Stepping Up to the Plate: Building a Liberal Pluralistic Israel

The autobiography of Rabbi Robert L. Samuels, a visionary who had a tremendous impact on Israel, and fused Zionism and Progressive Judaism. In the words of Rabbi Charles Kroloff, Bob’s vision of the Leo Baeck School: a comprehensive educational center that would bring together children of all ethnic and economic backgrounds, educating them to be informed citizens committed to the finest progressive values of Judaism and humanity. He was not only a visionary, but he knew how to transform vision into reality. And in the words of Rabbi Michael Marmur, I can still hear him now: What did you do today to fix the world? Countless men and women, captains of industry and army generals, rebels and reactionaries were witness to the force of nature known as HaRav Samuels… . Bob always wanted to counter darkness with light–the light of learning, of understanding, of equality, of community. He believed that Zion will be redeemed by education… Bob was a builder. The Hebrew word for builder, banai, is an anagram of the word for prophet, navi. He developed an approach that all his students should learn from–applied prophecy. Rabbi Samuels sought a blend of the best of Liberal Judaism with the best inherent in Israel… As a person, a patriarch, a professional role model, a planner, a pioneer, a child of prophets, Bob was a builder. This book tells his story. Reading it can do what Bob always managed to do in his life.