Communings of the Spirit : The Journals of Mordecai M. Kaplan, Volume 2

Mordecai M. Kaplan, the founding figure of Reconstructionist Judaism, kept meticulous journals throughout his life that serve as an unfiltered window into the intellectual and theological development of twentieth-century American Jewish thought. Edited and introduced by scholar Mel Scult, this second volume continues the archival project of transcribing and contextualizing Kaplan’s private reflections, which he began maintaining in the early 1900s. These journals were curated to offer readers a candid look at the conflicts, aspirations, and philosophical evolution of a man who fundamentally redefined Jewish practice as a progressive, evolving civilization.

Mel Scult, a distinguished historian known for his extensive research on Kaplan, approached this edition with the intent of preserving the integrity of the original manuscripts while providing the necessary scholarly scaffolding for modern readers. The volume reflects the intellectual rigor of Wayne State University Press, which has long been instrumental in publishing critical texts in Jewish studies. Upon its 2016 release, the work was received by the academic community as a vital primary source, praised for its transparency regarding Kaplan's internal struggle with the traditional religious orthodoxy he eventually sought to transform.