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Jewish Theology and World Religions 1st Edition Alon
Goshen-Gottstein Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Alon Goshen-Gottstein; Eugene Korn
ISBN(s): 9781909821057, 1909821055
Edition: 1
File Details: PDF, 2.01 MB
Year: 2012
Language: english
j e w i s h t h e o l o g y a n d wo r l d r e l i g i o n s
 THE LITTMAN LIBRARY OF
JEWISH CIVILIZATION

Dedicated to the memory of

Louis Thomas Sidney Littman
who founded the Littman Library for the love of God
and as an act of charity in memory of his father
Joseph Aaron Littman

‘Get wisdom, get understanding:

Forsake her not and she shall preserve thee’
prov. 4:5

The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization is a registered UK charity

Registered charity no. 1000784
JEWISH THEOLOGY
AND
WORLD RELIGIONS
N

Edited by
alon goshen-gottstein
and
eugene korn

Oxford . Portland, Oregon

The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization
The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization
Chief Executive Officer: Ludo Craddock
Managing editor: Connie Webber
PO Box 645, Oxford ox2 0uj, uk
www.littman.co.uk
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Published in the United States and Canada by
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First published in hardback 2012

First published in electronic form 2014

© The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization 2012

All rights reserved.
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The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

The Library of Congress catalogued the hardback edition as follows:

Jewish theology and world religions / edited by Alon Goshen-Gottstein and Eugene Korn.
p. cm. – (The Littman library of Jewish civilization)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–1–906764–09–8
1. Judaism–Relations. 2. Religions. 3. Theology. 4. Judaism—Doctrines.
I. Goshen-Gottstein, Alon. II. Korn, Eugene, 1947–
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Publishing co-ordinator: Janet Moth

Copy-editing: Mark Newby
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 from a lon goshen-gottstein

To my mother
Esther
whose breadth of thinking, curiosity, and openness
resonate in me and continue to inspire my work

from eugene korn

In memory of my parents
Ya ’ a k o v b e n S h m u e l v ’ N e t a
and
H i n d a b a t Yo s e f v ’ Ye t t a
May their memory be a blessing
Page blank in printed edition
 Preface
eugene korn

T h e genesis of this book took place when twenty-five scholars of Jewish

philosophy, history, education, and halakhah (Jewish law) met at the University
of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania in June 2005. They came from the
United States, Israel, Canada, and Europe to discuss the theological challenges
that inform Jewish attitudes to other religions and how Jewish thought and ex-
perience could serve as guides to contemporary life in which Jews interact with
non-Jews. The conference was an initiative of the Elijah Interfaith Institute,
headed by Alon Goshen-Gottstein, and grew out of the recognition that recent
advances in interfaith work required serious progress in Jewish theology if it
was to have contemporary credibility. A preliminary conference at Boston
College in Brighton, Massachusetts was hosted by Ruth Langer, one of the
contributors to this volume. The vision and commitment developed from that
meeting found expression in the Scranton conference, hosted by Marc
Shapiro, Professor of Jewish Studies at Scranton. The conference proved an
occasion for rich and variegated reflection on Jewish relations with non-Jews,
Judaism’s norms regarding other religions, and the nature of Jewish uniqueness
and identity. Because of the remarkable quality of the conference discourse,
Alon Goshen-Gottstein and I realized that many of its fruits should be shared
on a broader level to stimulate continuing reflection of the issues. We hope this
volume achieves this objective.
The conference title, ‘Towards a Contemporary Jewish Theology of World
Religions’, set the agenda for the project. Because of traditional Judaism’s focus
on halakhah and modern Jewish scholarship’s emphasis on historical analysis,
Jews have not yet turned their attention to a systematic—or even a non-
systematic, but sufficiently nuanced—body of thought regarding contempor-
ary religious ‘Otherness’ and how Jews can appropriately understand and
recognize other religions. Today’s world differs radically from the biblical,
talmudic, and medieval eras. Traditional precedents for this enquiry need to be
supplemented and sometimes even supplanted. The Emancipation brought
Jews into the mainstream of non-Jewish and secular societies, so that Jews today
live, work, and interact with non-Jews—particularly Christians and Muslims—
on a level fundamentally different from that of previous periods. Christianity
and Christians no longer pose the threats to Judaism and the Jewish people that
they once did, while some interpretations of Islam and many Muslims today see
viii Preface

