The American Jewish conversation is at a crossroads. Too often, our communal narrative has centered primarily on the Holocaust and combating antisemitism—vitally important, yet insufficient to inspire the next generation to embrace proud, knowledgeable, and committed Jewish lives.
The Jewish Experience by Rabbi Mark Wildes offers a bold and uplifting alternative: an accessible, engaging, and inspiring guide to the core beliefs and practices that give Judaism its soul—G-d, Torah, Prayer, Shabbat, Kindness, Charity, and Tikkun Olam. Drawing on decades of teaching thousands of millennials at the Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE), Rabbi Wildes brings these timeless foundations to life for a 21st-century audience, answering the questions: Why do these beliefs and practices matter? How can they transform our lives today?
Following in the footsteps of enduring works such as Herman Wouk’s This Is My G-d, Rabbi Hayim Donin’s To Be a Jew, and Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan’s Handbook of Jewish Thought, Rabbi Wildes presents Judaism with warmth, clarity, and intellectual honesty. Each chapter of The Jewish Experience invites readers into a conversation that is spiritually engaging and intellectually rigorous, offering practical takeaways, mystical insights from the Kabbalah, and space for personal reflection.
With its modern design, interactive elements, and uplifting tone, The Jewish Experience is poised to become a modern classic—a book that will inspire and inform readers for decades to come. It is the go-to resource for learning and rediscovering Jewish meaning in today’s world, speaking to unaffiliated Jews as well as the more connected, while providing rabbis and educators with a vibrant new tool for teaching.
The Jewish Experience offers not just knowledge, but a roadmap for anyone seeking spiritual connection, purpose, and a deeper understanding of Jewish life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rabbi Mark N. Wildes is the founder and director of Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE), a leading community for young Jewish professionals in NYC and Tel Aviv. Ordained by Yeshiva University, he also holds degrees from Cardozo Law School and Columbia University. He is the author of Beyond the Instant and The 40 Day Challenge, hosts the WildesCast podcast, and contributes to major outlets including the Times of Israel and Huffington Post. Rabbi Wildes lives in New York City with his wife Jill and their four children.
