Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen, Author at J-Wire

The 7 Deadly Myths: Antisemitism from the Time of Christ to Kanye West

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 01:00:10 +0000

Alex Ryvchin’s book reviewed by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen Author: Alex Ryvchin Published by Cherry Orchard Books, Boston. This book was published almost six months before the horrors of October 7 impacted all of us. In reading this excellent book, the reader would wonder if October 7 would have made any difference to the content- perhaps […]

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The Interpretation of Cakes

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 06:02:38 +0000

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen This is a novel where it will pay the reader not to skip the Prologue (to be honest, I often do so). Here, Tegg sets the scene. The storyteller, having retired, is sitting on the banks roughly where Sydney Harbour meets the Parramatta River. He encounters an elderly, […]

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Wisdom Grows in My Garden: a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:08:38 +0000

If the writings of Rabbi Paul Plotkin were anything like the sermons he gave, then people would be flocking to hear him. Unfortunately, it is nearly a decade since he retired from the active pulpit, although between his work supervising and educating about Kosher food products and spending time in his garden- I doubt if […]

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ISRAELOPHOBIA: The Newest Version of the Oldest Hatred & What to do about it

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 06:57:58 +0000

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen Jake Wallis Simons recently became the editor at the (London) Jewish Chronicle- one of the major Jewish Presses in the world today. He is a highly respected journalist. Over the past decade or so, there has been a debate about the distinction {many would argue a rather artificial distinction} […]

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My Father’s Shadow: a memoir – written by Sandra Goldbloom Zurbo

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 05:29:55 +0000

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen This book tells two stories- it is a partial biography of Sandra’s father and a cross between Sandra’s memories of her father as well as a partial autobiography of her life. Sam was one of the dominant figures of the Victorian Left in the second half of the […]

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The Angel of Kings Cross: The Life and Times of Dr Fanny Reading

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 02:59:38 +0000

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen As time passes, the name Fanny Reading and her impact on our community [especially NSW] is sadly diminishing. If Judaism had saints, this woman would definitely be a candidate for canonization and yet if one were to approach any member of the NSW Jewish community under the age […]

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Funny You Don’t Look Funny: Judaism and Humour from the Silent Generation to Millennials

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 23:41:04 +0000

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen reviews a book by Jennifer Caplan I picked up this book in the same week that Mel Brooks celebrated his 97th birthday. There are many who consider Brooks perhaps the best comedian in the second half of the twentieth century. What is the book by Jennifer Caplan about? What are the four […]

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Book review – Care and Covenant- A Jewish Bioethic of Responsibility

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 03:50:13 +0000

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen reviews Rabbi Jason Weiner’s book. This is the third book I have reviewed by Rabbi Weiner. My overall critique of this book is the same of his two predecessors- in claiming to present a Jewish perspective, he only presents an Orthodox viewpoint. Truth be told that most writings on the area of […]

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Judaism Disrupted: A Spiritual Manifesto for the 21st Century

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Thu, 11 May 2023 01:46:22 +0000

Michael Strassfeld’s name may not be familiar to all those who read J-Wire. Those of a certain age may remember the book he co-authored by his (then) wife Sharon Strassfeld and the late Richard Siegel- The (first) Jewish Catalog: A Do-It-Yourself Kit. It helped many to put learning into action with explicit steps to tie […]

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What I Wish I Had Known: Resisting the Urge to Live

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 07:58:34 +0000

Jeffrey Cohen reviews Dasia Black’s book. From the title, the reader would not be aware that this book addresses one of the most serious challenges of our society and time – suicide. I quickly discovered that this book was about the suicide of Dr Black’s son, Jonathan, who was in his early 40s when he […]

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