Many people want to know what rabbis talk about when they know that no layperson is listening. Four Rabbis At Lunch provides a fictional attempt at replicating some of these intimate, no layperson present conversations by listening in on four rabbis as they meet for their weekly lunch.
About the Author
Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins is a nationally known lecturer, educator, workshop leader, author, and book critic, and is a popular speaker on the Jewish circuit. Rabbi Elkins is a recipient of the National Jewish Book Award and is the author of over fifty books. His Chicken Soup For The Jewish Soul was on the NY Times best-seller list. His most recent books are Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth: Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul; Tales of the Righteous; Simple Actions for Jews to Help Green the Planet; Heart and Scroll: Inspiring Stories from the Masters; In the Spirit: Insights for Spiritual Renewal in the 21st Century; and For Those Left Behind: A Jewish Anthology of Comfort and Healing.
Praise for Four Rabbis At Lunch:
“What do rabbis discuss when they get together in private? Dov Peretz Elkins, a rabbi of many years and a writer, makes that question the intriguing basis for his new novel, Four Rabbis at Lunch.”
–Professor Susannah Heschel, Dartmouth College
“Four Rabbis at Lunch is a marvelous discussion sprinkled with seriousness, humor and a great amount of important information about what rabbis have to deal with whatever their denomination and struggles. Much to learn from, to have a good laugh, and think what Judaism is all about and why it is of crucial importance.”
–Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo, author of Jewish Law as Rebellion
“Based on his lifetime of experience in the Conservative rabbinate, Dov Peretz Elkins invites readers to eavesdrop as four fictional rabbis – Conservative, Orthodox and Reform – gather weekly to converse and schmooze. Major issues that rabbis face in their work – everything from intermarriage and Israel to circumcision and sex – fill out these conversations, which are punctuated by learning, humor and practical wisdom. More eye-opening than any sermon, this is a guide to what rabbis really talk about among themselves.”
–Professor Jonathan D. Sarna, Brandeis University
“Through the lunch-table conversation of four imaginary rabbis, Four Rabbis at Lunch offers the reader an original perspective on the Jewish community and Jewish religious leadership in our time by a master rabbi drawing on his decades of experience in the Jewish community.”
–Professor Raymond Scheindlin, Jewish Theological Seminary
“Rabbi Elkins has written a book that richly reflects his many years on the pulpit. His liberal Conservative perspective is balanced by other rabbinic voices he has created. The result is a book that teaches his valuable Torah in an engaging and charming way.”
–Rabbi David A. Teutsch, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
“The rabbis may be fictional, but the brilliant Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins is sharing truths stranger and more meaningful than fiction. If you’ve ever wondered how rabbis make decisions, grab this book. You’ll find it hard to put down!”
–Professor Ron Wolfson, American Jewish University