Mensch·Marks
Life Lessons of a Human Rabbi
Wisdom for Untethered Times
The Talmud states, "In a
world that lacks humanity, be human." In a world as untethered as ours has
become, simply being human, a good person, is a measure of heroism. At a time
when norms of civility are being routinely overwhelmed, it may be the only
measure that matters. Mensch-Marks represents Rabbi Joshua
Hammerman's personal Torah scroll—the sacred text of his experiences, the life
lessons he has learned along his winding, circuitous journey. Mirroring 42
steps Israel wandered in the Wilderness, Hammerman offers 42 brief essays,
several of which first appeared in The New York Times Magazine,
organized into categories of character, or "mensch-marks,"
each one a stepping stone toward spiritual maturation. These essays span most
of Rabbi Hammerman's life, revealing how he has striven to be a "mensch,"
a human of character, through every challenge.
Mensch·Marks creates a brand-new genre. It is memoir as sacred story as
how-to book, a series of personal vignettes in dialogue with one another over
the span of decades, resonating with eternal ideas that span centuries.
It traces the author's own personal growth while providing a road map for
people of all backgrounds seeking a life of moral vision. The wisdom
is shared not from a pulpit on high, but rather from an unfolding story of a
fellow traveler, one who has stumbled, failed and persevered, struggling with
the questions large and small, and through it all has tried to live with
dignity and grace, what he calls the “nobility of normalcy.”
He writes, "If by sharing
what I've learned, I can add a modicum of generosity, honesty and human connection
in a world overflowing with cruelty, loneliness and deceit, then I'll have done
my job.” These essays cover crucial moments of failure and forgiveness, loving
and letting go, and finding deeper meaning in one’s work and holiness in the
seemingly inconsequential moments of everyday life. Rabbi Hammerman,
ever the optimist, believes that we can turn things around, one mensch at
a time.
Joshua Hammerman, a celebrated rabbi and award-winning journalist and blogger, has
served Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut, for over three decades. Author
of thelordismyshepherd.com: Seeking God in Cyberspace, his
essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Washington
Post, Times of Israel, The New York Jewish Week and elsewhere.
Rabbi Hammerman was a winner of the Simon Rockower Award, the highest honor in
Jewish journalism, and in 2018, he received
an award from the Religion News Association for excellence in commentary. He
has been a champion of inclusiveness and innovation in synagogue life, focusing
on creating an oasis of warmth, love and mutual respect, while at the same
time, challenging congregants―and himself―to reach ever higher in setting
spiritual and ethical objectives. Rabbi Hammerman received ordination from the
Jewish Theological Seminary after getting an MA in journalism from NYU and a
BA, magna cum laude, from Brown University. He and his wife, Dr. Mara
Hammerman, a psychologist, are the proud parents of Ethan and Dan, along with
three standard poodles.
