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PRAISE for Hope into Practice

“A wonderful, gutsy, and inspiring book. Penny Rosenwasser takes on the most explosive issues in American Jewish life today—racism and anti-Semitism, victimization and privilege, and Jewish politics around Israel and Palestine–and she does it with a generosity of spirit and a clear head. A vision of a progressive Jewishness for a multicultural 21st century comes through proud and clear.”

“Rosenwasser knows her audience. I felt that she was writing to me and my cohort of young adult, Jewish female community organizers and activists trying to live a principled life in a world rife with contradictions …[The book’s] pages are saturated with Rosenwasser’s brilliant thinking and unwavering love for the Jewish people. I was brought to tears more than once…Hope into Practice is an absolutely inspiring call to action. Because, if not together, how?”

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“Hope into Practice…is a book for everyone, even recovering Catholics …Hope floats throughout this book and the question, ‘What could Jewishness be without suffering or victimhood?’ is asked in joy not shame. It is a question for all faith traditions.”

“A powerful tool for today’s Jewish organizers and activists. Hope Into Practice acknowledges that we cannot wait to heal all our wounds before we can act–but cannot wait until our movements are successful before we turn to our healing.”

“Thank you for this beautiful, loving and deep resource. Your history of antisemitism is so solid and accessible, so much love and care in this.”

“When I first read the Table of Contents, I was surprised to feel tears arise: tears of need, hunger, yearning, promise. Penny’s book is filled with wild, truthful, and exuberant voices, you can feel their spirits in their words.”

“This is more than one Jewish woman’s vision and coherence: it is vision and coherence for the whole world’s healing. A few insights or stories from this book can sustain you for an hour, a season, or a lifetime.”

“A stunningly well-researched history of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust…Book and author alike are…well-informed and impressively well-read.”

“The history of anti-Semitism is fascinating. Many personal stories of Jewish women are genuinely instructive and revealing…The writing is both poignant and personal and always to the point.”

“Fills a gap in the Jewish studies scholarship…Based on the bold assumption that communal and individual healing is integral to justice work, Rosenwasser’s multi-disciplinary work is at once a memoir, a Jewish feminist treatise, and an activist guide. Written from a poignant, personal perspective, Hope into Practice allows readers to reflect on their own struggles with Jewish identity, queerness, and ethical commitment in order to imagine a better future. A must-read for all Jewish feminists!”

“The book is brilliant, and is written in the great humanistic spirit of good anthropology.”

“The Jewish women you’ll meet in this book will inspire you, make you laugh, and challenge you to be more fierce. This is a book about liberation from our narrow places and the power to change the world. No matter who you are, you’ll learn something new about being human.”

“I am reading her book right now and started crying one page in. It’s like someone naming things I never had a name for but always experienced.”

“I have never thought of myself as being anti-Semitic or racist. Then I picked up Hope into Practice by Penny Rosenwasser…I never realized how indifferent I have been to anti-Semitism. She makes me want to work a little harder in trying to be the kind of person I want to be.”

“I cried through the whole first part, torn open by the known and unknown histories Rosenwasser exposes. As I continued reading, I was intermittently frozen with tears, nodding and saying yes, and turning to whoever was in the room with me to read paragraphs out loud…I long for Rosenwasser’s discussion of cycles of trauma to be present in mainstream Jewish institutions and community…Jewish women’s lives are the heart of this book…The questions she asks, the possibilities for healing that she offers, and the invitation to engage deeply with our whole selves is a galvanizing opportunity that I hope my community of Jewish women does not miss.”

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“Hope into Practice changed my life – mostly by giving me language to finally articulate one of my central experiences of Judaism & Jewishness…I could not feel more grateful to dream together of what real liberation might look like.”

“Your book speaks to my own fears and how to overcome them to be a better ally. Denial of fear can be exhausting – while owning/accepting “yes there is fear, and I’m doing it anyway” frees my energy: to first put on my own oxygen mask, but then make room so others who are more threatened, can also breathe. Thank you.”

A Few Testimonials from Penny’s Book Talks & Workshops

“While Penny’s book tells the stories of powerful Jewish women working to make change in their communities, her presentations themselves challenge us to engage with these questions with immediacy and love. Along with the others whose stories are recorded on the pages of her book, Penny exemplifies the activism and passion that inspires those of us working for justice in our communities today.”

Penny leading a “When I Dare to be Powerful” workshop at the Jewish Renewal Aleph/Kallah Retreat, Amherst MA, July 2018. Photo by David Hartzman

“Penny opened a sensitive and profound conversation at our temple. I was hoping to bring an understanding of both privilege and internalized anti-Semitism to my congregation. Penny’s great compassion, vulnerability and insight hit the mark. Kayn Yirbu/May such work increase!”

“Penny’s lecture was a powerful and engaging way for my students to understand the true power of what it means to choose justice. She exposed students to ideas they had not thought of before and enabled them to understand concepts such as internalized oppression through dynamic personal and political stories. My students still reference her lecture in class and in their writing!”

“The culture of our organization is forever changed, and the unity and health of our staff culture has never been so upright, as a result of Penny’s compassionate and clear facilitation. I am blown away by her brilliance and left speechless by the amount of work, care, heart and soul she poured into creating this experience.

Penny’s dedication to this work is outstanding, and her skill as a facilitator of challenging conversations is awe-inspiring. She is a role model for us all, and a trail-blazer when it comes to creating opportunities for individuals and groups to do the inner-work necessary to effect true systematic and structural change.”

“At Penny’s When I Dare to be Powerful retreat in Boulder, I personally came away with a realization that many of my patterns in groups and within myself are not just about the family I grew up in, but are connected to a lineage of Judaism and the trauma that my people have experienced. I came away with a wake up call: to stand more fully in my power, speak up for myself more, and be bold about my choices.

Penny effortlessly brought our group together to form a safe, dynamic space; the exercises we engaged in were both personally and politically transformative. She wasn’t afraid to ask us hard questions, to invite us to step into our discomfort, face cultural traumas, and move into action. Penny’s work on dismantling racism shows in her facilitation style and ability to show up as an ally. I particularly appreciated that anyone she was quoting from was acknowledged well, and she gave credit and gratitude to those who have come before on the path of justice work.

Penny weaves dyads, small group work, embodied exercises, academic presentation and ritual together to create a hands-on, experiential workshop. She is a phenomenal group facilitator who can broach the most controversial or delicate of subjects with grace, accessibility, depth of knowledge, and heartfelt connection.”

“My organization brought Penny to do a workshop for women in their 20s and 30s on the topic of working through internalized sexism and antisemitism. We could not have been more pleased with the outcome. The workshop itself was magical: Penny’s unique facilitation style allowed time for participants to process what they learned, and the outcome was a group of highly inspired, empowered and better connected women. I definitely recommend bringing Penny in as a speaker or trainer!”

“Penny’s workshop was a powerful orientation to fundamental systems of oppression–and the tools to shake free from them. Over the course of the day, the participants became visibly more bonded, both sobered and hopeful in the face of the task. As a rabbi, I am thrilled by the groundwork laid by Penny’s workshop, and look forward to building on this foundation with the folks who participated. Thank you Penny!”