ON REPENTANCE AND REPAIR Making Amends in an Unapologetic World

Sara Sheckells correctly describes her delivery style as "equal parts empathetic and authoritative," and that is the case with this somewhat academic performance. Sheckells confidently lays out Rabbi Ruttenberg's expansive discussion of the ancient Jewish philosopher Maimonides's five steps to repentance and their application to individuals, communities, and cultures. Centered on the concept of caring for and inflicting no further harm on a victim, this audiobook is best consumed a bit at a time since the material is complex and sometimes makes for uncomfortable listening. Examples are given of repentance--some successful, some not--by individuals as well as nations. South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Germany's attempts at penitence for the Holocaust, and the few reparations made to Indigenous communities in the U.S. are some of the examples. S.G. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]