Tough Choices: Jewish Perspectives on Social Justice

Albert Vorspan was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on February 12, 1924. He attended the University of Minnesota but left to enlist in the Navy. He saw action as a gunnery officer in the South Pacific. Upon discharge, he received a bachelor's degree from New York University. After working briefly as a newspaper reporter, he took a job at the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council. He then worked for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and eventually became the senior vice president. He traveled the country urging Reform congregations to partner with local organizations on social action including civil rights, women's rights, opposition to apartheid, and poverty relief. He wrote several books on social justice including Justice and Judaism: The Work of Social Action and Searching the Prophets for Values written with Rabbi Balfour Brickner. He also wrote four humor collections including My Rabbi Doesn't Make House Calls: A Guide to Games Jews Play. He died from complications of cancer on February 17, 2019 at the age of 95.