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David Cardozo Academy

Machon Ohr Aaron and Betsy Spijer

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  • מאמרים בעברית

Our High Holidays Appeal is Underway

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Please consider donating (All donations are tax deductible).
* Read more about our projects for the coming year in the letter below the donation box.

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By Check or Bank Transfer:  here

Erev Rosh Hashana 5782 / September 2021

Dear friends,

I do hope that you are in good health, and in good spirits, during this highly challenging period that is affecting the entire world.

It is due to these unusual and trying times, that I wish, like last year, to make a very personal appeal to all of you to help the David Cardozo Academy, and myself, to enable us to continue our work. Unfortunately, the ongoing Coronavirus, and various other challenges (including some personal issues) are most time consuming; hence I was again unable to travel overseas to raise funds this year. Sadly, last year I had to lay off most of my staff and take upon myself the tasks they would have performed. Naturally, this encroaches on the time I would normally spend on writing, teaching, and counseling.

Many of you are acquainted with my work and have told me how much you benefit from my writings and teachings. I am especially grateful to the many young people who have commented on my essays on social media and helped me to hone my ideas. This exchange has been mutually beneficial.

I am happy to report that the numbers of both email and Facebook followers are constantly increasing; my articles in newspapers and other media continue to be published on a regular basis; the many blogs discussing my ideas have become very popular in both the Jewish world and on the international stage, even amongst many non-Jewish friends. Many thousands of people, of all ages, from the young to the elderly, benefit from these essays.

My Magnum Opus: Jewish Law as Rebellion, A Plea for Religious Authenticity and Halachic Courage, Urim Publications (2019), (470 pages) is at the center of much debate about the future of Judaism, honest religiosity and Halachic development in modern times especially in the State of Israel. It is studied by “a-religious” and religious people helping them, as well as non-Jews, to understand the enormous help Judaism can offer to modern times.

To our great joy this book will be published in Ivrit in the coming year, after many Israelis begged me for a translation. It will be published by one of the major Israeli publishers together with Urim Publications.

My two new books, Cardozo on the Parasha: Bereshit and Cardozo on the Parasha: Shemot (Kasva Press) have now been published and we are continuing to write the other books in this series, as well as books about the Jewish Festivals and Fast days.

But a great deal more work still needs to be done and for this I really need your sincere financial help so that I can continue writing and teaching.

Without your assistance, I am afraid that the David Cardozo Academy will have to close down for the immediate future.

It was thanks to your help last year that we were able to prevent this.

We have to make sure that, again this year, we will be able to continue and resist the many challenges.

Your contribution will help us with the following projects:

Books

  1. My Contemplative Autobiography Faith & Defiance, The Journey of a Religious Rebel. This work is currently being released (via email, Facebook and other media outlets) to thousands of people each week in a series of essays that take the reader through the ups and downs of my own journey in search of a more authentic Jewish life. It is my hope that by showing the various issues that I’ve struggled with over the years, my readers will feel less alone in their own struggles and will be able to find their own responses to more problematic issues in Judaism. This project is expected to continue for the next two-three years, after which the essays will be combined in one or more books.

Your donation will help cover the DCA’s operating costs, freeing me to continue this writing.

  1. The continuation of my weekly Thoughts to Ponder, discussing the many unusual and controversial issues with which much many people struggle.

To date nearly about 700 such essays have already been published.

  1. Questions to Ponder. This is a new series of short responsa based on the many halachic and ideological questions I have received over the years. They exist of a rare combination of halachic and ideological ideas which often show new creative insights into major problems which have not been given enough attention by the conventional religious, (Zionist) world.
  2. The continuation of the earlier mentioned multi-volume series on Parashat Hashavua. The first two volumes of Cardozo on the Parasha, viz. Bereshit and Shemot (Kasva Press) have already been published. They include insights dealing with some of the most intriguing philosophical and moral issues. We are now in the process of getting Volume 3 on Vayikra ready for publication.

Your contribution will cover the costs of editing, printing, and distribution for of this continuation of the series.

  1. A multi-volume series on the Jewish festivals. This series will include essays on the deeper meaning of the festivals.

Your contribution will allow me to complete the writing, and will cover editing, printing, and distribution costs.

Position Papers and Classes

  1. The David Cardozo Academy Think Tank. This group of 15 people from different backgrounds meets on a monthly basis (currently via Zoom) to tackle issues at the forefront of Jewish philosophy and practice.

Your contribution will allow us to edit and publish these discussions as working papers, essays, and books.

  1. Regular Zoom meetings and Podcasts. I would like to continue and start resume regular Zoom meetings / lectures and Post casts, dealing with issues of concern to the Jewish world. Each day, I receive over a hundred emails from people with questions or dilemmas. Though I try to respond to each of these letters, I feel that a better venue to address some of these issues would be via Zoom, where people can ask questions, discuss ideas, and where I can be more present on a personal level.

Your contribution will cover the costs of preparation of these classes, technical issues, and promotion so that more people can attend.

 You could choose to make dedications for several of these projects.

Without your help, I will not be able to continue work on any of these projects.

Without you, our academy will not be able to realize the above and would have to probably end all these activities.

I am therefore asking you to seriously consider making a donation at this time.

All donations are tax deductible.

Paypal / Credit Card:
Donate in Dollars
Donate in NIS

By Check or Bank Transfer:  https://www.cardozoacademy.org/donate-to-the-cardozo-academy

For more information on how you can help the DCA: office@cardozoacademy.org.

Once I have an idea what kind of support we have received, I will be able to tell you how the initiatives and suggestions can and will be realized.

I hope to hear from you.

Ketiva vechatima tova.

May the Holy One Blessed be He bless our people and all good people in this world.

With best wishes,

Nathan Lopes Cardozo

The David Cardozo Academy
7 Cassuto Street
Jerusalem, Israel 9643307
office@cardozoacademy.org
Telephone:
Rabbi Cardozo: 972 (0)9 9704661
Esther Peterman: 972(0)58 5647182

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The Cardozo Academy is a registered non-profit organization in Israel and a 501C3 in the United States. Our activities are financed entirely from donations.
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