On sustaining communal values: Leaders and their children

Abstract

And, in thinking about the values to which my friend, Richard Joel, has devoted – and continues to devote – his life, I reflect on what are our Jewish “Mystic chords of memory,” the “mystic chords of memory” that stretch all over our Jewish land, that animate us and define us in these changing times. What are our “bonds of affection,” to one another, to our families, to our communities, to our tradition, that we dare not allow to break? How can we access “the better angels of our nature” to recognize the opportunities and deal with the challenges of the times in which we live? Richard Joel has devoted his life, both personal and professional, to answering these questions. (from Introduction)