For Such a Time as This

A poignant exploration of what it means to be Jewish today, from a leading voice in modern Judaism, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue For Jews today, the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7—a vicious assault that killed more Jews in one day than any time since the Holocaust—has drawn a clear and irreversible demarcation in time. The Jewish community woke up to an unrecognizable new reality on that day, witnessing first the sheer horror of the atrocities in Israel, followed immediately by the stark rise in antisemitism, the world’s oldest hatred, in its wake. But even in this dark hour, the Jewish community is experiencing something profound and beautiful: a deep, abiding connection to community, culture, and faith. Drawing on the rich trove of Jewish history and tradition, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, one of today’s most influential thought leaders and spiritual guides, helps readers make sense of this fraught time. With warmth and wisdom, Rabbi Cosgrove explores the challenging questions embedded in the soul of contemporary Jewry. Where did all this antisemitism come from, and was it always there? How have Israel and Zionism shaped American Judaism, and what ties us and divides us today? How do we practice Judaism and understand our place in a world that has, without fail, in every century, turned against us? Knitting together storytelling with ancient teachings, Rabbi Cosgrove helps navigate and understand the landscape of this new reality, turning over questions that have no clear or easy answer in the way only a very good rabbi can. For thousands of years, the Jewish people have wrestled with what it means to be Jewish. In this often divisive era, Rabbi Cosgrove reminds of how we can come together despite—and even because of—our differences. For Such a Time as This is a guide for a new generation that is reconciling the past with the present and facing the unknown future with courage, spirit, and unwavering hope. Where did all of this antisemitism come from, and was it always there? Are Jews members of the privileged establishment, or a vulnerable minority? Are Jews defined by their shared culture, or the hate that forces them together? How do American Jews reconcile the tensions inherent in being both American and Jewish, a people of two homelands? How have Israel and Zionism shaped American Judaism? What are the challenges between American Jewry and Israel today? Knitting together storytelling with ancient teachings, Rabbi Cosgrove helps navigate the landscape of this new reality to understand how we got here, where we are today, and where we might go from here. For thousands of years, from generation to generation, the Jewish people have continuously sought light in the darkness, wrestling with the question of what it means to be Jewish. For Such a Time as This is a guide for a new generation that is reconciling the past with the present and facing the unknown future with courage, spirit, and unwavering hope.