Elon religious studies professor publishes book, “Jewish Ethics: The Basics”

Geoffrey Claussen recently published his fourth book, “Jewish Ethics: The Basics,” a guide to the diversity of traditional and contemporary Jewish ideas about how we should treat each other.

Published by Routledge as part of “The Basics” series, the book introduces readers to foundational questions, controversies and diverse ethical conclusions developed by Jewish thinkers throughout history. Claussen, professor of religious studies and the Lori and Eric Sklut Professor in Jewish Studies, addresses topics including human rights, war, power, love and compassion, justice, humility, gender, sexuality and ethical issues around animals and the environment.

“Jews are deeply divided about how to understand Jewish traditions and what counts as ‘Jewish ethics,’” said Claussen, who is also chair of the Department of Religious Studies. “This book introduces readers to the vast diversity of Jewish ethics and challenges them to think critically about how people draw the boundaries of what counts.”

Claussen designed the book with students in mind. In fact, he regularly used drafts of the book’s sections while teaching his Jewish Ethics course at Elon.

“I’m excited to use it in the classroom in the future, and I’m excited that it’s now available for other colleagues and other readers, as well,” Claussen said.

Claussen is a prominent scholar in the field of Jewish studies and Jewish ethics. He has published more than 25 chapters and articles since 2010 and is a past president of the Society of Jewish Ethics. His previous books include “Jewish Virtue Ethics,” a co-edited volume published by SUNY Press in 2023; “Modern Musar: Contested Virtues in Jewish Thought,” published by University of Nebraska Press and the Jewish Publication Society in 2022; and “Sharing the Burden: Rabbi Simhah Zissel Ziv and the Path of Musar, published by SUNY Press in 2015.