About

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME:  Finding Ourselves in Biblical Narratives

Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs

My web page is also the title of the book I have been working on for the past 40 years.

The project began in 1974 when the Baltimore Board of Rabbis, Conservative and Reform, invited me to teach its area-wide Introduction to Judaism class for people contemplating conversion to Judaism or who were romantically involved although not contemplating conversion with a Jewish person.  The course also welcomed Jews who felt their previous Jewish education was lacking.

While teaching this class I found many adequate resources that explained the Holy Days and Festivals of Judaism and the various events of the Jewish life cycle.  What I found lacking was a sufficiently concise and lucid presentation of the essential religious ideas that emanate from biblical narratives.

I filled that gap through my book, WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME:  Finding Ourselves in Biblical Narratives.

Further incentive to prepare this volume came in the late 70s when the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia invited me to teach an Introduction to Jewish Life and Thought course to students preparing to become Lutheran pastors.  When I was granted a sabbatical from my position as the first full-time rabbi of Temple Isaiah in Columbia, Maryland, my family and I lived in Jerusalem where I worked on this book in a more concentrated manner.

In 1988, while serving as Sr. Rabbi of The Temple, Congregation Ohabai Sholom in Nashville, TN, I began a 4-year part-time course of study at Vanderbilt University Divinity School leading to a Doctor of Ministry degree concentrating on biblical interpretation.  My D.Min. Dissertation was a text for the ceremony of Confirmation with a creative liturgy based on the text.  The service takes the congregation on a spiritual journey from creation to the revelation of Torah at Mount Sinai.  The bulk of the dissertation was a thoroughly reworked and revised version of the text I had begun in 1974.

Since then I have continued to review and revise my text and used it for classes I have taught at Hartford Seminary and St Joseph College in West Hartford, CT.  I have also presented it as gifts for comment and critique at several Institutes for Christian Clergy that I have conducted over the years.

And now, after yet more revisions I am ready to offer it to non-fundamentalists eager to see how the narrative portions of the Torah relate directly to our lives today.

My blog on this site will sometimes relate directly to the book and sometimes to other issues I find – and think you will find – of interest.

Stephen  Fuchs

14 thoughts on “About”

  7. I just finished and thoroughly enjoyed your essay on “Circumcision.” It was both illuminating and uplifting. Thanks for your insights. I look forward to exploring your other essays in the weeks ahead.

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  8. Thank you very much, Rabbi Stern. I was on the religious school faculty of Beth Shalom in Santa Ana when I began my rabbinical studies long ago at HUC-LA I wish you and your community health and joy in the year ahead!

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  9. Pingback: Where is the line? – Coffee Shop Rabbi

  10. Stephen,

    This is Allison, Marketing Director at Rise Foundation Agency. Finding Ourselves in the Bible: The Path To Personal Growth Through Scripture is currently positioned in a way where it is not consistently reaching its core Bible study audience, while also carrying a review presence that is too limited to establish authority within this category.

    In faith-based and study-driven segments, discoverability is heavily influenced by trust signals and reader validation. When those signals are not strong enough, the platform tends to circulate the book in lower-engagement pathways, where it is seen but not prioritized, regardless of the depth or quality of the material.

    Following a formal internal review process, your book has been identified and selected for our 2026 Author Visibility Program, which is currently active.

    This program is structured to strengthen both positioning and authority through a coordinated system of targeted digital distribution, audience-specific placement within faith and study networks, editorial features, social media amplification, and strategic partnerships, all supported by a dedicated team assigned to each author. The objective is to ensure the book is not only visible, but recognized as a credible resource within its intended space.

    At this stage, the key factor is establishing those signals before the book becomes further embedded in low-priority discovery patterns, where even strong content struggles to gain traction.

    If you want to see what is currently limiting its authority and how that would be corrected, reply to confirm your interest and I will send over the full proposal.

    Allison
    Marketing Director
    Rise Foundation Agency
    risefoundationagency.com

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    1. Ok, Allison, I’ll bite. I ‘ll admit your offer has the earmarks of a
      “walletectomy,” but I believe in the quality of my book, so I hope you will surprise me with your proposal.

      Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs

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