Judaism, Jews, and Israel as enemies. Jews travel frequently to Asia where they
encounter Hindus and Buddhists and their religious systems. In addition, the
democratic State of Israel has a large number of non-Jewish citizens and visi-
tors, and it assumes responsibility for their welfare. How are Jews to relate theo-
logically, morally, and existentially to the omnipresent ‘Other’, his theology,
and his religious institutions?
Our interdependent world is significantly more complex than that of past
eras, and it demands that Jews construct new paradigms if they are to live suc-
cessfully and coherently. Many essays in this volume articulate critical questions
that cry out for answers in contemporary Jewish reality: ‘To what extent is the
traditional dichotomy between the exclusive religious truth of Judaism and the
assumed religious falsehood of other religions still operative?’ ‘Is the halakhic
category of avodah zarah—often understood as “idolatry”—with its manifold
restrictions on Jewish–non-Jewish interaction still relevant today, and, if it is,
what practical and conceptual meanings can we ascribe to it?’ ‘How can we
understand Asian religions, some of which seem “godless” and animated by
religious categories wholly different from those of Judaism?’ ‘Does inter-
religious competition make any sense today?’ ‘How can Jews be a part of future
healing rather than contributors to interreligious strife?’ Although the con-
tributors to this volume cannot provide comprehensive answers to these
questions, they provide sensitive articulations that constitute important cogni-
tive and theological gestures. Ultimately the answers to these questions will have
momentous ramifications for the relevance of Judaism and the continuity of the
Jewish people in the open, interlocking cultures of the twenty-first century.
The Scranton conference was but the beginning of the process. Goshen-
Gottstein and I recognized the need to supplement the conference papers with
additional material to provide a comprehensive treatment of the issues. We
added the philosophical discussions of Avi Sagi, Raphael Jospe, and Jolene
Kellner and Menachem Kellner, which explore the tenability of religious
pluralism, since questions of the intelligibility and legitimacy of religious plu-
ralism are never far from the surface of interfaith theology. We also added Paul
Fenton’s treatment of Islam, Jerome Gellman’s consideration of Buddhism, and
Goshen-Gottstein’s chapter on Hinduism, which were not offered at Scranton.
There are two points of departure, two strategic orientations, from which
the essays in this volume proceed. The first is doctrine, philosophy, halakhah,
and kabbalah. Some of the contributors to this volume adopt these theoreti-
cal/doctrinal positions as starting points and attempt to apply them to today’s
reality to determine limits and forge new possibilities for a forward-looking
Jewish theology of world religions and the religious Other. The second is not
normative or theoretical, but personal and empirical. It flows directly from
human relations as experienced in the historical relationships of Jews with
 Preface ix

