A comprehensive, inspiring and fascinating discovery of what Jews believe about the Messiah—and why you might believe in the Messiah, too.
“The conviction that the Messiah is coming is a promise of meaning. It is a source of consolation. It is a wellspring of creativity. It is a reconciliation between what is and what should be. And it is perhaps our most powerful statement of faith—in God, in humanity and in ourselves.”
—from Chapter 1, “The Messiah Is Coming!”
The coming of the Messiah—the promise of redemption—is among Judaism’s gifts to the world. But it is a gift about which the world knows so little. It has been overshadowed by Christian belief and teaching, and as a result its Jewish significance has been all but lost. To further complicate matters, Jewish messianic teaching is enthralling, compelling, challenging, exhilarating—yet, up until now, woefully inaccessible. This book will change that.
Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman brings together, and to life, this three-thousand-year-old tradition as never before. Rather than simply reviewing the vast body of Jewish messianic literature, she explores an astonishing range of primary and secondary sources, explaining in an informative yet inspirational way these teachings’ significance for Jews of the past—and infuses them with new meaning for the modern reader, both Jewish and non-Jewish.
“Points the way to a postmodern revival of messianic belief that is smart, daring, hopeful, balanced and brimming with humanity.... Deserves to be widely read and discussed by serious Jews of all ages and affiliations.”
—Rabbi Nehemia Polen, PhD, professor of Jewish thought, Hebrew College
“A comprehensive, highly readable treatment of a subject of perennial interest to Jews and Christians. Both edifies and inspires.”
—Rabbi Edward A. Goldman, Israel and Ida G. Bettan Professor Emeritus of Midrash and Homiletics, HUC–JIR
“Teems with life-affirming vitality and hope.... Liberal and secular Jews have long been hesitant to talk about the concept of Messiah in Judaism, but Rabbi Glickman teaches us how, and that alone is redemptive.”
—Rabbi ZoË Klein, senior rabbi, Temple Isaiah, Los Angeles, California; author, Drawing in the Dust and The Scroll of Anatiya
“Indispensable.... [This] well-researched work balanced by modern sensibilities makes for an engaging study of the Messiah for people of all faiths and no faith.”
—Rabbi David Lyon, Congregation Beth Israel, Houston, Texas; author, God of Me: Imagining God throughout Your Lifetime
“I love the imagery Glickman uses.... Her thoughtful exploration of the Jewish ideas of the messiah [is] an excellent education resource.”
—The Jewish Federation of Broome County Reporter
“Drawing on Rabbi Glickman’s well-ordered knowledge of the subject ... quickly moves beyond the historical or theological and into the spiritual. Shows how every Jew has a stake in the Messiah’s coming.”
—Rabbi David Rosen, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Houston, Texas
“The world cries out not for mere messianic fantasies but for hard labor by us all to birth some fundamental changes. Rabbi Glickman’s book can help Jews know how to join fruitfully in that birthing.”
—Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center; co-author, Freedom Journeys: The Tale of Exodus & Wilderness across Millennia
“Reminds us of the rich Jewish history of belief in the Messiah and the messianic. Through a compelling narrative we are encouraged to remember things will get better than this. Educates and inspires in a time when we sorely need both.”
—Rabbi Edwin Goldberg, DHL, incoming senior rabbi, Temple Sholom, Chicago, Illinois; author, Saying No and Letting Go: Jewish Wisdom on Making Room for What Matters Most
Rabbi Neil Gillman, PhD, professor emeritus of Jewish philosophy at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, is author of Sacred Fragments: Recovering Theology for the Modern Jew, winner of the National Jewish Book Award, and The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought (Jewish Lights), a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award and a Publishers Weekly “Best Book of the Year,” among other books.
Rabbi Judith Z. Abrams, PhD, is the founder and director of Maqom: A School for Adult Talmud Study (www.maqom.com) and a recipient of the Covenant Award for outstanding performance in the field of Jewish education. She is the author of The Other Talmud—The Yerushalmi: Unlocking the Secrets of The Talmud of Israel for Judaism Today, among other books about Talmud and prayer.
