David Hartman (rabbi)
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David Hartman (; September 11, 1931 – February 10, 2013) was an American- Israeli leader and
philosopher Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
of contemporary
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
, founder of the Shalom Hartman Institute in
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, and a
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
author.


Biography

David Hartman was born in the Brownsville section of
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
. He attended Yeshiva Chaim Berlin and the Lubavitch
Yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
, after which he spent time learning in Lakewood Yeshiva. In 1953, having studied under Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, he received his rabbinical ordination from
Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a Private university, private Modern Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City.
in New York. He continued his studies with Soloveitchik until 1960, while pursuing a graduate degree in
philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
with Robert C. Pollock at
Fordham University Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
. In 1971, Hartman immigrated to Israel with his wife Barbara and their five children. Hartman died on February 10, 2013, in Jerusalem at the age of 81.


Rabbinic and academic career

After serving as a congregational rabbi in
the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
, New York, from 1955 to 1960, Hartman became the rabbi of Congregation Tiferet Beit David Jerusalem in
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
. Some of his students moved with him to
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
when he immigrated in 1971. While in Montreal, he also taught and studied at
McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...
and received his Ph.D. in philosophy. Hartman founded the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem in 1976. He was named founding president in 2009, when his son, Donniel Hartman, was named president. In addition to the institute, he founded the Charles E. Smith High School, which operates separate programs for boys and girls, the latter of which is named Midrashiya, in central Jerusalem. Hartman was a Professor of Jewish Thought at
Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public university, public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. ...
for over two decades, during which time he was also a visiting Professor of Jewish Thought at the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
in 1986/1987 and at the
University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
in 1997/1998. From 1977 to 1984, Hartman served as an advisor to
Zevulun Hammer Zevulun Hammer (; 31 May 1936 – 20 January 1998) was an Israeli politician, minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Biography Hammer was born in Haifa during the Mandate era. He was an active member of the Bnei Akiva youth movement (which he led) ...
, former Israeli Minister of Education, and he was an advisor to a number of Israeli prime ministers on the subject of
religious pluralism Religious pluralism is an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religion, religious belief systems co-existing in society. It can indicate one or more of the following: * Recognizing and Religious tolerance, tolerating the religio ...
in Israel and the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora.


Views and opinions

Hartman viewed his
immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...
to Israel as an essential part of his mission to encourage greater understanding between Jews of diverse affiliations—both in Israel and the
Jewish diaspora The Jewish diaspora ( ), alternatively the dispersion ( ) or the exile ( ; ), consists of Jews who reside outside of the Land of Israel. Historically, it refers to the expansive scattering of the Israelites out of their homeland in the Southe ...
—and to build a more pluralistic and tolerant Israeli society. His work emphasized the centrality of the rebirth of the State of Israel and religious pluralism, both among Jews and in interfaith relations. As his views often aligned with
Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism, also known as Masorti Judaism, is a Jewish religious movements, Jewish religious movement that regards the authority of Jewish law and tradition as emanating primarily from the assent of the people through the generations ...
, some have asked whether he should have been, or his writings continue to be, considered Orthodox. Elliot Dorff, a leader of Conservative Judaism, described Hartman as "Orthodox, but close to the right border of Conservative Judaism".


Published works

*''A Living Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in Traditional Judaism'' (Jewish Lights, 1998) *''
Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
: Torah and Philosophic Quest'' (Jewish Publication Society, 1976) *''A Heart of Many Rooms: Celebrating the Many Voices Within Judaism'' (Jewish Lights, 1999) *''Israelis and the Jewish Tradition: An Ancient People Debating Its Future'' (The Terry Lectures Series) (Yale Univ Press, 2000) *''The God Who Hates Lies: Confronting and Rethinking Jewish Tradition'' (Jewish Lights, 2011) He was awarded the
National Jewish Book Award The Jewish Book Council (Hebrew: ), founded in 1943, is an American organization encouraging and contributing to Jewish literature. The goal of the council, as stated on its website, is "to promote the reading, writing and publishing of qual ...
in 1977 for ''Maimonides: Torah and Philosophic Quest'' and in 1986 for the recently reissued ''A Living Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in Traditional Judaism''. In 1993, the Hebrew translation of ''A Living Covenant From Sinai to Zion'' (Am Oved Publishers) was awarded the Leah Goldberg Prize. ''A Heart of Many Rooms: Celebrating the Many Voices Within Judaism'' was published by Jewish Lights Publishing in 1999. ''Israelis and the Jewish Tradition: an Ancient People Debating Its Future'' was published by Yale University Press, 2000, ''Love and Terror in the God Encounter: the Theological Legacy of Joseph B. Soloveitchik'' was published by Jewish Lights 2001. The Hebrew translation of ''Israelis and the Jewish Tradition'' (''Moreshet b'machloket'') was published by Schocken Publishing House, 2002.


Awards and recognition

Hartman was awarded the Avi Chai Prize in the year 2000 and on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Shalom Hartman Institute he was awarded the Guardian of Jerusalem Prize. He was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Yale University in May 2003. In 2004 David Hartman received an honorary doctorate from Hebrew Union College and was awarded the Samuel Rothberg Prize for Jewish Education by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2008, David Hartman received an honorary degree from
Weizmann Institute The Weizmann Institute of Science ( ''Machon Weizmann LeMada'') is a Public university, public research university in Rehovot, Israel, established in 1934, fourteen years before the State of Israel was founded. Unlike other List of Israeli uni ...
of Rehovot, Israel. He received the doctorate "in recognition of his life's work to revitalize Judaism and strengthen Jewish identity among Jews the world over; above all, of his gift of vision and action, faith and scholarship, toward building a more pluralistic, tolerant, and enlightened Israeli society".Hartman website, Nov. 17, 2008, citing Weizmann Institute proclamation
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References


External links


Hartman Institute Official Website

Videos of David Hartman lecturesTribute page to David Hartman

Articles by David Hartman on Hartman Institute Official Website
* by Leon Charney on The Leon Charney Report * by Leon Charney on The Leon Charney Report * by Leon Charney on The Leon Charney Report * by Leon Charney on The Leon Charney Report * by Leon Charney on The Leon Charney Report {{DEFAULTSORT:Hartman, David 1931 births 2013 deaths American Modern Orthodox rabbis Fordham University alumni Academic staff of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Israeli Modern Orthodox rabbis Israeli philosophers American Jewish theologians McGill University alumni Philosophers of Judaism People from Brownsville, Brooklyn Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary semikhah recipients Yeshiva University alumni Jewish ethicists American emigrants to Israel 20th-century American rabbis 21st-century American rabbis Burials at Har HaMenuchot