Christians and Muslims (so often hostile and polemical) and to a lesser degree
with Hindus and Buddhists, as well as the contemporary experience of meeting
the Other in interfaith dialogue. Some of the contributors use these experi-
ences as the primary data from which productive Jewish theology towards the
religious Other should be constructed.
Ultimately, any successful Jewish theology of world religions must strike a
dialectical balance, since authentic Jewish theology takes into account both the
normative doctrinal thought of our texts and thinkers as well as the continuing
living experience of the Jewish people. Jewish theology is thus dynamic. This
must be so if the Jewish people is to fulfil its traditional function as the carrier
of a sacred covenant lived out in history and if Jews are to be witnesses to reli-
gious truth that resonates throughout human experience. Indeed, while each
of the essays may stress one of these points of departure over the other, all of
them achieve some degree of integration between the two. Goshen-Gottstein’s
essay on Hinduism is an exceptional model of this fine dialectical balance: true
to both Jewish tradition and experience.
We have organized this volume into logically distinct sections, moving from
the more general to the more specific. Goshen-Gottstein frames the issues at
the outset to establish the framework for the later material. The essays in Part I
analyse philosophically the concept of pluralism and its implications for reli-
gious truth. Alan Brill and Rori Picker Neiss lay out four models (exclusivist,
pluralist, inclusivist, and universalist) that past and present Jewish thinkers have
adopted in understanding other religions and urge Jews to hold on to multiple
models in tension with each other. Avi Sagi explores the philosophical justifica-
tion for religious pluralism and offers a critique of religious exclusivism. He
argues that Jews need to adopt a tolerant, pluralistic stance towards others if they
are to live coherently in modern democratic society. Raphael Jospe argues pas-
sionately for the legitimacy of Jewish religious pluralism, citing precedents and
conceptions that arise indigenously ‘out of the sources of Judaism’. Following
the philosophical approach of Maimonides, Jolene Kellner and Menachem
Kellner focus on the rational and universalistic notion of metaphysical truth,
which according to their understandings of Maimonides and Jewish theology
precludes accepting religious pluralism.
Part II explores aspects of Otherness and the Jewish relationship to the
Other, be it the non-Jewish believer or another religious system or doctrine.
Stanisław Krajewski asks a question that logically precedes interfaith dis-
course—one that is devilishly simple but critical for theological integrity—that
highlights the distinction: is it possible to relate to another religious system as
a true Other, or can we do so only to a person who subscribes to a different reli-
gion? The move is more fundamental than the mere grammatical transition
from the plural ‘you’ to the singular ‘thou’. Krajewski argues that there is
x Preface

theological value in Jews knowing other religions, but such knowledge has
intrinsic limits that carry ethical implications for the knower on the outside.
Because other religions always retain this ultimate dimension of unknowabil-
ity, approaching them demands an attitude of respect and epistemological
humility, avoiding the temptation to reduce them to our own through a power-
laden programme of knowledge. Meir Sendor analyses the common and
unfortunate trend in interfaith dialogue of ‘neutralizing’ the Other. In an
attempt to find commonality, neutralization willy-nilly introduces syncretism
and relativism into interfaith discourse. Worse still, it does violence to the
unique character of each religion and its practitioners who participate in the
dialogue. Examining this through the theories of Levinas, Derrida, and
Ricoeur, Sendor shows how authenticity and respect for the Other can only be
achieved by highlighting difference and otherness.
Ruth Langer analyses the power and construction of Jewish memory as well
as the image of the religious Other in Jewish liturgy, which has been so heavily
conditioned by adversarial biblical narratives and the experience of historical
persecution. In the memory shaped by Jewish liturgy—be it the daily Amidah,
the High Holiday prayers, Passover and Purim texts, or the Ninth of Av
piyutim (liturgical poems) memorializing the destruction of the Temple, the
tragedies of the Middle Ages, and the Holocaust—the religious or political
Other is portrayed as almost universally negative. The non-Jew—usually con-
sidered in the impersonal abstract, rather than the particular other—is a threat
to Jewish uniqueness, disrupting God’s covenantal plan for Israel. She also
points to the ongoing tension between making historical memory part of our
identity and an openness to allowing history to unfold into a future that may
move beyond tragedy.
Part III contains essays analysing how Jews and Jewish thought can assess
specific world religions today. After mapping four distinct categories of rabbinic
attitudes to Christianity, I argue that a historical evolution of halakhic positions
towards Christianity is evident. The late rabbinic authorities developed the pos-
sibility of Jewish appreciation of Christianity for non-Jews and saw it as a moral
and theological advance over other non-Jewish religions. When conjoined with
Christianity’s rediscovery of the enduring validity of Judaism and the Jewish
covenant, new possibilities open up for Jews to develop sympathetic theological
understandings of Christians and Christianity. David Novak argues for a
nuanced understanding of Maimonides’ view of Christianity. Maimonides per-
mitted Jews to study Torah with Christians and added new meaning to the
category of ger toshav (resident alien), which allow Novak to infer norm-
ative behavioural conclusions from Maimonides’ thinking. He concludes that
Maimonides may have revised his earlier harsh opinion that Christianity con-
stituted avodah zarah halakhically no different from ancient paganism.
 Preface xi

