Repentance and Repair: Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

We welcome Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg to talk about the five steps of repentance, set forth by Moses Maimonides, which form the heart of her recent book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World.

For Maimonides, upon whose work Ruttenberg elaborates, forgiveness is much less important than the repair work to which the person who caused harm is obligated. The word traditionally translated as repentance really means something more like return, and in this book, returning is a restoration, as much as is possible, to the victim, and, for the perpetrator of harm, a coming back, in humility and intentionality, to behaving as the person we might like to believe we are.

Rooted in traditional Jewish concepts while doggedly accessible and available to people from any, or no, religious background, On Repentance and Repair is a book for anyone who cares about creating a country and culture that is more whole than the one in which we live, and for anyone who has been hurt or who is struggling to take responsibility for their mistakes.

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg is an award-winning author and writer who serves as scholar in residence at the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW). She was named by Newsweek as a "rabbi to watch" and a "faith leader to watch" by the Center for American Progress, and she has been a Washington Post Sunday crossword clue (83 Down). The author of several books, she has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Time, and other publications.

This episode won a 2023 Award of Excellence from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts.