After being introduced by a mutual friend in the winter of 2000, Reform Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch and Orthodox Rabbi Yosef Reinman embarked on an unprecedented eighteen-month e-mail correspondence on the fundamental principles of Jewish faith and practice. What resulted is this book: an honest, intelligent, no-holds-barred discussion of virtually every "hot button" issue on which Reform and Orthodox Jews differ, among them the existence of a Supreme Being, the origins and authenticity of the Bible and the Oral Law, the role of women, assimilation, the value of secular culture, and Israel. Sometimes they agree; more often than not they disagree-and quite sharply, too. But the important thing is that, as they keep talking to each other, they discover that they actually like each other, and, above all, they respect each other. Their journey from mutual suspicion to mutual regard is an extraordinary one; from it, both Jews and non-Jews of all backgrounds can learn a great deal about the practice of Judaism today and about the continuity of the Jewish people into the future. Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Correction: In the April 29 review of Karen Volkman's Spar, the poet was incorrectly identified as having attended the University of Iowa's MFA program. Volkman is a graduate of Syracuse University's program.From January 21, 2000, to October 1, 2001, two learned and articulate rabbis exchanged 39 lengthy e-mail messages in a spirited but ultimately failed effort to find common ground between Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Through the exchange, they became friends who respected each other even though they firmly rejected each other's points of view. Addressing a number of fundamental issues, they eloquently explain and criticize their opinions in a lively and spirited debate. Both erudite rabbis extensively cite the Bible and Talmud as well as the writings of philosophers and rabbis to support their stances, exploring such issues as women's status, Zionism, homosexuality, assimilation and Israel. Neither interlocutor is swayed by the arguments of the other. For example, while Hirsch, the Reform rabbi, says he will not preside at a homosexual wedding, he argues for tolerance. Reinman, the Orthodox rabbi, quotes the biblical condemnation of homosexuality and asserts the necessity of trying to convert gay people to a straight lifestyle. Hirsch contends that Israel needs religious pluralism, while Reinman retorts that "religious struggle in Israel will only roil and muddy the waters." Readers who are privileged to observe this enlightening disputation will be impressed by the outstanding scholarship of these two rabbis and by their superb capacity to express their views with clarity and determination. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Rabbi Hirsch is executive director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America/World Union of Progressive Judaism, and Rabbi Reinman is an Orthodox theologian whose biblical commentaries and studies in Talmudic law are used in yeshivas. In their provocative but specialized work, they use a series of e-mails (reproduced chronologically) to debate the issues that divide the Jewish community. At the beginning, the authors are barely acquaintances, but nearly a year and a half later, they are friends despite the deep disagreements that form the basis of the volume. Argued herein are key issues, including the role of women in Judaism, matrilineal vs. patrilineal descent in determining who is a Jew, the basic tenets of Judaism, and the role of modern scholarship. Informed Jewish and non-Jewish readers will appreciate the lucidly presented arguments and the engaging personal details, though some will find parts ponderous. This book would seem to have appeal, as few other popular titles articulately set forth the debate between these contrasting viewpoints. Still, it will challenge beginners, who will be better served by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin's Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things To Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History. This book is most appropriate for most medium and larger libraries serving a diverse clientele. Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.