Paul Fenton examines the cultural encounter between Israel and Ishmael,
how it has played a powerful role in shaping Judaism, and how it led the
medieval rabbis and Jewish thinkers to oscillate between rejection and recep-
tion of Islam. Much of this dialectical attitude is played out through the
ambivalent interpretations of the biblical Ishmael and in the polemical histo-
ries of Jews and Muslims. Fenton shows the Islamic impact on Judaism in
halakhic, kabbalistic, messianic, and even hasidic texts. In contrast to my own
optimistic presentation of a contemporary Jewish assessment of Christianity,
Fenton’s chapter is pessimistic about the enduring value of the Jewish–Muslim
heritage, in view of how contemporary political circumstances have redefined
Jewish–Muslim relations. Nevertheless, theological advances by Jews and
Muslims are both necessary and possible. Through a process of inversion
(teshuvah) of previous interpretative models regarding each other, Jews and
Muslims can pave the way to mutual recognition and acceptance on theo-
logical and political levels.
Alon Goshen-Gottstein breaks new ground in considering Hinduism from
a Jewish perspective, as Jewish thinkers have paid scant attention to this topic
to date. He is best at raising questions about the nature of Hinduism(s), expos-
ing its complexity, and moving beyond the simplistic understanding to a more
accurate—even if more confusing—picture of Hindu theology and reality. He
notes that Jews in Indian societies have lived with an attitude of acceptance
towards their Hindu neighbours. An honest reappraisal of avodah zarah applied
to contemporary Hinduism is warranted, and he finds support for new theo-
logical understanding of Hinduism in the rabbinic wisdom of the medieval
sage Menahem Me’iri and the contemporary thinker Adin Steinsaltz. The
religious conversation with Hindus is important because of the spiritual
opportunities it presents. Thus, Goshen-Gottstein considers the Hindu quest
for God and the model of Hindu saints as significant topics for a Jewish–Hindu
conversation. Nuancing our understanding of avodah zarah and of Hinduism
must continue, and the dialogue on spirituality and the benefits of spiritual
exchange must advance.
Jerome (Yehuda) Gellman wrestles with the ‘godlessness’ of Buddhism,
striving to understand Buddhism’s benefits for Jews and their spiritual con-
sciousness. As a traditionalist proceeding from a position of ‘religious exclu-
sivist receptivity’ (that is, his belief that Judaism possesses religious truth
conjoined with an openness to the possibility that other religions can enrich
his spiritual life), Gellman has learned about holiness from Buddhist spiritu-
ality in ways he, as a Jew, could not have imagined. Buddhism’s aversion to
metaphysical ontologizing and its non-theism have helped him shed the
agonies of ‘the egocentric predicament’, functioning similarly to the hasidic
concept of bitul hayesh (nullification of being). Paradoxically, this godless
xii Preface

religion has taught him to focus his attention more successfully on the Jewish
God—the permanent, infinite reality that transcends the human ego. It also
helps him to understand the Jewish people’s chosenness correctly, purged from
nation-centrism and national self-absorption. The experiential and spiritual
are primary here, while the formal theological issues of ‘alien worship’ that
Buddhism may entail are secondary concerns. The book concludes with
Goshen-Gottstein’s attempt to draw some synthetic and comparative conclu-
sions from the project as a whole.
Developing a coherent Jewish theology of world religions and contem-
porary non-Jews is compelling today for many reasons. It enlarges the arena
of spiritual experience for Jews, enabling them to find God not only within the
Jewish people but also among all of God’s children and their diverse religious
expressions. It gives Jews and their theological tradition the tools to talk to the
outside world. It expands a sensitive Jewish understanding of the world and
humanity, and this cognitive appreciation fosters greater tolerance and co-
operation on practical and moral planes. The latter is imperative in our day,
since religion has burst forth as a powerful and even lethal force in human
culture and politics. Whether or not we achieve greater interfaith understand-
ing may well spell the difference between a century of unending religious strife
leading to unprecedented global violence or a future of healing and moral
progress that promote a degree of human flourishing never before experi-
enced. In the balance hangs not only the fate of Judaism and the Jewish people,
but the entire human family and God’s universe.
Alon and I would like to express our appreciation to the authors who con-
tributed to this volume. We are honoured to have this work published by the
Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, and are particularly indebted to Ludo
Craddock, chief executive officer of the Littman Library, and to Connie Webber,
Littman’s managing editor. They believed in the project from its inception and
encouraged us to publish its fruits. Their understanding throughout the process
has been a model for co-operative partnership. We also wish to thank Mark
Newby and Janet Moth at Littman, who so ably assisted us in editing the text of
this volume.
 Contents
Note on Transliteration xv

