Book of the Month - May 2025
For Such A Time as This
Elliot Cosgrove - ISBN: 978-0063417472 - 2024
Author:
Elliot Cosgrove
Elliot J. Cosgrove, Ph.D., a leading voice of American Jewry, is Senior Rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Ordained in 1999 at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he earned a doctorate at the University of Chicago Divinity School and is a Senior Hartman Rabbinic Fellow.
Rabbi Cosgrove sits on the Chancellor’s Cabinet of the Jewish Theological Seminary. An officer of the New York Board of Rabbis, he serves on the boards of UJA-Federation of New York, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and Hillel at the University of Michigan. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Rabbi Cosgrove represented the Jewish community at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during the visit of Pope Francis to New York in 2015 and was honored to represent American Jewry at the 2024 White House Hanukkah party.
Brief Synopsis:
A poignant exploration of what it means to be Jewish today, from a leading voice in modern Judaism, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue
For Jews today, the attack on Israel on October 7th has drawn a clear and irreversible demarcation in time. On that day, the Jewish community woke up to an unrecognizable new reality, witnessing the stark rise in antisemitism, the world’s oldest hatred, in its wake.
But even in this dark hour, the Jewish community is experiencing something profound and beautiful: a deep, abiding connection to community, culture, and faith. Drawing on the rich trove of Jewish history and tradition, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, one of today’s most influential thought leaders and spiritual guides, helps listeners make sense of this fraught time. With warmth and wisdom, Rabbi Cosgrove explores the challenging questions embedded in the soul of contemporary Jewry. Where did all this antisemitism come from, and was it always there? How have Israel and Zionism shaped American Judaism, and what ties us and divides us today? How do we practice Judaism and understand our place in a world that has, without fail, in every century, turned against us?
Knitting together storytelling with ancient teachings, Rabbi Cosgrove helps navigate and understand the landscape of this new reality, turning over questions that have no clear or easy answer in the way only a very good rabbi can.
For thousands of years, the Jewish people have wrestled with what it means to be Jewish. In this often divisive era, Rabbi Cosgrove reminds of how we can come together despite—and even because of—our differences. For Such a Time as This is a guide for a new generation that is reconciling the past with the present and facing the unknown future with courage, spirit, and unwavering hope.
Insights:
“As a people of Genesis and Exodus, we must stand up and stand tall in defense of our people and never lose sight of the joy and the privilege that comes with being a Jew today. Our Jewishness comes from both the push and the pull. Neither one nor the other but the two together must inform who we are and what we will be in such a time as this.”s
“The murders of that day? One would have been too many. As the Talmud teaches, “Whosoever destroys a single soul, it is as if they have destroyed an entire universe.” The attacks were a vile crime perpetrated against innocents, the very foundations of our faith, and the underlying bond of our common humanity.””
“Esther didn’t choose her moment; it chose her. And when the moment came, she put herself on the line, threw her lot in with her people, and rallied them to action. A heroine for her time. A heroine for our time.”s
“Put simply, to reduce my Jewish identity to fighting antisemitism is a victory I refuse to grant my foe. It was great to be a Jew on October 6, and it is still great to be a Jew today. Not just the push, and not just the pull, but the centripetal momentum of the two together—that is the generative force by which our community will be maintained.”
“We must take our part in the curricular and cultural battles in our institutions of higher learning, and we must take Jewish learning to higher levels. We must celebrate our births, bnei mitzvah, and weddings, reminding one another, our children, and most of all ourselves of who we are. Jews must take agency—and joy—in their Judaism.”
“We have taken our Jewish identity for granted for so long. And now, for the first time in our lives, we have begun to ask, What kind of Jews do we want to be? Where do we turn for guidance in such a time as this?”
Should I read it or skip it?
Toward the end of last year, I took a job with Ariel Ministries. This shift in ministry has caused me to explore genres and pick up books I wouldn’t normally. Recently in an Audible 2 for 1 sale, I found this book and thought I would giver it a listen. Here are my thoughts:
In For Such a Time as This, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove offers a deep reflection on the challenges facing the Jewish community today, especially in the aftermath of the October 7th attack on Israel. With clarity and compassion, Cosgrove examines the rising tide of antisemitism and the deepening divides in both the Jewish and global communities. I knew there is a deep divide between Messianic Judaism (Acceppting Yeshua or Jesus as Messiah) and Judaism (still waiting for Messiah). I did not realize the depth of the divide between Jews who made their way to Israel and the Diaspora Jewry (such as American Jewry).
Drawing on Jewish history and tradition, Cosgrove guides readers through the complex questions of contemporary Jewish identity, the role of Zionism, and the ever-present struggle against hatred. He balances storytelling with profound insights from Jewish teachings, making this book a valuable resource for understanding the Jewish experience in this new, uncertain era. He makes the case for Diaspora Jewry being unsafe in the locations they are but more oblivious to the possibilities because America or wherever has tolerated them - unsafe and unperpared are not the same.
Through his wisdom, Rabbi Cosgrove highlights the enduring strength and unity of the Jewish community, reminding us that, despite our differences, there is power in coming together with courage and faith. For Such a Time as This is both a timely reflection and a hopeful call for future generations to navigate the challenges of the present with unwavering spirit. I think you should give this book a listen.
