Ambivalent American Jew: Politics, Religion, and Family in American Jewish Life
Two Worlds of Judaism
Charles S. Liebman (Hebrew:ישעיהו ליבמן; New York City October 20, 1934 – September 3, 2003) was an Americanpolitical scientist and prolific author onJewish life andIsrael. A professor atBar-Ilan University, he previously served on university faculties in the United States.
In 1965, Liebman published a pioneering essay, “Orthodoxy in American Jewish Life,” in theAmerican Jewish Year Book. His 14 books includeAmbivalent American Jew: Politics, Religion, and Family in American Jewish Life. According to Cohen (2003), Liebman "argued thatAmerican Jews struggle to integrate into the larger society while trying to maintain a distinctivegroup identity." According toOrthodox RabbiReuven Bulka, "Liebman's exhaustive study was an eye-opener for many who had dismissed Orthodoxy as a negligible force on the American Jewish scene and also was a partial harbinger of much more literature on Orthodoxy which has proliferated ever since."
In a provocative paper, "Extremism as a Religious Norm," Liebman (1983) analyzesreligiousextremism in Israel and argues that "religious extremism is the norm and that it is not religious extremism but religious moderation that requires explanation." A critical respondent appreciated the description of Israel but rejected Liebman's generalization asbegging the question of whether "extremism should be regarded as "normal religion or even religion at all" (Cumpsty 1985:217).
In a 1990 study of American and Israeli Judaism (“Two Worlds of Judaism”), Liebman articulated a concept of "Jewishpersonalism" which, writes his co-author, is "the tendency of American Jews to pick those parts of Judaism they find personally meaningful, rather than complying with external requirements of religious law,Zionist ideology or ethnic obligation" (Cohen 2003).
Personally, Liebman is said to have had a "fierce devotion tohonesty, even at the risk of unpopularity" (Cohen 2003). For example, in a book review, he writes: "If a [reviewer] can't be kind he must be fair. I find it impossible to be kind to an author who writes.... a statement comparable to saying that an American state is located somewhere between New York and California. ... Since I cannot be kind I will try very hard to be fair. The book does have redeeming features" (Liebman 1984:137f.).
In November 2007, theJewish Theological Seminary published a memorial volume,Ambivalent American Jew: Politics, Religion, and Family in American Jewish Life (Stuart Cohen and Bernard Susser, editors). According to an obituary inThe Forward, "Liebman was widely regarded as the pre-eminent social scientist of Jews and Judaism in the latter third of the 20th century" (Cohen 2003).
[Review:] "The World of the Yeshiva: An Intimate Portrait of Orthodox Jewry by William B. Helmreich inAJS Review, 9:1 (Spring, 1984), pp. 137–140. (JSTOR)
"Myth, Tradition and Values in Israeli Society" inMidstream 24, 1978"
Liebman, Charles S. and Steven Martin Cohen.Two Worlds of Judaism : The Israeli and American Experiences. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990.
Liebman, Charles S. and Eliʻezer Don-Yiḥya.Religion and Politics in Israel. Jewish Political and Social Studies. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984.
Liebman, Charles S.Civil Religion in Israel : Traditional Judaism and Political Culture in the Jewish State. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983.
Liebman, Charles S. and Elihu Katz.The Jewishness of Israelis : Responses to the Guttman Report. SUNY Series in Israeli Studies. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1997.
Liebman, Charles S. and Śarah Libman.Nośʼim Nivḥarim Ba-Havanat Ha-Ḳehilah Ha-Yehudit be-Artsot Ha-Berit. Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv: ha-Universiṭah ha-petuḥah, 1988.
Susser, Bernard and Charles S. Liebman.Choosing Survival : Strategies for a Jewish Future. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Tabory, Mala and Charles S. Liebman. "Jewish International Activity : An Annotated Bibliography". Research Aids / Bar Ilan University, the Argov Center. Vol. 1. Ramat Gan: Bar Ilan University, The Argov Center, 1985.
Butler, Menachem. "About Charles S. Liebman" July 18, 2004,[1] and "Prof. Charles S. Liebman's 'Orthodoxy in American Jewish Life'" July 28, 2006[2]
Cohen, Steven M. "Charles Liebman Shed Light on Jewish Culture: Social Scientist Pioneered Pivotal Studies of Contemporary Jewry" inThe Forward Sept. 12, 2003.[3]
Cumpsty, John. "Glutton, Gourmet or Bon Vivant: A Response to Charles S. Liebman" inJournal for the Scientific Study of Religion 24:2 (June 1985), pp. 217–221. (JSTOR)
Kirschenbaum, Sherry. "JTS Announces Publication of Ambivalent Jew: Charles Liebman in Memoriam"[4]
Prell, Riv-Ellen. "Necrology Charles S. Liebman (1934--2003)" inJewish Quarterly Review 94:4 Fall 2004, pp. 672–676