Towards a Jewish Theology of World Religions:

Framing the Issues 1
alon goshen-gottstein

PA RT I
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON
JEWISH PLURALISM

1. Jewish Views of World Religions: Four Models 41

alan brill with rori picker neiss

2. Justifying Interreligious Pluralism 61

avi sagi

3. Pluralism out of the Sources of Judaism: The Quest for

Religious Pluralism without Relativism 87
raphael jospe

4. Respectful Disagreement: A Response to Raphael Jospe 123

jolene s. kellner and menachem kellner

PA RT I I
JUDAISM AND THE OTHER

5. Can Another Religion Be Seen as the Other? 137

stanisław krajewski

6. The Violence of the Neutral in Interfaith Relations 149

meir sendor
xiv Contents

7. Jewish Liturgical Memory and the Non-Jew:

Past Realities and Future Possibilities 167
ruth langer

PA RT I I I
JUDAISM AND W ORLD RELIGIONS

8. Rethinking Christianity: Rabbinic Positions and

Possibilities 189
eugene korn

9. Maimonides’ Treatment of Christianity and its

Normative Implications 217
david nova k

10. The Banished Brother: Islam in Jewish Thought

and Faith 235
paul b. fenton

11. Encountering Hinduism: Thinking Through 263

Avodah Zarah
alon goshen-gottstein

12. Judaism and Buddhism: A Jewish Approach to a

Godless Religion 299
jerome (yehuda) gellman

Concluding Reflections 317

alon goshen-gottstein

Notes on the Contributors 329

Index 331
 Note on Transliteration
The transliteration of Hebrew in this book reflects consideration of the type
of book it is, in terms of its content, purpose, and readership. The system
adopted therefore reflects a broad approach to transcription, rather than the
narrower approaches found in the Encyclopaedia Judaica or other systems devel-
oped for text-based or linguistic studies. The aim has been to reflect the pro-
nunciation prescribed for modern Hebrew, rather than the spelling or Hebrew
word structure, and to do so using conventions that are generally familiar to
the English-speaking reader.
In accordance with this approach, no attempt is made to indicate the dis-
tinctions between alef and ayin, tet and taf, kaf and kuf, sin and samekh, since
these are not relevant to pronunciation; likewise, the dagesh is not indicated
except where it affects pronunciation. Following the principle of using con-
ventions familiar to the majority of readers, however, transcriptions that are
well established have been retained even when they are not fully consistent
with the transliteration system adopted. On similar grounds, the tsadi is ren-
dered by ‘tz’ in such familiar words as barmitzvah. Likewise, the distinction
between het and khaf has been retained, using h for the former and kh for the
latter; the associated forms are generally familiar to readers, even if the distinc-
tion is not actually borne out in pronunciation, and for the same reason the
final heh is indicated too. As in Hebrew, no capital letters are used, except that
an initial capital has been retained in transliterating titles of published works
(for example, Shulhan arukh).
Since no distinction is made between alef and ayin, they are indicated by an
apostrophe only in intervocalic positions where a failure to do so could lead an
English-speaking reader to pronounce the vowel-cluster as a diphthong—as,
for example, in ha’ir—or otherwise mispronounce the word.
The sheva na is indicated by an e—perikat ol, reshut—except, again, when
established convention dictates otherwise.
The yod is represented by i when it occurs as a vowel (bereshit), by y when it
occurs as a consonant (yesodot), and by yi when it occurs as both ( yisra’el).
Names have generally been left in their familiar forms, even when this is
inconsistent with the overall system.
Page blank in printed edition
 Towards a Jewish Theology of
World Religions
Framing the Issues
alon goshen-gottstein

