combination of his grandparents' traditional Jewish piety and his father's modernist socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. He graduated as valedictorian of his class at DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School is an American high school located in the Bronx, New York City, New York.-History:Clinton opened in 1897 at 60 West 13th Street at the northern end of Greenwich Village under the name of Boys High School, although this Boys High School was not related to the one in Brooklyn...
and then majored in Classics at City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
which he graduated from summa cum laude in 1924. Steinberg received his doctorate in philosophy from 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...
in 1928 and then entered 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...
where he was ordained. In seminary, he was strongly influenced by Rabbi 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:...
(1881–1983), the founder of 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...
.
After five years in a pulpit in Indiana, he was invited by the Seminary to assume the pulpit of Manhattan's Park Avenue Synagogue
Park Avenue Synagogue
The Park Avenue Synagogue – Agudat Yesharim- is a Conservative Jewish congregation located at 50 East 87th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City...
, then a small congregation with a Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
orientation. In his sixteen years at the congregation, he grew it from 120 to 750 families. In 1943 he had a near fatal heart attack.
While a disciple of Kaplan who considered himself a Reconstructionist
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...
, Steinberg was critical of Kaplan's dismissal of metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
.
Steinberg's works included Basic Judaism, The Making of the Modern Jew, and As A Driven Leaf
As a Driven Leaf
As a Driven Leaf is a 1939 novel by Milton Steinberg based on the life of Elisha ben AbuyahSteinberg's novel wrestles with the 2nd century Jewish struggle to reconcile Rabbinic Judaism both culturally and philosophically with Greek Hellenistic society...
, a historical novel revolving around the talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic characters Elisha ben Abuyah
Elisha ben Abuyah
Elisha ben Abuyah was a rabbi and Jewish religious authority born in Jerusalem sometime before 70 CE. After he adopted a worldview considered heretical by his fellow Tannaim and betrayed his people, the rabbis of the Talmud refrained from relating teachings in his name and referred to him as the...
and Rabbi Akiba. In his final years, he began writing a series of theological essays. This project, which he had hoped would conclude in a book of theology, was cut short by his death at age 46.
An unfinished second novel, The Prophet's Wife, about the Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
characters Hosea
Hosea
Hosea was the son of Beeri and a prophet in Israel in the 8th century BC. He is one of the Twelve Prophets of the Jewish Hebrew Bible, also known as the Minor Prophets of the Christian Old Testament. Hosea is often seen as a "prophet of doom", but underneath his message of destruction is a promise...
and Gomer
Gomer (wife of Hosea)
Gomer was the adulterous wife of the prophet Hosea, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Hosea. Hosea 1:2 refers to her alternatively as a "promiscuous woman" , a "harlot" , and a "whore" but Hosea is told to marry her...
, was published in March 2010.
Non-fiction
- The Making of the Modern Jew (1934)
- A Partisan Guide to the Jewish Problem (1945)
- Basic Judaism (1947)
- A Believing Jew (1951)
- Anatomy of Faith (1960)