During the Middle Ages, Jews were members of a semi-independent polity within a larger polity. David Novak ageindependentjew Change image and share on social
Even when God chose Israel, he did not create the people of Israel as he created its human members, as natural beings. Instead, God formed the people of Israel from individual human beings already living in the natural world, calling them into a new historical identity. David Novak beingcallchoose share on social
Modernity has been largely shaped for Jews by three momentous experiences: the acquisition of citizenship by individual Jews in secular nation-states, the destruction of one-third of Jewry in the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel. David Novak acquisitioncitizenshipdestruction share on social
The community in which one hears the voice of God structures how one hears that voice and interprets what it says. David Novak communitygodhear Change image and share on social
The Jewish tradition presents itself as the greatest revelation of God's truth that can be known in the world. That is why we call ourselves 'the chosen people.' It is not that we choose ourselves. It means that we have been elected by God and given the Torah. David Novak callchooseelect share on social
The right to privacy has both positive and negative connotations for those who consider themselves part of the natural law tradition. David Novak connotationlawnatural Change image and share on social
We Jews who willingly and happily confirm our covenantal status and its attendant rights and duties must take the question of mission seriously: either to accept it or reject it knowingly and with conviction. David Novak acceptattendantconfirm share on social
I first came to Jewish-Catholic relations in 1963, while studying for the rabbinate at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. David Novak catholicjewishrabbinate Change image and share on social
Because Judaism and Christianity are both covenantal religions, the relationship of the individual Jew or Christian to God is always within covenanted community. David Novak christianchristianitycommunity Change image and share on social
Unlike the issue of messiahhood, which arose when Jews and Christians were members of the same religio-political community and spoke the same conceptual language, the issues of the incarnation and the Trinity divide people who are no longer members of the same community and who no longer speak the same language. David Novak arisechristiancommunity share on social