introduction
h e o l o g y of religions is an area of reflection that has grown in promi-
T nence in recent years. Social and political changes, dating from before the
Second World War, have given new urgency to relations between faiths and
their practitioners. The marked increase in interfaith activity makes reflection
on the status of other religions a pressing concern. The great increase in such
activity has led to the identification and blossoming of this area as a distinct
sub-field of theology. Regardless of the religion from whose perspective such
reflection is undertaken, any contemporary theology of religions draws from
perspectives articulated throughout that religion’s history. Yet the field of the-
ology of religions offers perspectives on other religions that are appropriate to
contemporary social realities often radically different from those prevailing in
earlier periods. This does not automatically mean that a pluralistic perspective
that recognizes the other’s religion is taken or that a relativistic perspective of
one’s own religion need be adopted, but it does mean that the challenges of
religious pluralism loom large on the theological horizon. Even if the theolo-
gian rejects a pluralistic position, he or she is forced to state a position in dia-
logue with pluralistic theologians. Theology of religions has grown in the
shadow of religious pluralism and the increase in interfaith dialogue, and hence
it provides the framework for thinking through one’s views of other religions
with an emphasis on the challenges of religious pluralism. These include the
full or partial validation of other religions and a reframing of the unique posi-
tion, role, and mission of one’s own religion.
The discipline of theology of religions grew initially on Christian soil. More
than any other thinkers, Christians of all denominations have engaged with
the issues and developed the discipline. This is as true of the work of individual
theologians as it is of church documents, among which the Second Vatican
2 Alon Goshen-Gottstein

Council’s Nostra aetate takes pride of place. Jewish theologians and others have
entered the discussion following the lead, and in many cases also the language
and categories, of Christian scholars and thinkers.
There are several distinct factors that make a contemporary Jewish assessment
of world religions urgent and timely, both in terms of the broader social currents
that have had an influence upon the emergence of the field of theology of reli-
gions and in terms of Judaism’s particular history, mission, and self-identity.
Fundamental changes have occurred both in Jewish history and in Judaism’s rela-
tions with other religions, including changes in the theology of other religions,
advances in interreligious relations, and the new historical situation represented
by the creation of the State of Israel. Each of these alone might have necessitated
a re-examination of Jewish attitudes to other religions, but the creation of the
State of Israel is particularly significant. Changes in power relations between
religions and the task of articulating a spiritual vision for humanity related to the
mission of the Jewish state could drive a sustained programme of theological
reflection. Regrettably, however, little thought has been given to these issues
from the Israeli perspective. Most Israeli and Jewish energies have been focused
on ensuring Jewish survival and continuity. Jewish creative energies have been
turned mainly inwards, and almost no serious thought has been devoted to the
theological challenges to Judaism posed in our contemporary context.
Theology of religions as a discipline has a quest common to all religions:
defining a given religion’s views of other religions. However, each religion must
undertake this task in a way that is suitable to its own history and theology, as
well as other significant factors, such as law or precedent. A contemporary Jewish
theology of religions must draw on previous articulations of Jewish views of
other religions. Each period of Jewish thought has bequeathed distinct positions
and resources to this enterprise. The work of the contemporary Jewish theolo-
gian thus involves drawing from previous periods, assessing earlier views, exam-
ining changing historical circumstances, and articulating a vision for the future.
But perhaps the most important characteristic of the theology of religions is its
attempt to grasp the issues in their entirety and offer an overview of a religion’s
views of other religions. New context and comprehensive vision single out a con-
temporary theology of religions from the cumulative perspectives of generations
that provide the basis for the contemporary theologian’s reflections. This is cer-
tainly true for a contemporary Jewish theology of religions.
In this chapter, I shall present an overview of the broad range of issues that
must be re-examined in order to construct a contemporary Jewish theology of
world religions.1 I hope the presentation is sufficiently comprehensive to offer
1 These ideas have been expressed in two earlier Hebrew articles. An overview of the issues, with

