Moses the Heretic
From the inside flap
At a time when religion and hypocrisy are increasingly linked, Moses Levine is an exception. A modern-day prophet steeped in all three Abrahamic faiths, Levine is a rabbi for whom truth, justice, peace and passion aren't slogans, but imperatives. As his accomplishments increase, so does his fame, ultimately yielding him the Nobel Peace Prize. But Levine has a secret, and if that secret should be revealed, he could be deemed the falsest of prophets.
In Moses Levine, Daniel Spiro has created a provocative and inspiring character who serves as a prism through which we may see how religion can be both constructive and destructive. Set in Israel as well as the United States, Moses the Heretic takes the reader on a riveting ride through history, politics and theology, while laying bare one battleground of values after another. The book also considers how the major events of our day might have changed with a man worthy of the name Moses in our midst. You may not agree with all the ideals Spiro propounds through his Moses, but after reading about him, you will never think of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam the same way again.
Published in 2008 by Aegis Press.
Order Moses the Heretic on Amazon.
At a time when religion and hypocrisy are increasingly linked, Moses Levine is an exception. A modern-day prophet steeped in all three Abrahamic faiths, Levine is a rabbi for whom truth, justice, peace and passion aren't slogans, but imperatives. As his accomplishments increase, so does his fame, ultimately yielding him the Nobel Peace Prize. But Levine has a secret, and if that secret should be revealed, he could be deemed the falsest of prophets.
In Moses Levine, Daniel Spiro has created a provocative and inspiring character who serves as a prism through which we may see how religion can be both constructive and destructive. Set in Israel as well as the United States, Moses the Heretic takes the reader on a riveting ride through history, politics and theology, while laying bare one battleground of values after another. The book also considers how the major events of our day might have changed with a man worthy of the name Moses in our midst. You may not agree with all the ideals Spiro propounds through his Moses, but after reading about him, you will never think of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam the same way again.
Published in 2008 by Aegis Press.
Order Moses the Heretic on Amazon.
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What people are saying
"This is a deeply philosophical and perfectly paced gripping novel. Like all great works of art, and indeed like its main character, Rabbi Moses Levine, it will mean different things to different people; it will at once entertain and challenge, please and infuriate, excite and annoy, comfort and at times anger. But Rabbi Levine's struggles with the twin evils of apathy and dogmatism will resonate with persons of principle who dcare about the fate of humanity. For me, as a Muslim, this novel struck a powerful and compelling chord. The parallels between the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, and the Muslim ta'aruf and islah were eye-opening. Rabbi Levine's pursuit of hikma (wisdom), empathy, humility and beauty in all aspects of life embody the very principles that are supposed to guide the life of faithful Muslims. Whether one ultimately agress with Rabbi Levine's choices and actions or not, if there is any wisdom in this world, the Rabbi will become famous with millions of readers from every faith all around the world." - Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl of the UCLA School of Law, author of The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists, and one of the nation's leading moderate Islamic voices "Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav sang, 'The whole world is a narrow bridge but the main thing is not to be afraid.' Daniel Spiro's novel is a bridge of courage and hope in a frightened and dispirited world. It is a novel of heart, mind and spine." -- Rabbi Harold Schulweis, author of Evil and the Morality of God and For Those Who Can't Believe, founder of Jewish World Watch and Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, and one of the leading Congregational rabbis in America "Adventurous and daring, Daniel Spiro's novel challenges our understanding of the Middle East and gets to the core of the region's tragedy as nonfiction so rarely does. His modern Moses is comic and heartbreaking, much like the real peace process on which this insightful novel provides such sorrowful commentary." -- Matt Beynon Rees, author of the Middle Eastern-based mystery novels, A Grave in Gaza and The Collaborator of Bethlehem "I love this book! It brings together in a constructed reality of the tension between the practical existence of the Abrahamic family and the prophetic ideals according to which we are supposed to be living. It is a great story and thus fictionalizes and brings much closer to home the moral and political choices that we all have to face." --Rabbi Marc Gopin, Director of George Mason University's Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, and author of Between Eden and Armageddon "An extraordinary treatment of a Biblical hero imagined into contemporary times saying those things that need to be said even when they confuse, irritate or enrage the listeners. Readers will alternately respect Moses Levine, wish he would curb his excesses, wonder why he won't say exactly what they want him to, curse him for being too human and then respect him again for opening a way to tolerance, understanding, and peaceful coexistence. Speaks truth to confront the religious struggles and divides of our time." --Ruth Messenger, President, American Jewish World Service "Daniel Spiro has written a masterful novel that weaves powerful spiritual teachings of Judaism and Islam into a gripping story about of contemporary politics, passion and intrigue." -- Steve Masters, President, Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace "I hope and pray that this astonishing and deeply honest book will be the trumpet call to all who are caught up in the tragedy of the war between the children of Abraham, leading us as sisters and brothers , to take the first bold steps ... to true peace." -- Christene Brownlie, Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Blacksburg, Virginia "By entering the heart both of the middle east conflict and of the Jewish community, Spiro humanizes those who are too often demonized and creates compelling arguments and understanding for a more hopeful future. He does what most clergy hope for -- to write the sermons he believes need to be heard and to have the ideas within them repair the world." -- Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neumann, Senior Associate Dean for Religious Life, Stanford University "A smart, audacious and entertaining book that re-imagines the biblical Moses in the modern world -- deeply rooted in scripture, full of compassion and insight, and yet hard-wired to today's headlines." -- Jonathan Kirsch, author of Moses, A Life "If you love novels of ideas, you'll love this book. The protagonist, whose voice is lucid and powerful, leaps off the page and time and time again jolted me with fascinating ideas. Imagine a book that de-demonizes Islam, that imagines what might have happened if a wise counselor had prevented the Irag war, a book that strips away all unimportant distracting rituals to uncover the common heart of Judaism, Christianity and Judaism. A rare novel that both edifies and engages." --Irvin Yalom M.D., author of When Nietzsche Wept and The Schopenhauer Cure |