Above All, We Are Jews: A Biography of Rabbi Alexander Schindler

Michael A. Meyer

Feb 2025 · CCAR Press

About this ebook

Rabbi Alexander Schindler (1925-2000) was an extraordinarily influential leader in the history of Reform Judaism. From 1973 to 1996, he served as president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (today's Union for Reform Judaism), where his charisma and vision raised the Reform Movement to unprecedented influence. Never afraid to be controversial, he argued for recognizing patrilineal descent, institutionalized outreach to interfaith families and non-Jews, and championed LGBTQ rights and racial equality. He was a tireless advocate for Israel while maintaining diaspora Jews' right to speak out independently on the Jewish state. In this nuanced biography, historian Michael A. Meyer draws on extensive archival research and interviews to paint a definitive portrait of Schindler's life. A foreword by Jonathan D. Sarna situates Schindler in American Jewish history, and Rabbi Rick Jacobs's afterword reflects on his legacy.

Alex Schindler was daring and visionary, radical and optimistic. In this honest and compelling book, Michael Meyer reminds us why Schindler was a truly great Jewish leader, the last one to galvanize the entire Jewish community and win support from across the religious and political spectrum.

---Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President Emeritus, Union for Reform Judaism

In addition to a fascinating biography of Alexander Schindler, one of American Judaism's most important political and religious leaders, Michael Meyer has given us a brilliant study of post-World War II Jewish religious thought and politics.

---Susannah Heschel, Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor, Dartmouth College

How and why Alexander Schindler emerged among the twentieth century's most influential rabbis is captured vividly in this insightful biography by one of American Jewry's most respected historians, Michael Meyer. Professor Meyer analyzes Schindler's visionary leadership and compelling eloquence, assessing candidly the transformative impact that his focus on radical inclusiveness, social justice, and loving criticism of Israel continues to have on every non-Orthodox stream.

---Rabbi David Saperstein, Director Emeritus, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

This moving, engaging biography invites us into the world of Rabbi Alexander Schindler: a beloved leader of Reform Judaism, a fervent lover of yiddishkeit and the Jewish people, and one of the most compelling voices of his generation. It offers rich insights into his personal and spiritual development, his eloquently expressed vision for Jewish life in America, and his bold, often controversial initiatives to revitalize Judaism in the face of challenges both internal and external.

---Rabbi Janet Marder, Past President, Central Conference of American Rabbis

About the author

Michael A. Meyer, PhD, was born in Berlin, Germany and grew up in Los Angeles, where he graduated from UCLA with highest honors. His doctorate in Jewish history is from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, where he served as professor of Jewish history for fifty years. He has also been a guest professor at three Israeli universities and has served as president of the Association for Jewish Studies and international president of the Leo Baeck Institute. He is the recipient of three National Jewish Book Awards and has published more than two hundred scholarly articles and longer reviews. His books include The Origins of the Modern Jew, Response to Modernity: A History of the Reform Movement in Judaism, Rabbi Leo Baeck: Living a Religious Imperative in Troubled Times, and Above All, We Are Jews: A Biography of Alexander Schindler. He is the recipient of an honorary degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Cross of Merit from the German Federal Republic.