an emphasis on how these relate to contemporary practices of interfaith dialogue, was offered in
Alon Goshen-Gottstein, ‘Theology of Interreligious Dialogue: A Preliminary Mapping’ (Heb.),
 Framing the Issues 3

a map of the field and a plan for future work. Even if much of what follows is
drawn from classical sources, as indeed any theology of religions must be,
drawing the resources together, choosing among them, and framing the issues
for the future are all done with an awareness of the contemporary context. The
essay is my attempt to specify what is involved in articulating a contemporary
Jewish theology of religions. In addition to mapping the field, I will also
suggest specific positions within it that seem most appropriate to the needs of
a contemporary Jewish theology of world religions.

judaism and world religions:

the challenge of particularity
Any religion’s attempt to develop a theology of other religions must grow out
of concepts particular to that religion. Consequently, each religion must tackle
questions particular to the history of its view of other religions and its internal
concerns. In the case of Judaism, we recognize two core questions, and
addressing these two questions is the key to developing a contemporary Jewish
theology of world religions. Both questions touch upon religious particularity,
and their conjunction is crucial to recognizing the challenges facing a contem-
porary Jewish theology. Two interrelated conceptual foci underlie Jewish par-
ticularity: faith in revelation and faith in the election of the Jewish people. It is
not simply the faith in one God that distinguishes Judaism from other world
religions, for some of those others share that faith. Rather, differences arise
with regard to how God reveals himself and which community receives his
word and carries it through history to eschatological fulfilment.2 Judaism’s par-
ticular spiritual profile is derived from the faith that a particular revelation took
place at Sinai, was given to a particular nation chosen for this task, and it is that
nation that traverses history to offer testimony to the God who chose his
people and gave them his Torah.
The theological challenge that any Jewish theology of world religions must
meet is how to uphold faith in the Jewish particularity arising from these two
core beliefs, with an openness that makes space for the spiritual and religious
existence of others.3 This is not simply a conceptual or theological challenge,
Akdamot, 18 (2007), 6–40. A focus on the issues from the perspective of religious pluralism was
offered in Alon Goshen-Gottstein, ‘Interreligious Pluralism: Challenges and Parameters Towards
Articulating a Jewish Theology of World Religions’ (Heb.), in S. Fischer and A. Seligman (eds.),
The Burden of Tolerance: Religious Traditions and the Challenge of Pluralism [Ol hasolvanut: mesorot
datiyot ve’etgar hapeluralizm] (Jerusalem, 2007), 330–54.
2 See Martin Jaffee, ‘One God, One Revelation, One People: On the Symbolic Structure of

Elective Monotheism’, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 69 (2001), 753–75.

3 Due to the centrality of chosenness and particularity to a Jewish theology of world religions,

they have been the first subjects to be tackled as part of a theological research and education
project supported by the Henry Luce Foundation under the auspices of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
 Immunology - Study Materials
Second 2025 - Division

