All These Vows: Kol Nidre

by Catherine Madsen, Annette M. Boeckler (Contributor), Eliezer Diamond (Contributor)

The most memorable prayer of the Jewish New Year―what it means, why we sing it, and the secret of its magical appeal. Through a series of lively commentaries, over thirty contributors―men and women, scholars and rabbis, artists and poets, spanning three continents and all major Jewish denominations―examine Kol Nidre 's theology, usage, and deeply personal impact. They trace the actual history of the prayer and attempts through the ages to emend it, downplay it and even do away with it―all in vain. They explore why Kol Nidre remains an annual liturgical highlight that is regularly attended even by Jews who disbelieve everything the prayer says. Prayers of Awe
An exciting new series that examines the High Holy Day liturgy to enrich the praying experience of everyone―whether experienced worshipers or guests who encounter Jewish prayer for the very first time. Contributors: Rabbi Tony Bayfield, CBE, DD • Dr. Annette M. Boeckler • Dr. Marc Zvi Brettler • Dr. Erica Brown • Dr. Eliezer Diamond • Rabbi Ruth Durchslag, PsyD • Rachel Farbiarz • Rabbi Edward Feinstein • Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand • Rabbi Andrew Goldstein, PhD • Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD • Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur • Rabbi Elie Kaunfer • Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar • Dr. Reuven Kimelman • Dr. Mark Kligman • Rabbi Lawrence Kushner • Rabbi Noa Kushner • Rabbi Daniel Landes • Liz Lerman • Catherine Madsen • Rabbi Jonathan Magonet, PhD • Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD • Ruth Messinger • Rabbi Charles H. Middleburgh, PhD • Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum • Rabbi Aaron Panken, PhD • Rabbi Marc Saperstein, PhD • Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso • Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater, DMin • Rabbi David Stern • Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD • Dr. Ellen M. Umansky • Rabbi Margaret Moers Wenig, DD • Dr. Ron Wolfson • Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel • Dr. Wendy Zierler

Genres: Jewish, Judaism

288 pages, Hardcover

First published August 12, 2011

Reviews

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and accessible. Some of the essays are better than others.

[shamaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kol no-way!

[Margaret Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very helpful in preparing a program for Selichot about Kol Nidre. I loved how I could read short essays and then gain another perspective from the next one. Some of the essays were too short! I wanted more. However, the overall book is a rich edition to my library. It gives you historical roots, musical understanding, linguistic perspective, modern interpretations and personal vignettes. Could be a good adult study choice.

[Michael Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful exploration of one of the most powerfully moving and yet inexplicable services of the Jewish High Holidays. In a series of essays, this book explores the history and meaning of Yom Kippur's Kol Nidre service and explains why the Rabbis tried to eliminate it from the service book. Each essay contains a tidbit of knowledge about the history of Kol Nidre as well as a interpretations of what it might mean for us in the modern world. Great book.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a couple of essays I really liked, but most of them I found repetitive.