Living in an Upside Down World

Living in an Upside-Down World is the debut work of preeminent Australian rabbi and community leader Rabbi Ralph Genende. Drawn from Jewish thought and gathered over 20 years of writing and public speaking, this wide-ranging anthology examines many crises of the 20th Century - from deep polarisation to loneliness, climate change, the plight of asylum seekers, the pandemic and more - and offers reflections on the moral and ethical challenges these issues and events raise for us all. Rabbi Genende combines his understanding of psychology with rabbinical wisdom and a deep love of literature to draw from sources as diverse as medieval Jewish Mystics, William Shakespeare and Leonard Cohen.

The book's seven sections cover relationships, modern Jewish orthodoxy, lessons about death, learnings from traveling, contemporary issues affecting the world today, the circle of life and reflections on the pandemic. For both Jewish, and non-Jewish readers alike, there are also insights into modern Jewish orthodoxy and its relevance today. While there is a focus on Jewish theology, rituals and festivals, there is also deep reflection on current events such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Rabbi Genende looks at these and other issues through a humanistic and theological lense in order to help make sense of our world.

Living in an Upside-Down World has received praise from a number of Australian luminaries, including author Bram Presser, broadcaster and author Rachael Kohn and philosopher Raimond Gaita.