Prepared by: Teaching Assistant Davis

Date: August 12, 2025

Appendix 1: Problem-solving strategies and techniques

Learning Objective 1: Historical development and evolution
• Historical development and evolution
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Learning Objective 2: Theoretical framework and methodology
• Assessment criteria and rubrics
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
[Figure 2: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Learning Objective 3: Theoretical framework and methodology
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Learning Objective 4: Learning outcomes and objectives
• Case studies and real-world applications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Learning Objective 5: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Assessment criteria and rubrics
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Example 5: Ethical considerations and implications
• Case studies and real-world applications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Key Concept: Learning outcomes and objectives
• Fundamental concepts and principles
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Important: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
[Figure 9: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Definition: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Critical analysis and evaluation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Summary 2: Literature review and discussion
Important: Assessment criteria and rubrics
• Fundamental concepts and principles
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Practice Problem 11: Key terms and definitions
• Statistical analysis and interpretation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
[Figure 12: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Important: Key terms and definitions
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Remember: Practical applications and examples
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 15: Learning outcomes and objectives
• Study tips and learning strategies
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 16: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Practice Problem 16: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Case studies and real-world applications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Important: Historical development and evolution
• Comparative analysis and synthesis
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Definition: Problem-solving strategies and techniques
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Example 19: Assessment criteria and rubrics
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Background 3: Best practices and recommendations
Example 20: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Current trends and future directions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Remember: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Comparative analysis and synthesis
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
[Figure 23: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Practice Problem 23: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Definition: Literature review and discussion
• Current trends and future directions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Problem-solving strategies and techniques
• Case studies and real-world applications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 26: Study tips and learning strategies
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 27: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Example 27: Experimental procedures and results
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Ethical considerations and implications
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Example 29: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Experimental procedures and results
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Section 4: Experimental procedures and results
Key Concept: Practical applications and examples
• Statistical analysis and interpretation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Important: Problem-solving strategies and techniques
• Problem-solving strategies and techniques
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Example 32: Study tips and learning strategies
• Comparative analysis and synthesis
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Important: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Best practices and recommendations
• Key terms and definitions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 35: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Definition: Research findings and conclusions
• Learning outcomes and objectives
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Best practices and recommendations
• Current trends and future directions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Practice Problem 37: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 38: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Case studies and real-world applications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Definition: Research findings and conclusions
• Research findings and conclusions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Background 5: Key terms and definitions
Definition: Key terms and definitions
• Current trends and future directions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Key terms and definitions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Definition: Research findings and conclusions
• Assessment criteria and rubrics
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 43: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Important: Practical applications and examples
• Research findings and conclusions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Remember: Practical applications and examples
• Literature review and discussion
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Remember: Current trends and future directions
• Practical applications and examples
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
[Figure 46: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Remember: Key terms and definitions
• Critical analysis and evaluation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 47: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Fundamental concepts and principles
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
[Figure 48: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Practice Problem 48: Practical applications and examples
• Interdisciplinary approaches
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Definition: Literature review and discussion
• Ethical considerations and implications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Lesson 6: Key terms and definitions
Remember: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Research findings and conclusions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Key Concept: Case studies and real-world applications
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Historical development and evolution
• Ethical considerations and implications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Experimental procedures and results
• Experimental procedures and results
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Definition: Ethical considerations and implications
• Statistical analysis and interpretation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
[Figure 55: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Key Concept: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Interdisciplinary approaches
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Key Concept: Problem-solving strategies and techniques
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Definition: Research findings and conclusions
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 58: Learning outcomes and objectives
• Statistical analysis and interpretation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Practice Problem 59: Statistical analysis and interpretation
• Critical analysis and evaluation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
Appendix 7: Ethical considerations and implications
Remember: Historical development and evolution
• Historical development and evolution
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Important: Interdisciplinary approaches
• Experimental procedures and results
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Key Concept: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
[Figure 63: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Example 63: Historical development and evolution
• Critical analysis and evaluation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
[Figure 64: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Key Concept: Experimental procedures and results
• Ethical considerations and implications
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
[Figure 65: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
Important: Learning outcomes and objectives
• Current trends and future directions
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Important: Practical applications and examples
• Critical analysis and evaluation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Remember: Critical analysis and evaluation
• Best practices and recommendations
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Note: Comparative analysis and synthesis
• Theoretical framework and methodology
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Remember: Literature review and discussion
• Literature review and discussion
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Section 8: Problem-solving strategies and techniques
Practice Problem 70: Historical development and evolution
• Statistical analysis and interpretation
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
Remember: Fundamental concepts and principles
• Fundamental concepts and principles
- Sub-point: Additional details and explanations
- Example: Practical application scenario
- Note: Important consideration
Formula: [Mathematical expression or equation]
[Figure 72: Diagram/Chart/Graph]
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