From L to R: Rabbi Professor David Hartman, Menachem Lorberbaum, Israel President Shimon Peres, Noam Zohar discuss new Hartman Institute Book
A delegation from Shalom Hartman Institute gave President Shimon Peres the first Hebrew volume of The Jewish Political Tradition in a visit to the President’s Residence in March 2008.
Two of this landmark work’s four co-editors – Professors Menachem Lorberbaum and Noam Zohar – joined Institute Co-Director Rabbi Prof. David Hartman, CEO Hana Gilat, and Ariel Weiss, General Manager of Yad Hanadiv Foundation, which lent generous support to the project. Co-editor Professor Michael Walzer of Princeton’s Institute of Advanced Studies and associate editor Prof. Yair Lorberbaum were unable to attend.
President Peres was impressed by the range, scope and depth of this work and described it as important, challenging and exciting. After questioning the authors more about the work, he expressed his long-held belief that the strength of the Jewish people is in the intellectual realm.
He also said he believes the world is developing in such a way that the emphasis on politics and military is giving way to the dominance of economy and research. Peres said Israel needs to move itself to the forefront of this new world.
Lorberbaum described the 45-minute meeting as a fascinating exchange. Not only did the President learn more about the book, but the group had the opportunity to learn more about the president up close.
Two volumes – Authority and Membership – have been published in English; the Hebrew volume, published in the Yahaduyot series by Hartman Institute and Keter Publishing House, deals with "Authority."
The Jewish Political Tradition traces the development of Jewish political thought – in this case on the topic of authority – from the Bible, through the Talmud, the early and later interpreters and all the way to contemporary times. This is the first time that all the significant sources and commentaries on these sources have been collected in one book.
Read a detailed article about this groundbreaking work here .
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